Paint brands

Paint brands tend not to have several different ranges of exterior paint, which does make decision-making a little easier, as you are not hit with row upon row of options when you visit your local DIY outlet. Yes, you will find many manufacturers who say that their paint may be used inside and out, but I really would advise against using these as when dealing with exterior work, it stands to reason that a formulation made specifically for outside use will be harder wearing than a ‘multi-purpose’ interior/exterior option.

The two main players with exterior paint have always been Sandtex and Dulux. Farrow&Ball, Johnstone’s, Wickes etc. all produce exterior paints, but I would imagine that their market shares are far less than that of Sandtex and Dulux. There’s a good reason for this, as both Sandtex and Dulux have proven, long term, good track records in this area. Speak to most decorators, and you’ll find the majority choose one of these two, so it really is difficult to recommend any other paint brands ahead of these.

As far as my recommendations go, you’ll have absolutely no problems with either Sandtex or Dulux, but for me I’ve almost always used Dulux exterior paints, and because they’ve given me such excellent performance, I never feel the need to change. Therefore in the rest of this guide, I just want to talk about using the right system, and following instructions so you get the best performance out of the Dulux Weathershield Exterior Paint System.

Dulux Weathershield

Firstly, always opt for the Dulux Weathershield Trade paints – not the retail option that doesn’t have ‘Trade’ emblazoned on the side. Secondly, the system you use will depend on whether you are painting your masonry, you woodwork, or both.

Dulux Weathershield Masonry Paint

Dulux Weathershield smooth masonry paint is always my choice for exterior masonry. If there’s the slightest sign of algae on the surface, I’ll also use the fungicidal wash prior to painting.

I normally use the water-based masonry paint Weathershield system, although you can opt for the oil-based option (Dulux All Seasons) if you prefer – the latter will offer greater protection, but is not that user-friendly. I’ve generally found that the standard water-based paint is easily hardwearing enough, and so simple to apply, it is only in rare situations I’ve used the oil-based option – typically in areas of the country exposed to extreme weather conditions.

The standard system for the water-based Weathershield smooth masonry paint is two coats on previously painted masonry, whereas on new surfaces, you’ll need to first apply a slightly diluted first coat, followed by two further full coats for the best finish.

One further crucial consideration relates to older surfaces which show any sign of algal growth, as trust me, if you just paint straight over it, it’ll be back in no time. Therefore always use Dulux fungicidal wash prior to painting in these cases, following all the instructions regarding application. In this way, you then have a perfect surface for applying paint, giving it the best chance of lasting up to the 15 years specified on the tin.

The only other products you may need with masonry walls is an exterior grade filler to fill any cracks and holes, and in cases where wall surfaces are particularly dusty, you will need a stabilising solution. More about these in my exterior masonry painting guide.

Dulux Weathershield Gloss

Gloss is still the most popular finish for woodwork. You do have an option to use a water-based Weathershield system here, but I personally don’t recommend it as I still feel that outside wood definitely needs oil-based paint for the best protection. Before you get to applying this, good preparation is essential, but in terms of paint, you will need both Dulux Weathershield Undercoat, as well as Dulux Weathershield Gloss. On previously painted wood, one undercoat and one gloss is the minimum specification, with two undercoats and one gloss being my preferred system. Also, any bare wood requires priming before undercoating, so ideally use Weathershield preservative primer, however if you have another brand of primer in your shed that is recommended for exterior use, that will generally suffice.

Dulux Weathershield Guarantee

For smooth masonry paint, Dulux guarantee up to fifteen years, and for the wood system with oil-based gloss, they guarantee up to eight years – but you do need to follow instructions precisely. In reality, I have found that if you apply the masonry paint after good preparation, you get at least ten years. With woodwork, you should get at least four years, but believe me, you’ll get the full eight on windows in sheltered areas. The thing is, you will always get variation according to how ‘exposed’ the surface is – I have windows on my house that just require a wipe off after being painted seven years ago, and others that needed re-painting after five years. All you can do, is apply the Weathershield system correctly, and you will get the longest lasting finish possible.

Exterior Paint Prices

The problem with exterior paint is that it is generally more expensive than interior paints, or should I say the quality products are more expensive. But if there is any area of DIY decoration that screams out FALSE ECONOMY if you use cheap products, it’s exterior decorating. As mentioned above, you get up to fifteen years protection with Weathershield masonry paint, but with cheaper options you may literally only get a couple of years – really. So, if you do the maths, it’s much cheaper in the long run to spend more on a system that will last years, than one that will see you out on the ladder every year!

