Top tips
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Hints and tips on waterborne trim finishes
Tips
Waterborne trim finishes are fast becoming the preferred finish within the decorating trade, they have many advantages, including:
- Quick drying and recoat times
- Non yellowing
- Easy clean up, water
- No smell
- Environmentally and user friendly
- Lightly abrade the surface and dust off.
- Always use a good quality synthetic brush.
- Make sure that you use a suitable size of brush to fit the substrate.
- Lightly dampen the bristles (with water) before starting, this helps keep the bristles from clogging up.
- On large surfaces (flush door etc) lightly dampen the surface, this helps the flow, avoid over wetting as this could lead to streaks.
- If you would prefer to use a roller, no problem, but use the correct roller for the job, flock roller or similar, do not use a foam roller as this could lead to aeration (bubbles).
- Do not thin the product, as this would lead to faster drying and lose of wet edge.
- Apply a generous coating (adhering to spreading rates) laying off as you go. Once laid off, do not apply more paint or attempt to re- brush the surface as this will lead to flashing.
- Apply 2 coats of gloss as this will give a higher sheen level.
- If working with the product for a length of time, wash the brush out every 2 - 3 hours, this will keep the bristles flexible, giving you a better finish.
- Once the project has been finished, clean out your brush thoroughly ( soap and water ) and store so the bristles will not be damaged, and ready for the next project.
Hints and tips on installing feature wall wallpapers
Before any work can begin, as ever, preparation is key if you are to achieve a flawless finish.
Here are a few things to consider before work starts:
- Which wall are you going to recommend? This may sound obvious but it's not necessarily always a case of opting for the chimney breast wall or the one with the largest surface area as the feature. Consider aspects such as furniture, lighting and permanent features such as windows and radiators
- Consider the pattern and colour of the proposed paper. What is the customer looking to achieve? A clever use of design and colour can create the illusion of a larger or taller room, a feeling of warm or cool or even give a sense of vibrancy
- Once you've made your choice, it's time to focus on the paint, as it is always easier to match paint to paper rather than the other way round
Here are a few tips when it comes to hanging wallpaper on a feature wall:
- Measure the amount needed, allowing 50mm top and bottom for cutting
- Always check batch numbers and condition of paper before starting work
- As with any decorating project, preparation is key. Thorough preparation and cross lining the walls before papering is always advised
- Always use the paste recommended by the wallpaper manufacturer
- Carefully set out the wallpaper before use, to ensure the design repeat is balanced both horizontally and horizontally
- Once the design repeat has been measured and divided according to the height and width of the chosen wall, the ideal starting point can be determined
- Consider centring the pattern over a mantelpiece, or in the middle of the chosen feature wall for the best results
- Try and keep the pattern 'whole' at the top as this area is more noticeable; cutting through the pattern at the skirting will not be as obvious (see image)
- Once you have chosen your starting point, plumb a line to work from, and work in both directions towards the corners to give a nice balanced look
- If using a very fine pattern, once the top of the paper has been decided, perhaps in pencil, lightly put a T (top) on each piece
- There are currently lots of paste the wall wallpapers on the market, the benefits are faster application, easier to strip, and no soak time. Only paste, just over a papers width. Use a wallpaper smoother tool (as using a brush will contaminate the finish paper). The paste the wall wallpapers do not become flexible, therefore it is better to use the smoother tool for assisting in cutting in.
- As with any job, it is not only professional, but a safety requirement to keep the workplace neat and tidy. We recommend having a bin liner handy to place all off cuts into and placing any larger pieces over a door so these can then be repasted and used if needed. Finally, always have a clean bucket of water and a sponge at hand, to clean ceilings and trim as you work
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Comments (8)
chris k November 19th 2010
I'm still not convinced about water based trim paints.
