EASTeight » Mark Williams

A brief guide to paint, part 2

Mark Williams — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 22:20:16 +0000

Floor paints are resistant to oil and petrol therefore provide a great finish to a garage. If painting a concrete floor key the surface first and remove any loose or weak parts of the floor. Spray a little water over your surface area before sweeping, thus keeping dust to a minimum. Make any repairs before you apply the top coats. At least two coats will be required. Oil-based floor paints can be re-painted after sixteen hours but do take a long time to fully dry. I would suggest waiting up to four days before placing heavy permanent fixtures back into place i.e. the car, or, in the lounge, the couch.
Floor paints can be used on wooden floors after the surface has had a good sand. After you have swept away the dust, making sure one collects the debris which may have collected between the floor boards, wipe the floor with a damp cloth and allow the wood to dry. One should sand between coats to achieve a smooth finish. Depending on the condition of your floor it may be necessary to use a prime coat prior to the floor paint. Floor paints are available in a large variety of colours but are generally more expensive than basic white or emulsion paint. Occasionally clients like a rough/bohemian finish to the wooden floor. This can be achieved by a sand or rub down using a 120 grade sandpaper after your final coat.

When painting exterior brickwork use masonry paints. You may need to stabilise the brickwork depending on the condition in which you find your surface. Certain masonry paints contain stabiliser which will save you a great deal of time but this really does depend on the condition of the brickwork. The more damage to your surface the more work required to put it right.
If painting a kitchen or bathroom you will need to use water-resistant paint. An oil base or acrylic eggshell finish could be used although there are specific products called kitchen/bathroom paints which are often mould-resistant – make sure you check the information on the side of the product.
Happy painting!

Finishing products for wood

Mark Williams — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:10 +0000

One must always prepare the wood before applying the finish. Imperfections will only be highlighted by the finishing product. Rub down the wood with a 120 grade sandpaper and give a final sand with grade 180 or steel wool working in the direction of the wood grain.
The most common products for protecting wood are oil or water based varnishes, Danish or teak oil and wax. Varnishes are generally resistant to heat and water but read the product information for more information. Wax and teak oil offer a quicker finish/work time but do not offer the same level of protection. Always ventilate your work area and do not smoke near any polyurethane based products. Superior varnishes are often solvent based although there has been great improvements in water based products over the last ten years. Varnishes come in gloss, satin and matt. Discuss with your paint supplier what quantities will be needed for the job. Varnishes can be bought clear or with an added stain. You can always add stain yourself but do not mix oil and water based products. Wood stain will penetrate the wood while varnish will simply sit on top of the wood. I would advise that you follow the required drying time recommendations.
When applying the varnish use a brush and make confident long strokes. Between coats lightly rub down the wood and wipe the surface clean with a dry cloth before re-applying the next coat. Wood which is to be close to water, such as a kitchen, will definitely require a third coat of the varnish.
Danish oil has a faster drying time. Apply with a brush or a cloth – at least three coats. When the first coat begins to dry, wipe the wood surface with a cloth evenly spreading any surplus oil. When fully dry, lightly re-sand and apply the second coat and again wipe the wood with a clean cloth to spread the oil. Apply a third coat if necessary.
Wax works best on hard and dark woods and will require frequent further applications to build up depth and a resistant surface. When using wax begin with a coat of Danish oil and then apply the wax. After you have rubbed down the work surface apply a generous amount of wax using a lint free cloth. Rub the wax onto and then into the surface and leave for several hours. Now use a stiff brush to buff the wax in the direction of the grain. The next step is to wrap a clean cloth around the brush to give the surface a final buffing.
Teak oil is generally used for teak. This product will leave a matt finish. Apply the coats in the same way as you would for Danish oil.
As with most varnishes, oils and wax, further applications are recommended generally on an annual basis to protect the wood from strong light and water. When re-applying finishes use a furniture restorer product. Apply with a clean cloth rubbing the wood gently which will dissolve the old finish and can then be easily wiped off. A fresh finishing product can then be re-applied.