To find the best deals around, you tend to find that Dulux will often have promotions on their masonry paint especially, where big savings can be made. Look out for the 7.5 litre tubs shown in the photo above as they are regularly on offer at just over £20 a tub. Compare that to the normal £50ish for 10 litres, and you can see how big savings can be made. Although DIY outlets such as B&Q do sell Dulux Trade masonry paint, also keep an eye on builder’s merchant offers, as well as paint suppliers such as Dulux Decorator Centres. As always, white and magnolia will be the cheapest options – start choosing colours and prices tend to escalate!

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Why don’t some screws work?

What I mean by ‘don’t work’ basically refers to what’s know as cam-out. Essentially this term means the screwdriver tip slips in the head because it’s such a bad fit, and/or the metal is so soft you end up damaging the screw head so that it’s no longer possible to drive it into place. You then have the further nightmare of trying to get it out!

I’m no scientist, not an engineer, and certainly no metallurgical expert, but I’m pretty sure that the quality of metal used coupled with the particular manufacturing process for a screw are the decisive factors here! Screw packs don’t generally give a breakdown of metals, alloys, and percentages used in their construction, so spotting sub-standard materials in their make-up isn’t really possible. Therefore, in order to avoid purchasing what I consider to be screws that ‘don’t work’, I’ve developed my own foolproof checklist when I restock my fixings box.

1. Branded screws

Only ever buy makes or brands that you recognise. Reisser, Wurth, and Spax, to name but a few. Never, ever, go for unbranded packs.

2. Shiny silvery screws

Avoid anything super shiny silver that looks like it has come out of a Christmas cracker. I’m sure there are some such screws out there that do work, and some from reputable manufacturers, but I’ve been caught too many times so I don’t take the risk.

3. Bronzy gold screws

Bronzy gold screws generally mean good news. This normally means they have a zinc and yellow passivated coating which is good for corrosion resistance.

Of course, there are exceptions to the above rules that I go by, but I’d only ever stray from these rules if I’ve had a cast iron recommendation from a colleague.

Screw designs

It is possible to get a bit confused when met with a lot of jargon about screw design technology. Terms like twin thread, single thread, ‘special’ shank, are a few such examples and to be honest, although in many aspects of DIY, technical detail can get me obsessively interested, reading through screw engineering details does tend to put me to sleep. However, that said, the basics are important, and this is where my interests do spring to life. Below are what I feel are the essential design considerations, when purchasing your ‘go-to’ all-purpose screws.

1. Screw head design

I always go for Pozidriv (PZ) screws; as do the majority of tradesmen in this country. They are similar to the older Phillips head design but just have better grip, and are perfect for use with a cordless drill with a Pozidriv bit. The traditional slot-head screw design should really only be used where the screw head is going to be visible (with door handles for example), as they are arguably more attractive than Pozidriv. Also, the slot-head design really isn’t compatible with a cordless drill as the bit slips off the head too easily – so why you can still see racks of slot-head screws in many DIY outlets, always astounds me. What are people using them for? Is it just because this section of their product range is stuck in a time warp? I’d love it if someone could let me know.

2. Countersunk

A countersunk screw head that has clever little bits to ensure it countersinks easily (allows the head of the screw to be easily pulled in below the surface of the surrounding wood), is always important. Good countersink design means less chance of splitting the wood when the screw is driven in place.

3. Sharp tip

Screws have to have a sharp tip. Sounds obvious, but there are so many types out there that haven’t, and it just stands to reason that the sharper the tip, the better and quicker penetration you’ll get into the wood.

My choice for the best screws?

Screwfix TurboGold screws are for me, one of the best screw options in the market. Here’s my latest purchase – fresh out the box!

To be honest there are a number of good screws in the market place with the brand names I mentioned earlier all producing screws that I’d have no hesitation in buying. However, my ‘go-to’ general purpose screws have for a long time now been the TurboGold screws which are exclusively supplied by Screwfix. They are generally more competitively priced than equivalents, always do the job for me, and I therefore have no reason to change allegiance.

My favourite great value option (pictured right) is the 1400pc trade pack, as it just has a good selection of screws of the sizes I use most. You do also get a good number of the larger (and therefore expensive) screws in this pack, which for some reason I seem to get through at an astonishing rate.

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	1. As always when fixing into walls, make sure you find a safe drilling point. Make a mark and slightly below this, position a length of masking tape as shown, sticking only the top edge flat with the wall surface.
	2. Add another  slightly longer length to the bottom edge of the first, and stick each end to the wall so you end up with a masking tape platform below the hole.
	3. When you drill your hole the dust simply falls, and collects on the masking tape.
	4. Once the hole is drilled, position your fixing, then carefully wrap the bottom edge of the tape up to stick along the top edge.
	5. Carefully remove the masking tape ‘dust parcel’ from the wall and dispose of it.

