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Updated from original in 2012 We cover the options to apply Zinsser BIN paint in aerosol cans or by spray, brush or roller. Zinsser BIN is for you if you need to paint over knots in pine, tannin in oak, or old water stains or nicotine on plaster. These all affect the pigment in conventional Read More

I’ve had a few enquiries recently, asking about the best product for sizing walls before papering with lining paper or wallpaper. I think this rush of interest may be related to reports that Dulux Decorator Centres are no longer stocking conventional glue size, due to lack of demand? Do you have a lot of filler Read More

Brushes are a painter’s most important tool, and whether you are a pro painter, a jobbing builder or a DIY painting enthusiast, the Brush Mate has long been the most useful piece of equipment you can have to keep oil paint bushes in perfect condition. The fluid that keeps brushes so supple in a Brushmate Read More

Update from Oct 2008 I am curious to know how popular Brushmates still are? Since 2010 oil paint changes, plus reports of some synthetic bristles curling, some decorators have gone back to storing oil brushes in water, or diesel. (Let me know your view on the forum, thanks.) Brushes are a painter’s most important tool, Read More

“Polyfilla” powder fillers are a firm favourite with trade and DIY decorators – economical, generic and all-purpose, sold by the box or sachet. There are other less well-known specialist fillers like 2-pack Polyfilla Deep Hole and Zinsser Ready Patch. They are hi-tech heavy duty fillers that won’t fail where will Polyfillas will. And for finer Read More

There is a big difference between a professional job and a DIY one: sharp lines v wobbly ones, smooth surfaces v lumps and bits… I try to take a good professional job another level higher, by paying more attention to detail than the last decorator. Hairline cracks in joints If you look up at the Read More

November 20th and 21st – the National Painting and Decorating Show 2012 in Coventry. There were about 70 stands and in amongst the mainstream I hoped to find a few gems who have looked at how things are done in decorating and thought, You know what, we can do this a lot better. So I Read More

Credit where credit is due, professional decorating tools and paint from B&Q do exist, if you look hard enough. 3 examples. Hamilton steel filling knife The name Hamilton still smacks of traditional quality. I’m not so sure the brushes have kept up with modern paints, but they still adopt a 5 star approach to making Read More

Polyvine do a range of clear acrylic varnishes for protecting flat matt emulsioned walls in high traffic areas, or for sealing emulsion on woodwork. It comes in 3 sheens, dead flat, satin and gloss. The basic idea is that you protect a less durable emulsion paint with a very durable clear coat. The clear varnish Read More

This article is onLaura Ashley wallpaper paste, do you need to use it with Laura Ashley wallpaper, is a guest post by Martin Dunn, Staffordshire based Traditional Painter, former lecturer and specialist in wallpaper hanging. I was hanging some Laura Ashley paper the other day, and the customer had purchased their own paste from Laura Read More