Hanging Patterned Wallpaper

Mark Williams — Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:10 +0000

As with many jobs around the house, preparation is essential when hanging wallpaper: move the furniture out of the room and cover the floors with adequate sheeting. Check that the walls are sound, clean, dry and free from nibs.
Take the measurements of the room (do not subtract doors and windows) to your local wallpaper supplier/specialist and they will be able to calculate the correct amount of rolls needed for the job. Buy an extra ten per cent to allow for mishaps and make sure all rolls of paper have the same batch number.
There are different types of wallpapers for different spaces, i.e. for kitchens and bathrooms a vinyl paper can be used. These papers can be wiped clean and are water resistant up to a point. For a rough or old wall you may wish to line first (hung horizontally) or select a paper with a textured surface which will disguise the surface to a degree.
Measure the wall in several places and prepare to cut the paper for the longest measurement. Work out where you want your pattern to lie in relation to the top of the wall. Over cut the paper by 10cm which will allow for trimming latter on. On a pasting table, on the reverse side of the paper draw a straight line using a pencil across the width at the cut point. Now cut. Turn the cut length over and unroll the next length. Line the length up to match the pattern and cut the second length. It is very useful to to number each cut length in order as the cut lengths can be easily mixed up. Cut enough length for a wall.
Lay your cut length on the pasting table and apply the paste on the reverse side starting in the middle and working out to the edges. Wipe away access paste with a damp sponge. Once you have pasted your first length fold it over on itself (without creasing the paper) several times and then proceed to paste up a second length.
Draw a vertical line from the ceiling to the top of the skirting board at approx. 48cm away from the corner. Use a spirit level to achieve this. This will leave a 5cm overlap on the window wall. Now carefully place the first cut length at the top of the wall with the right hand edge lining up with the drawn line. Lower the paper gently down the wall avoiding a sudden drop which may result in a tear. Use a paper hanging brush to stroke the paper pushing out air bubbles from the center to the edge and in keeping with your drawn line. Use a long rule at the top and bottom to push the paper to the edge, fold the paper and cut it using a sharp blade.
Place the next cut length tightly against the previous, matching up the continuous pattern. After two or three lengths run a seam roller gently along the joins. Repeat until completion.

Considering a garage conversion, part 2

Mark Williams — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:10 +0000

As urged in last month’s article, hopefully you have checked with the relevant authorities and gained planning permission if needed. Now you are wanting to proceed.
The garage door will need to be removed and replaced with wall and perhaps door and window. The original foundations will most likely not be able to support the new load and hence deeper foundations will need to be dug. This may be affected by nearby trees/roots and any drainage. The new wall must be able to support new construction and must be made from brick that is resistant to ground frost and sulphates in the soil. A new external wall must be able to repel moisture coming up from the ground and be able to withstand external weather conditions. You will require damp proofing. The newly built wall should be both thermal and fire resistant. The wall will have to bear its own weight, the weight of other walls as well as the roof and openings such as doors and windows.
It is unlikely that the existing garage walls will offer fire resistance, sufficient insulation, weather protection and damp proofing. The existing walls will no doubt fall short of Building Regulation minimums. They will need to be upgraded with a new internal skin and assessed in terms of damp proofing.
The existing floor is unlikely to be suitable for domestic use and so will need to be upgraded. One can damp proof and thermal insulate the floor or suspend a new timber floor on top of the existing concrete one. A solid floor will need to be upgraded with a damp proof membrane (DPM) which comes in solid or liquid form. Liquid DPM is generally used for garage conversions. The floor is finished with a floating screed or layer of wood.
If a screed is used it should be 75mm thick. The other option is to install a solid timber floor. Timber joists are laid from wall to wall with a minimum gap of 150mm between the original concrete floor and the new timber floor. A damp proof membrane should be laid underneath the timber floor and the intermediate wall may require further ventilation.
The garage roof which was designed to keep rain off the car will most likely need to be upgraded. The two basic types are a flat roof which will need to be insulated or a pitched roof which will need to be insulated between the ceiling and the roof as in a normal loft.
Your new conversion must have adequate ventilation. Bathrooms and kitchens require more ventilation than bedrooms or studies. A window must be installed which equals one twentieth of the room’s total floor area. Additional ventilation can be discussed on a case-by-case basis with the Building Control Body. Kitchens, toilets, bathrooms, shower rooms and utility rooms must be fitted with a mechanical extractor.
Finally, any electrical work must be carried out in accordance with British Safety Standards.