You will find that there are a few dust collecting gadgets designed for this type of job, on the market, but personally I just don’t think you need them. I’m sure they work, but when the above technique is so effective and costs the price of a few inches of masking tape, then why bother making the extra investment? I’ve also seen variations in my technique, such as using an envelope or Post-It note to do the same job, but I just find masking tape to be the most convenient for me.

As a final thought, one further area where catching drill dust is a particularly good idea is when drilling holes in tiles. Drill dust has a nasty habit of staining grout, and sealant, which is incredibly annoying if you’ve just finished tiling your lovely new shiny bathroom. So try my dust catching technique and avoid those nasty stains.

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Shim packs

Shims come in a range of sizes, typically starting at 1mm going up to 10mm. You can buy packs all in one size, but without doubt I find the assorted packs (see right) the best option so you’re ready for all occasions.

In a world before plastic shims, carpenters would make little wooden packers or wedges to pack out door linings, frames, windows etc. to ensure that openings are precisely ‘square’. This is fine but, a) you’ve got to cut them to size so immediately you have labour time and accuracy issues and, b) wooden wedges often split, fall out, break, and c) you often find yourself wishing you had something slightly larger or slightly smaller. With plastic shims, you have precise sizes and therefore accuracy, you don’t need to ‘make’ them, and their design makes them less likely to slip out of place.

Packing out a lining

As mentioned earlier, packing out a door lining or frame is my primary shim use. Once you’ve built your lining, whether it be for a door, wardrobe or cupboard, when you offer it up to the rough opening, you simply slot the shims in place to keep the lining ‘square’ and provide perfect secure fixing positions. The example below shows a wardrobe lining being fitted to a wall.

	1. You simply pack out at the fixing points as required. The design of the shims allows you to insert the screws through the central area of the shims, so they don’t fall out.
	2. When you secure the lining in place, the shims maintain the ‘square’ shape of your lining and provide rock solid fixing positions. If you don’t quite get it right first time as when you put your level on the lining and it’s been pulled out of ‘square’, you can simply loosen off the screws and add or take out shims as needed – with millimetre accuracy!

Other uses for shims

1. Fitting windows

This is really the same principle as with a door lining, as when you’re trying to keep the window frame ‘square’ in the rough opening, you need to pack out around the frame to ensure  you don’t distort it when fixing it in place.

2. Levelling and replacing floorboards

A floorboard that is sitting below the level of others can simply be lifted and shims positioned on the joists before re-fixing the board to get it flush with the surrounding boards. Again this avoids messing around with little wooden wedges, and you can be millimetre perfect with ease. Similarly, you often find that when replacing a floorboard in an old house, it’s difficult to buy new boards of precisely the correct depth. Therefore, if you buy floorboards of a depth slightly less than would be perfect, you simply pack them ‘up’ with shims.

3. Stud walls 

When you’re putting up a stud wall, shims are great for packing the frame off uneven walls to ensure that the studs are vertical.

4. Wood and laminate flooring

Shims can be used as spacers around the edge of your laminate or wood floor installation to maintain consistent expansion gaps.

5. Fitting a kitchen

Very handy to have about when you need to shift units or cabinets into millimetre precise positions.

……and of course there are many, many more applications where you’ll find yourself reaching for your trusted bag of shims. There are different designs available, but I find the U-shaped options shown above to be the most useful and effective. For reasons that I certainly can’t work out, you’re not going to find these shims in any of the major DIY outlets (as far as I know), so I always buy this assorted pack from Screwfix, or if you prefer they are also available on Amazon. So finally, if you do any carpentry based DIY around your home, I’d urge you to have a pack to hand – and you’ll soon be wondering how you ever managed without them!

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1. Dulux Paint Pod

Some people love them, but I’d just keep to good quality roller equipment.

There are indeed many positive reviews out there about the Dulux Paint Pod, but there’s also a lot of bad ones, which would be the group that I’d be adding to.

Arguably, the Paint Pod system requires more coats than using a standard roller, you have a limited colour palette to choose from, malfunctions can be an issue, and I don’t really ‘get’ that it’s a timesaver, or labour-saving device.

One of the main sales points of a Paint Pod is that you never have to bend down, but clearly you do – every time you paint the lower levels of a wall! With a roller and extension pole, you just position the roller tray in front of you, stand upright, load the roller, and roll the top and bottom of the walls with no bending required! You can also paint the ceiling without getting on steps, which you clearly have to to with the Paint Pod. When using a roller with extension pole, yes, you do need to get on the steps to cut in around the edges, but you also have to do that with the Paint Pod system!

Sorry Dulux, I love so much of you gear, but I think people should leave the Paint Pods on the shop shelves, as otherwise, after limited use, they’re probably just going to end up on shelves in people’s sheds across the land.

