Tips & Advice

The garden shed is a multifunctional space that could serve different purposes depending on your needs, from a DIY workshop to an additional room or office space. In this blog, you will find some great DIY tips that are easy to follow and will help you convert a dull, conventional garden shed into a space that you will enjoy spending your time.

Apply a New Coat of Paint

Fresh paint always gives a new look, even when you’re dealing with a shed that might be a decade old. A bright, neutral colour for the inside such as white is always the safest and best option, as it can reflect natural light, brighten up smaller spaces and make them look bigger, but also allows you to be more creative with the décor you choose. Pick the right paint according to your needs by choosing from a wide collection of exterior or interior paints and coatings and don’t hesitate to ask for more information when it comes to p

When it comes to interior décor it can be hard to keep up with the latest trends and styles and stay ahead of the game. With so many programmes focused on house renovations and refurbishment, customers are always looking for new ideas to improve their homes. In this blog, we’ll look at how you can tap into one of the latest trends to create wall panelling that your customers will absolutely adore.

Wall panelling not only looks great in both traditional and contemporary homes, but it is a cost-effective service that you can offer to your clients. So, without further ado let’s look at some of the different types of wall panelling and what tools you will need to install these for your clients.

Geometric wall panels

The perfect choice for a contemporary interior, geometric wall panelling not only looks great, but it can also be customised to perfectly fit the space and create a bold and unique design that your customers will adore. Whether you are coming up with the

When it comes to updating our home’s décor one of the most overlooked items is often the humble radiator which generally serves a functional purpose. And, sure you can invest in fancy industrial style radiators but there is a simpler and cheaper option which is often overlooked. In this guide, we’ll take a look at how to paint the metalwork in your home and get great results every time.

Proper preparation

Whether you are painting a radiator, a metal staircase or bannister, balcony or railings, taking the time to properly prepare the surface will help to ensure that your paint job looks professional. When it comes to painting a radiator here are the preparations that you should be carrying out:

• Turn off your radiator and make sure it is cold
• Use a wet and dry abrasive paper to lightly rub down the surface
• Rinse and dry the radiator and coat any bare metal patc

Have you turned up to a job and been asked to troubleshoot painting problems that have mysteriously appeared? Perhaps you’ve even come across these issues yourself and had to act to resolve them for your customers. In this blog, we’ll look at some of the common painting issues that you will encounter and how to resolve these for your customers.

Chalking

This is often found on exterior walls when the wrong paint has been used, the surface has not been sealed properly or the previous paint was over-thinned. This can lead to a chalky white layer occurring over time.

Solution – Luckily the solution is fairly straightforward. You will need to remove the chalky substance by washing the surface, sugar soap is great for this. Once you have fully cleaned the surface and washed it with clean water and let it dry you can then apply a suitable sealer or stabilising prime

We all know how important a great finish is when it comes to painting and decorating and this is equally true when it comes to a rental property. In this blog, we’ll look at what to focus on when decorating your property for the rental market and how to make sure the decorating appeals to the mass market.

Less is more

When it comes to rental properties the temptation can be to update and upgrade everything in the property to make it stand out, but our advice would be to focus on what matters. Functionality is key to success so simple furniture, fittings and fixtures will do the job just a well as more expensive alternatives at a fraction of the cost. Stick to neutral colours for things like your kitchen cupboards, tiles and flooring as these will help the property appeal to the most people.

Adopt a neutral colour scheme

While your own personal style might be bold and bright, it isn’t for everyone. Neutral colours will help to brighten up small rooms and

Whether you are a homeowner looking to put their property on the market, a landlord looking to attract new tenants or an investor looking to generate the best return on your investment, we’ll show you some simple home décor tips to help you stage your property. Spending more money on your property may seem like the wrong thing to do, but the extra investment could make your home stand out and win you a quick sale. So, let’s look at some of the best home décor tips for making your house more saleable.

Refresh your walls

When was the last time that you updated the colour scheme of the rooms in your house? Chances are it’s a lot longer than you think. And, while bold and vibrant colours may be your preference, it’s probably worth opting for more neutral colours for your redecorating as this help to provide a blank canvas and make it easier for the new owner to visualise living in your property.

And, while painting your own house may seem like a great way to save m

One of the easiest ways that you can help to guarantee a great finish is ensuring you have the right tools for the job and when it comes to paintbrushes there are a huge range of choices. And, while there is a massive selection of brushes on the market, we’ll look at which ones you’ll likely be using on a daily basis. Not only will having the right brush help you complete the job quicker, but it will also make getting a perfect finish much easier.

Don’t go cheap

It can seem tempting, especially for those just starting out in a career as a painter or decorator to buy a set of cheap brushes but this is a false economy. Cheap brushes simply don’t last as long as their more expensive counterparts which means any cost savings that you enjoyed originally will quickly be lost as you have to replace brushes that lose their bristles and shape. As well as lifespan, another reason to avoid cheap brushes is the quality of finish simply won’t be up to that of a more

Let’s hear it for Brave Ground the latest colour to be chosen by a panel of Dulux colour experts. Chosen as the colour to best represent our lifestyles, Brave Ground is a warm and neutral colour that connects us back to nature and the simple things. In a world still dealing with a global pandemic, Brave Ground helps us align with the planet and look towards the future.

The colour was chosen by a panel of experts including design specialists, editors and architects from around the world. Working with paint company AkzoNobel the shade was chosen along with complementary natural tones to form the Dulux ColourFutures 2021 palettes. These palettes are split into four very distinct palettes which are Expressive colours, Trust colours, Timeless colours, and Earth colours.

According to Dulux “Brave Ground is a warm, earthy tone which creates a feeling of stability, growth and potential; and provides a firm foundation for change and creativity in your home.” Brave Ground will bring

While smoking in the home is becoming less common, as a painter and decorator as a painter and decorator you’re still likely to come across rooms that have been occupied by smokers. And, while a couple of coats of trade quality interior emulsion will probably cover the stains, it won’t be long until they start to seep back through leaving the room in need of redecorating. In this article, we’ll look at the most effective ways to get rid of nicotine stains and the secret to making sure they don’t come back.

Surface Preparation

When it comes to getting rid of nicotine stains from ceilings and walls, good surface preparation is essential. To start off with you’ll need to give the walls and ceiling a good scrubbing using sugar soap to help eliminate any staining. If the walls have been wall papered then it is worth

Fancy yourself as the Pablo Picasso of the painting and decorating world? These 5 painting techniques will help you showcase your skills and provide your customers with a great painted finish that they will love. Not only will mastering these techniques help you stand out from the crowd, but they will also help you win more business. So, let’s dive in and take a look at the decorative painting techniques and how you can master them.

1.      Metallic paint

This is definitely one that takes some practice to perfect. Metallic paint offers a great way to add a decorative finish to walls and using techniques such as stippling, sponging, criss cross, overlapping, strié and other painting techniques. It is best to experiment with different strokes to see which give the best finish. The results can be truly stunning and will help you provide a luxurious finish that looks great in bathrooms, bedrooms, and hotels.

2.      St