Considering a garage conversion, part 1

Mark Williams — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:10 +0000

Despite the fact that house prices have fallen, our homes remain the single most expensive commodity that most of us will purchase.
Rather than move, many people consider a conversion or extension. Lofts, basements and garages can be converted into habitual spaces, and the garage is often the most cost effective conversion. An average single garage will add approx. 150 square feet of floor space to your home. Uses for the extra space may be an extra en suite bedroom, a playroom for growing children, an extra lounge or an office. Also, if legal, it could well increase the value of your property.
But before going ahead with a garage conversion there are a few factors that must be considered. Here is the important part. You will need to check your property deeds to find out whether there are any restrictive convenants as you may be affecting the external appearance of the property. You may need to acquire planning permission if you are extending the garage’s size, changing its use or if the conversion will involve your neighbour’s property. Some garages are constructed between your property and your neighbour’s. If you proceed without permission you will be very upset if the conversion is considered illegal. You may be told to pull it down at great expense to yourself.
If the conversion is going to be a habitual space you will need to comply with government building regulations. A building officer will want to check the conversion several times during construction. If you live in a listed building it is very unlikely that permission will be granted to change the external appearance of the property. If you want a bedroom with an en suite bathroom the conversion may place extra pressure on the drainage system. The existing drainage may not be able to cope. You may need to invest in a solution that will allay the problem of flooding or blocked drains. If the conversion is to be lived in, extra insulation will be required in the walls. Some local authorities will allow you to simply add the extra fill to the conversion while others may require you to dig up the floor and insulate the building from scratch. You must check with the local council concerning permission requirements as it will affect your budget.
And finally, in London, councils may refuse permission to convert, arguing that the loss of garage space will affect the shortage of street parking spaces.

New doors for old

Mark Williams — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:10 +0000

Before any wooden door is stripped there is one question to be asked: Is it worth it? If the wood is of bad quality or in a sad state of affairs one may consider looking at reclaimed doors (although often hard to match with the original door and architrave). A new door is another option. A joiner could make a door to your exact requirements. However, it will look brand new, which may not be the look you are after.
If the door is to be stripped consider a firm who will dip-strip the whole door in a bath to remove all traces of paint from the wood. This process is intense and the dip-stripping can leave the joints and mouldings loose…and the door may warp. If the door is to be re-painted the mouldings will have to be made sound and the holes filled.
To avoid the problems of dip-stripping a slower process is required. Layers of paint may have to removed from the panels and moulding. A hot-air gun and scraper can remove heavily built up areas of paint quickly. You need to concentrate on the job as it is easy to strip back the paint to wood but equally simple to start burning the wood leaving the circular nozzle shape of the hot-air gun all over the wood. You often see this on badly stripped doors.
A paint stripper should now be used. The stripping agent will give off fumes so make sure the area you are working in is well ventilated. With an old brush apply the paint stripper to the door and leave for approximately two minutes. This is a messy job…move any objects out of the working area as the paint stripper will burn almost anything. The paint should have reacted with the stripper and begun to bubble and blister.
Wearing disposable rubber gloves, begin to carefully scrape the paint off the wood. The stripper may have only penetrated the paint so far and hence continue this process until you have removed as much paint as possible. When you have completed this process start to work on the mouldings and any stubborn areas of paint still remaining. Re-apply paint stripper sparingly to these areas and remove with wire wool. If you are leaving the door in a natural wood state you will have to dig out paint and filler that has sunk into cracks and holes. If the door is to be re-painted apply a two-part wood filler to any holes. The wood filler will dry in about five minutes and will require a rub down. Repeat this process until all holes are flush.
Finally, rub down the whole door, with extra attention given to the mouldings. Start the sanding (a palm sander is a great help) with a 120 grade paper and work up to a 180 grade paper to ensure a high finish to the door. The sanded door should now be in the happy position to be re-hung or re-painted.

Remove that skirting board!

Mark Williams — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:10 +0000

Skirting boards are immensely recyclable but care must be taken when levering the wood away from the wall.
Score a line using a sharp blade between the top of the skirting and the plaster. You may need to repeat this process several times cutting through paint and caulk. This will hopefully limit paint and plaster being pulled away from the wall when the skirting is removed. The skirting board may have been fixed to the wall by nail, screw or glue. One cannot always tell by simply looking at the board.
Start with external corners or where the skirting meets the door architrave/door frame. You will need to use a wrecking bar to loosen and lever the board away from the wall. Insert the sharp end of the wrecking bar behind the skirting. You may need to tap the bar lightly with a hammer. Place a small off-cut of wood behind the bar and against the wall – this should lessen the damage caused to to the plaster – and gently lever/pull that section of the skirting away from the wall. It is likely you will cause some inevitable small damage to the plaster. Do not attempt to pull the whole board from the wall as it may snap. As you slowly lever the board away from the wall insert wooden wedges between wood and plaster every 2ft or so.
Move along the whole section of skirting board repeating this process. You may find the skirting is stubbornly still attached by its fixings, i.e. nail or screw. If the skirting has been fixed by screw gently knock around the screw loosening the paint and filler which conceals the screw head. Now remove the screw with a screw driver. If this is not possible the screw will need to be cut with a junior hacksaw or a chisel. Follow the same steps if the skirting has been fixed with nails but when pulling out the nail remove it from the back of the board to limit damage to the face side of the skirting board.