2. One-coat paint

This is simple. In 25 years plus of painting thousands upon thousands of walls, doors, windows, and any other feature, item, or object in a home, whether inside or out……….I’ve never, ever, found a one-coat paint that does the job to my satisfaction, in terms of both coverage and/or performance.

3. No Sanding Filler

Fine for filling holes, but I’ll still be using sandpaper.

There is indeed a type of filler in the market that requires no sanding, but I tend to call ‘it’ a good plasterer with Multi-Finish plaster when covering an entire wall. I’m sorry, but all other ‘No Sanding Fillers’ will never in my view, not require a little bit of sanding to provide the best finish.

Without ‘blowing my own trumpet’ too much, I’d say I’m about as good as it gets when filling any surface for decoration, and if there was a Premier League for filling, I’d be top half of the table, and pushing for a Champions League spot most years (apologies to non-footballing readers for this analogy).

However, I can categorically say that I’ve never used any type of filler (other than caulk which you can’t sand), without the need for at least a brief pass of the sandpaper over it prior to further decoration. I’m sorry manufacturers, but the basic filling products available are for me, still the best, and most cost effective options.

4. Cheap screws

‘Cheap’ screws – avoid the misery and spend just a little bit more.

One thing that can bring the toughest pro, or DIYer, to their knees is trying to make decent fixings with cheap screws. The ‘butter soft’, often shiny silver, unbranded bags of ‘cheap’ screws (which even more annoyingly are often expensive!) can turn any sort of project into a miserable, morale-sapping experience.

Always go for branded options such as Reisser, Wurth, Spax, and Screwfix Turbo Golds. Yes, they may cost a little more, but they ensure you can actually do the job you set out to do! Cheap screws will generally result in cam-out and stripping the head i.e. your screwdriver bit slips in the screwhead recess and destroys it because the metal is so soft. Then your screwdriver bit just spins and spins as there is no longer any grip.

The other amazing thing about ‘cheap’ modern screws is that the force of an electric screwdriver when driving it into place will regularly actually snap the screw. I can never remember this happening, even 15 years ago, but nowadays with so many cheap imports it seems to happen all the time. So I really do advise to pay a little extra, in order to save your sanity.

5. Grout Pens

Nice idea, but doesn’t solve the problem.

I tend to think of a grout pen as a ‘papering over the cracks’ product. You literally use it to colour in your old grout to give it a cleaner, whiter look.

To begin with, discoloured and/or mouldy grout generally means it’s getting past its ‘sell-by’ date and is probably losing its water resistant properties.You need to clean the grout down thoroughly before using the pen, which to do properly is a pretty labour intensive process in itself, and then painting it with the pen, will again take time. Admittedly, this process will be much quicker than regrouting, but I still argue that you really are better off going for the regrouting option as the chances are that if your grout is in poor condition, water has started to penetrate behind the tiles which will lead to much bigger problems in the long run.

So Grout Pens are are a great idea, but I think they just cover a problem that will gradually get much worse.

6. Wallpaper Stripper

It works to an extent, but is it really that helpful?!

I don’t hate this product, but I just don’t see any need for it.

I’ve always been a firm believer in using a wallpaper steam stripper for removing wallpaper from your walls as for me, it’s the quickest and most efficient option.

If you haven’t got steam stripper, then soaking the paper with warm water and scraping it off with a scraper will certainly do the job – in fact many decorators don’t like the machine option and still prefer the soaking technique. Liquid wallpaper stripper is meant to help out the soaking technique, but unless I’ve tried out some pretty inferior products, it really doesn’t seem to speed things up that much!

Therefore, I’d always opt for a wallpaper steam stripper, as the liquid option is not effective enough for my needs.

7. ‘Easy to use’ sealant tubes

All-in-one just isn’t for me!

I’m sure these are manufactured with the best intentions but quite frankly, applying sealants and particularly silicone sealant is a tricky but achievable skill, and these ‘easy-to-use’ all-in-one options seem to me, to make the job a whole lot harder.

The traditional method, with a standard cartridge gun, involves inserting a tube of your chosen sealant, grab-adhesive, or caulk, into the gun before squeezing it out the nozzle as required. It gives the best possible result in my view as you have good control of expelling the product along the required gap or surface.

With the all-in-one options, I just don’t get the necessary control of the sealant as it comes out the tube, which inevitably leads to a pretty messy job.

So, I’d always advise going for the separate cartridge gun, and sealant tube option. It’s worked well for many, many years, and it really isn’t a system that I think needs reinventing.

8. Cut-price solid timber doors

I think the lesson here is that just because you see a solid wood door at a very attractive price, the fact that it’s solid wood has no link to whether it’s a quality product, or indeed provide any assurance that it’s going to last. Some doors I see in the DIY outlets I just find too ‘cheap’ on a number of levels. They’re often warped, poorly jointed, and full of knots, none of which are ideal factors when you come to hanging and decorating the doors, and all of which don’t provide much confidence in how long the doors will actually last.