Christopher T December 4th 2010
it takes longer to put on and needs two coats of gloss if you paste on woodwork and wipe off the paste it leaves water marks so you have too paint the woodwork again
Peter D January 5th 2011
Hi Chris K Like most decorators it did take me a while to to get to grips with the different aplication techneques in aplying waterborne trim paints, however for me I would not now use anything else. Get hold of one of our " how to get the best results using waterborne finishes " it does have some very good hints and tips, always use a good quality synthetic brush, sized to suit the job, lightly dampen the bristles before aplications, and perhaps lightly dampen the substrate, this helps the flow and gives better results. And as always with waterborne trim paints, put plenty on lay it off and leave it. Why not let me know how you get on, there are so many benifits to using waterborne trim paints
Christopher T
Chris, I dont think it takes longer to apply simply because you have to get it on fast to keep your wet edge going, 2 coats of Ecosure gloss is our spec now, and you will get a higher gloss and better finish with the second coat. I have never had a problem with cleaning off any paste from waterborne finishes, swear at me if you wish but are you sure it was thoroughly dry ? Only last weekend I decorated my mother in laws bedroom using Ecosure undercoat and gloss then papering, and after cleaning excess paste of the door frames and skirting as I went along had no sign of any water marks, so that's a new one to me. The job looked great and pleasing the mother in law really is something.
Regards
Peter
chris s January 11th 2011
Hi,
I'm chris from Newport,South Wales.
Can anyone of the lads tell me how to best deal with a Hemp bannister rail, at moment its got eggshell on no primer sealer nothiing "home DIY " . I need to make it right with good materials,but not gloss,but its got to be hard waring and look perfect !! obviously.
Anyway any ideas, post - enquiriesbrightandsons@trade.co.uk thanks lads
adam f January 16th 2011
the thing that puts me of water based gloss, is the amount of undercoats it needs, ive heard of it taking 4-5 coats of undercoat and gloss.
that and the price, on my price list 5 liters of oil gloss is £23.93inc vat and ecosure 5 liters is £34.55, so for me whats the benefits of paying the extra £10? im just un-sure im willing to try it out and i might do in my own house but im reluctant to try it in a customers house.
and the paste issue i can see how that could happen, normally when im papering a room il paint the ceiling and undercoat and gloss the woodwork, but last year i was behind on my self so id only undercoated with water based undercoat, and i had problems with the undercoat washing off when i wiped the paste off, and that was the day after id undercoated.
i think some the problems are, we stick with what we know and trust, so i might be a thought for dulux to hand out some 1 liters or half liters of water based gloss, just so we a try it out, because most times when theres a demonstration in my local dulux dec centre, its normally at 8 to 830am but if it takes half a hour and then its another half a hour to get to where im working, i just cant take that amount of time out of a working day.
Stephen E March 23rd 2011
I have been using a lot of Dulux Trade Diamond Satinwood lately. i know a lot of guys hate it but you have to persevere and be careful in applying it. Avoid over brushing and use long smooth strokes. I only use Purdy Monarch Elite brushes in applying the stuff and it looks great. Everybody likes it and now asks me for it. The biggest advantage with it for me is the quick drying. No more waiting around for 16 hours for oil based gloss to fully dry. Obviously if you going to use it over already oil based old gloss surfaces you have to get stuck into some serious preparation but on new bare wood coated with a couple of coats of Dulux quick drying wood primer/undercoat it is great. Give it a go!!
ps Like a lot of you on here I still remain to be convinced with water based gloss but i am keeping an open mind and waiting to see if they improve.
Richard M September 29th 2011
Hi all. I have been asked to paint uPVC (brown) windows and make them white or blend in with the exterior brickwork. Has anyone used the Dulux Difficult Surface Primer which is primarily for uPVC? Did it adhere well and what are the pitfalls before I undertake the job? Thanks
robert g December 13th 2011
hello. I recently undertook some wallpapering, and i used a trimming knife and a straight edge. despite changing the blade after every cut i still experienced tears in the paper. In the end, i had no option but to finish the job off using the old fashioned method of paper hanger scissors. Is there any reason as to why i was getting tears? do some papers not like the trimming knife? thanks.