Beautiful walls

Mark Williams — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:10 +0000

There are many ways in which one can improve the appearance of internal walls. I will briefly explain three different methods.
The simplest method is to plaster over the existing wall. This may be problematic as certain surfaces may not accept fresh plaster. The surface must always be secure prior to scimming the wall. This method will leave a flat finish but not a levelled wall. This depends on whether the wall was level in the first place.
A box screed system will leave your walls level but a lot more involvement and expense is required. A floating coat is needed before finishing plaster. Using this process, the walls will be straight and solid.
However, dry lining is now the most common way of achieving flat and levelled walls. Sheets of plaster board are secured to the background surface which will leave an air gap between the old surface and the new. This process will increase the warmth in the house as the plasterboard will act as an insulator, whereas solid plastered walls can leave the room cold. (You may have experienced the cold in old houses.) Dry lining is a relatively quick process and will dry out fairly quickly, enabling one to continue with the decoration works – which in turn means the room will be ready for use in a short time.

Room for living

Mark Williams — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:21:17 +0000

Living rooms should be relaxing spaces that convey comfort. The choice of carpet, rugs, bookshelves, houseplants, side lights, wall pictures and tables is almost limitless. However, the atmosphere created in a living room is greatly dependant on the basics: the size of space, the style of windows, the colours of the walls and the height of the ceiling.
A large old room can handle generous furnishings, dramatic colours for the walls, and the window can be dressed – large folds of luxurious curtain – to create a homely feel. Small rooms such as those found in a contemporary new build call out for simplicity and often modern furnishings: practical, efficient and along the lines of Bauhaus ideals.
Most aspects of a room can be changed, even the shape of the space. Remove a wall to enlarge (seek the advice of a structural engineer if the wall is load bearing), or add a partition wall to reduce. Add, move, remove or replace fireplaces, radiators or even windows. To change the atmosphere of a room is an aesthetic choice, but the other issue is the budget. Don’t get too carried away on a small budget unless you want to create a stereotypical decorating TV programme look carried out in rooms all across the country!
Lighting drastically alters the feel of a room. Do you want a central contemporary or traditional chandelier, or will you introduce focused soft spot lighting?
What is the function of your living room? A library, an entertainment area?
Will the large areas of empty walls play host to your art collection? Is there a place for a cup of tea and the television? Where will you sit to entertain the children?
Colours chosen for the walls will unify the space. You may like the notion of an access wall finished in a different colour. A pale coloured room is like a canvas waiting to be filled with exciting shapes/furnishings adding a little drama to the space. If you want to show off your antique chair collection don’t let the wall colours clash with your prized collectibles.
The room can be divided to be multi-functional. A simple way to achieve this is through the placing of house plants or bookcases.
Most of all, create a space to relax, and live, in.

And so to bed…

Mark Williams — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

As the bedroom is where one begins and ends the day consider your colour schemes carefully as light changes depending on the season. A darkly painted room may be warm and snug in those cold months of winter but can be less attractive when the freshness of Spring arrives.
Consider also who is going to sleep in the bed room: adults, children or maybe you’re renting out a room? Bedrooms are often used for more than just sleeping in. Will the bedroom also be used as a work space, for an afternoon nap or as a child’s play room? Different styles are acceptable as the whole should be able to unify each individual space but still allowing for variation in colour and function.
Think about the room’s layout. Where will you place the bed, cupboard or chair in relation to the windows and door? Bedding can compliment or contradict the colours of walls depending on your taste. Modern houses or new build flats are often simple but can readily accept antique furniture. So consider the colour of your walls in relation to the objects placed in the room. A plain wall acts as an empty canvas and can highlight the furniture placed in front of it. And what about the door: modern or traditional?
Beautifully painted rooms are often let down by old and tatty light and power sockets. It’s best, and safer, to replace them. I like to keep power sockets simple and unassuming.
Once one has finished with the plastering and painting, it will be the accessories that personalise the room. Where do you place the bedside light or radio? Will you hang prints or paintings in the room? In-built or bespoke cupboards help keep the room simple while organising one’s belongings, but remember that what works in a study may not suit the bedroom. Curtains or blinds? The choices are almost limitless, but if you have some idea of the finish you want you are half way there.
Different colours and furnishings create different moods and emotions. Bedrooms, perhaps more than any other room in the house, are personal spaces and as such express a lot about the people who sleep in them. Goodnight.

Mark Williams
Decorating Concepts
077 2904 4489