Yes, we all have budgets, but I’d urge anyone who is tempted to buy a solid door at an unbelievably cheap price to remember the adage that if something is ‘too good to be true’, then it probably is!

9. Adhesive and grout

Adhesive and grout – I’d stick to separate products if I were you.

I have deep suspicions with products that have a two-for-one capability, as I always feel that using the same material to do two separate jobs means that there will have to be compromises made in the product formulation somewhere. One of my least favourite products that fits into this bracket is all-in-one adhesive and grout.

Now, I don’t doubt that there are success stories with this mixture, and in ‘non-wet’ areas such as kitchen splashbacks, you could perhaps get a reasonable result, but although I’d never use it, I recommend that you never use it in bathrooms and/or with large format tiles as it really won’t be suitable on either the sticking, or water-repellent front.

With all tile adhesive and grout, it’s really best to buy separate products, suitable for the particular surface you’re tiling, as well as the particular tiles you are using. Always do plenty of adhesive and grout research to avoid potentially very costly errors.

10. Paint pads

Paint pads – if they work for you – great!….but it’s rollers all the way for me!

Now I know I’m on slightly shaky ground here as there are a lot of DIY enthusiasts who love paint pads, but I’m sorry, I just don’t find them a better option to using paint rollers.

I find you always need more coats with a paint pad in comparison to a roller. They also seem to struggle with walls that are the slightest bit uneven, and I find it all too easy to ‘smear’ the paint, rather than apply it evenly, and the pads themselves don’t seem to have much of a reuse life expectancy.

I also tend to wonder why they’ve never taken over the shelves in our local DIY outlets, and I’m still waiting to see another professional tradesman using them………which sort of tells me something.

Even though paint pads aren’t for me, I have actually done a guide to show how to use them – for the sake of balance! If they work for you, then who am I to tell you any different, it’s just that if someone comes to me for painting equipment advice, paint pads certainly won’t be on my list of recommendations.

Some final thoughts….

Many of the products I’ve discussed have been devised to offer a ‘quicker’ or ‘easier’ option for DIY enthusiasts everywhere, which in principle is a great idea. But if these products, in my opinion, make things a whole lot harder or just don’t perform to the necessary level, then I want them left on the shelves after which they will eventually, hopefully, disappear. This should make room for many more quality, improved, and user-friendly products that will help rather than hinder – I certainly know what I’d fill many of those gaps with.

Finally, if you do find products you’re not happy with, take them back! Even the cheap stuff – get your money back, write a review, and spread the word. Equally, if you find a good product, sing it from the rooftops, and let DIYers everywhere know!

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Brushmate sizes and system

The Brushmate Trade 4+ is ideal for DIY.

Brushmates come in two sizes, the Trade 20 which stores up to 20 brushes and the Trade 4+, which stores, yes you’ve guessed it, 4 brushes and maybe a couple more. The Trade 20 is really for the pros, but the Trade 4+ is I think the perfect size for DIY, and the model that I’m demonstrating in this guide.

From the outside, the Brushmate is little more than a box with a tight fitting lid, but the secret comes on the inside with the system used for keeping your brushes soft and moist.

Traditionally, brushes have been kept ‘stored’ in white spirit, but the Brushmate, rather than suspending the paint brushes in a liquid, uses a vapour to do a similar, but much more efficient job.

Setting up your Brushmate

It couldn’t really be simpler, but always remember to read the instructions for use that come with your Brushmate. The following sequence shows how you set up the Trade 4+ ready for use.

	1. Open up your Brushmate and take out the package containing the fluid impregnated Vapour Mate pad. Cut out the panel as directed.
	2. Position the pad in the side of the Brushmate as shown, and now you’re ready for use.
	3. Inside the Brushmate you can adjust hook positions for the paint brushes accordingly.
	4. After using a paint brush, simply suspend it on a hook inside, and it’ll be ready to use the next time you need it. One last thing – make sure that you keep the lid on at all times. Only remove it when taking paint brushes out, or putting paint brushes back in.

Brushmate limitations

Brushmate does have a few limitations which I’ve outlined below, so just be aware of these before you start using one.

• You can only store paint brushes used with conventional oil-based paints – in other words, ones that you would otherwise clean with white spirit. You can’t store brushes used with water-based paints in the Brushmate.
• You do have to replace the Vapour Mate pad periodically, although it can last up to six months if you keep to the rules in making sure the Brushmate lid is tightly on. But as long as you do change the Vapour Mate when indicated (by one of the stars on the ‘cut-out’ panel fading), brushes can literally be stored indefinitely.
• You can’t store brushes with brass or copper ferrules and rivets in their handle construction.
• Some paint brush handles may loose their surface coating, or slightly soften. Personally I’ve never found this to be an issue.

Savings

The initial saving you make is time. No more cleaning out brushes, they’re ready for use as long as you don’t have to change colour. However, typically, most of us use oil-based finishes on woodwork, which for the most part is white. Therefore my Brushmate has two or three ‘white’ brushes in it of slightly different sizes, and maybe one or two ‘coloured’ brushes. The ‘whites’ are obviously the most used, and if I do need a colour change with the others, occasionally cleaning a brush is less of a chore than always having to clean them!

Equally as important is the money-saving situation. Since having a Brushmate, my white spirit use has dropped nearly to zero and also, I don’t need to buy anywhere like the number of new paint brushes I used to, as they no longer get damaged by constant cleaning, which can fairly quickly damage the bristles.

Buying a Brushmate

As mentioned earlier, I think the Trade 4+ is more than sufficient for DIY use. As far as I know, you won’t find Brushmates in the regular DIY outlets, and so you’ll need to go to a trade outlet like a Dulux Decorating Centre to buy one. However, another option is to buy the Brushmate Trade 4+on Amazon at a very competitive price.

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Wayne with Kevin McCloud and Sacha Petrie of
SCP Designs at Grand Designs Live.

He’s done radio and TV, and also featured in magazines such as Elle, Marie Claire, and Homes & Gardens. He reviews products and tools for The Decorator and Professional Painter & Decorator Magazine, travels Europe testing products for manufacturers, and to be honest the list of accolades goes on and on with his latest award being in his home county where he was runner-up in ‘Norfolk Legends 2013′.

Well, I’ve managed to grab him for a quick interview, and below he shares some of his thoughts and tips that will help out every DIY decorator.

1. If you could think of one tip to help DIY decorators in getting the best paint finish, what would it be?

Preparation.

2. Is there such a thing as good, ‘cheap’ paint, or is it always necessary to spend that little bit more to ensure you get a good quality, lasting finish?

No such thing as a good cheap paint! Always buy the best you can afford.

3. One of my best time-saving tips is to use Zinsser BIN on bare wood as it’s quick drying, and knots and primes the wood all in one. What would be one of your top time-saving tips?

Use the same product on furniture, after washing with Krud Kutter. It bonds to clean glossy surfaces creating a great base for top coats.

4. When I walk around DIY stores, I often see products that I wish I could remove from the shelves in a bid to help DIY enthusiasts from making what I consider to be a big mistake – cheap paint rollers for example! Are there any tools or materials that you think would be best left in boxes in the store room?

Really cheap and nasty brushes – the DIY decorator will pay more in the long run. 

5. If you reached into your brush box to pick out a favourite, what would it be and why?

That’s a hard one as I have so many!! But currently my fav is the Proform Picasso oval slanted with its bright orange filaments. It allows me to cut in at speed effortlessly.

6. Mythic paint is for me, the stand out performer of the increasing number of ‘green’ paints on the market. Are there any ‘green’ options that have impressed you?

Mythic is also one of my favs, but I also like Ecco & EarthBourne.

7. I’m always keen to encourage DIY enthusiasts to try new things and perhaps work outside their comfort zone. Are there no limits to what a DIY decorator can achieve, or are there areas where they really do need to call in the pros?

I think if the DIY enthusiast thinks the project through and is fit, sensible and able to understand instructions, then go for it. Look on YouTube for tips.

8. You’re a well known reviewer of new products in the market. Are there any recent innovations that you think will become a ‘must have’ for the DIYer?

Yes, a few must have tools.

a) Virtual dust free sanding is a must using the Mirka Handy with Abranet abrasives.

b) LadderLimb is just so cool and makes working up a ladder safer.

c) Paintbrush peg – this makes painting fun – it’s a magnetic peg that holds your brush and stops it falling in the paint or on the floor.

d) Handipad hook & loop sanding pads.

e) Fence Protector saves time money and mess.

9. Are you finding that there are any particular trends at the moment in relation to both paint and paper?

Yes, wallpaper is back – mostly feature or panels, and big patterns. Bright paint!!! Zesty loud and proud is back.

10… and finally a ‘Quick fire 5′ – you can only choose one answer for each Wayne!

Pure bristle or synthetic bristle brushes? Synthetic.
Farrow & Ball or Paint Library? Farrow & Ball.
Gloss or eggshell? Eggshell.
Purdy or Wooster? Wooster.
Roller tray or roller scuttle? Scuttle.

Wayne is a member of the Traditional Painter Specialists network.

A huge thanks to Wayne de Wet for sharing his expertise and tips! If you’d like to contact him with regard to using his services, follow this link to traditionalpainter.com where you can find out more about his hand-painted kitchens and furniture.

Check out his column at Housefixer where he reviews products under the alias of The Decorating Dean. You can also follow Wayne on Twitter at ToolTalk1 and decorum28.

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Pasting wallpaper

You can use a block brush (left) for pasting wallpaper, but I think you’ll find a simple long bristled large paint brush (right), much easier and quicker to use.

Most wallpapers require pasting which does make having a pasting table pretty important. You certainly don’t need to spend a fortune on one unless you are going to be hanging an awful lot of wallpaper as a cheap folding ‘hardboard’ option is more than enough for DIY use – just remember not to put too much weight on it! If you do want something a bit more ‘stable’, the vinyl topped pasting tables with metal tubular legs are the next step up, and my personal favourite as they are very easy to wipe down and clean, and do provide a wobble free surface when you’re cutting and pasting your paper.

The other vital piece of pasting kit you need is a good pasting brush. You’ll see racks of little block brushes in your local DIY store, sold as ‘wallpaper pasting brushes’, but I find they normally have far too short a bristles, making them time consuming to use. I also think the edges of the block section are really simple to snag on, and damage the paper while you are pasting it. Therefore, if you don’t want to spend the money on a professional pasting brush, I’d always advise simply using a long bristled large paint brush.

Cutting wallpaper

Standard scissors are fine for wallpapering. Don’t be tempted to use your kitchen scissors!

When cutting wallpaper, you need two tools, scissors and a Stanley knife. Professionals often use wallpaper shears, which are essentially sharp scissors with slightly longer blades than the norm, but to be honest a sharp pair of standard, longish bladed, paper cutting scissors, are more than sufficient. Don’t be tempted to use your kitchen scissors – buy some for exclusive use with wallpaper so they stay sharp for paper. There’s also a serious note of caution here as wallpaper paste will get on the blades, and paste contains fungicide, so you’d need to be incredibly careful about cleaning them before being returned to the kitchen drawer – best not take any risks in my view!

The other cutting/trimming tool you need is a Stanley knife. You’ll see many different designs of sharp craft knives and wallpaper trimming tools in the shops but personally I’ve always used a standard Stanley knife. It’s a simple, classic design that works for me, and even though I’ve tested all sorts of other options, I still think the Stanley knife is the easiest and most accurate to use.

Positioning wallpaper

A paper-hanging brush is still the best tool for smoothing and positioning wallpaper.

When smoothing wallpaper into place, I find that a paper-hanging brush outperforms other options. I always think just using a sponge is a big mistake as you can’t apply enough pressure to remove all the air bubbles and ensure that every part of the pasted paper is in contact with the wall.

The other option that many decorators use is some form of caulking blade which is basically a wide plastic rectangle with a handle on it. There are also proprietary versions of this type of tool with the Walwiz being one of the most popular out there. Personally, they’re not for me as I just prefer the soft feel of a paper-hanging brush on the paper. However, don’t go too cheap with a paper-hanging brush as I find that if the bristles are too short and/or coarse, you risk damaging the paper. Long pure bristle options are always my choice.

Keeping clean

I always have plenty of spotlessly clean buckets of  water when I’m wallpapering.

Of equal importance to the wallpapering tools I’ve already mentioned are the humble bucket and sponge, or rather buckets and sponges, as one of each isn’t really enough for wallpapering. Basically, any paste residue left on the surface of wallpaper will generally show up as a shiny noticeable patch once the paper has dried, so for a perfect finish, you need to be perfectly clean.

You may think me a little obsessive on this particular subject, but the following technique is the only way that I’m happy in ensuring that my finished wallpaper job will have no trace of paste on any surfaces.

I’ll have three incredibly clean buckets, and at least three new or exceptionally clean, nearly new, sponges. One bucket of clean water with a sponge is used exclusively for cleaning any paste residue off my pasting table – in general I manage to keep it pretty much paste free, but if I do make a careless brush stroke, clean water and a sponge is always to hand. I’ll also change this water after every few lengths. The second bucket and sponge is used for cleaning any paste residue from the paper surface after each length is hung, and the third bucket and sponge is used for cleaning any paste residue off ceilings and woodwork after each length is trimmed. I’ll change the water in these two buckets, and clean the sponges after a maximum of every third length of wallpaper hung.

Now, some may say, you don’t need to be this clean, but following this method does guarantee your finished job will be spotlessly clean, with no annoying shiny patches.

Final thoughts

Having the right wallpapering tools available is therefore essential for hanging wallpaper successfully. For more practical information on such factors as where to start wallpapering, and actually hanging your wallpaper, please check out some of my ‘Related Posts’ listed below.

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Post levels

Yes you can just use a standard spirit level but a post level makes life a whole lot easier. Apart from needing at least two people to erect a fence, those two people will always wish they each had two pairs of hands.

Basically a post level provides an extra pair of hands as you simply use a rubber band to secure the level on the post, as shown in the photo to the right. The three vials allow you to easily adjust the post position to check it is vertical from all angles, and of course you don’t need to be holding the level in place whilst moving the post.

Post levels normally cost around £5, and trust me, you’ll find it to be a good investment.

Extra wood

For wooden garden fences, I’d always recommend using gravel boards, which will cost you around £2 per metre. These are nothing more than lengths of approximately 15cm x 2cm (6in by 1in) treated timber that you cut to fit along the base of your fence posts before fitting the panels in place, just above them. If you don’t use gravel boards, then the bases of the fence panels, being near to the ground, tend to get damp and therefore encourage rot. If you use gravel boards, they take up a sacrificial role as when they begin to rot, you simply replace them – a much cheaper option than replacing full panels.

Also make sure you have a few offcuts of timber around that will be useful for propping up posts when required, and remember to buy post caps (basic ones are about £1 a piece), which as well as being decorative, also help to stop water getting in the end grain of the top of your posts.

Fixings and clips

The best way to fix fence panels to posts is with panel clips. The clips shown to the right are the most commonly used, and you simply screw or nail them to your posts (normally three or four on each side of the post for a 2m fence).

You then slot your fence panels into the clips, and again fix through the clips into the fence panels.

If you buy an ‘all-in’ fence kit, they may be included, if not, it’s well worth spending the extra few pounds on these handy little clips. A pack of twenty five should be less than £10.

Erecting a garden on soft ground or concrete

Your next additional costs will be dependent on whether your garden fence is being erected on soft ground or concrete. If you’re putting up your fence on concrete, rather than trying to dig a hole in the concrete to accommodate the posts, the best method of fixing them in place is to use bolt-down post brackets. These are simply secured to the ground, and the post is inserted and fixed to the bracket with further bolts or fixings. These brackets are £5-£10 a piece, and you’ll need to allow another couple of pounds per bracket for fixings, but believe me, it’s a far easier option than trying to dig holes in the concrete.

If you’re erecting the fence on soft ground, then you either need to dig a hole for each post and set each post in concrete or drive post spikes (£5-£10 each) into the ground, which have sockets on top to hold the ends of the posts (see right). There are pros and cons for each system.

The digging hole method is generally harder work, but you can be much more accurate when it comes to lining up the posts. The technique is also made much easier by using a product called post-mix (about £5 a bag) which is basically a small sack of ready mixed concrete, ideally sized for a single post. When you’ve got your post upright in its hole and in position, you pour in the post-mix dry, check position again, then simply use a watering can to activate the post-mix, which then dries rock hard in a matter of hours.

With the post spike technique, you really need a driving tool (see left), which will cost you another fiver, and sledgehammer (around £20) to knock the spikes in, which in soft ground is very straightforward, but with rocky ground, very tricky as the stones and rocks tend to knock the spike out of alignment, making it very difficult to get back in position. The driving tool also acts as an adjuster as by pulling on the ‘handles’ you can try to get the socket of the post spike back in alignment, when required.

Also remember that with all techniques, you need to be certain of where any underground services may be, but this is especially the case with the post spike, as you’re effectively driving a huge metal spearhead down a pretty long way.

Final thoughts

All the items detailed above can be seen in action in my guides, ‘Erecting a fence on soft ground’, and ‘Erecting a fence on concrete’. But, in returning to the point I’m making in my introduction about additional costs, bear in mind that whichever technique you choose, remember to account for all these little ‘extras’ in your budget, as the cost of a fence is never just the fence panels and posts.

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Plungers

The simple plunger – sometimes simple is still best.

The humble cup-shaped plunger is still one of the most effective tools for dealing with many blockages.

They are ideally suited to use with basins, showers and sinks, and to see a typical unblocking sequence, take a look at my guide ‘Unblocking a kitchen sink’.

You will also see a few other designs of plunger in the shops, such as those which ‘fire’ a jet of water down into the blockage, but to be honest, the standard original design shown to the right still seems to do the job for me.

It’s also worth bearing mind that for unblocking a toilet, a simple plunger can sometimes be the best option, but you’ll need one with the large cup size in order to span the opening to the trap section of your toilet.

Therefore, your first purchase for any drain unblocking equipment should normally be the plunger.

Drain augers

Drain augers are another essential piece of equipment for me as if the plunger doesn’t work, an auger will get you right down into the thick of the blockage, literally.

Augers are ideal for access around the bends of small diameter waste pipes.

Augers are basically long bending springs which can be fed down into your waste, or drainage system, and then by rotating the auger handle slowly, you can burrow into the blockage and break it up.

What is particularly clever is that because they are so thin and bendy, they can often be fed down through plug holes, and around the bends of smaller waste pipes.

The link provided above shows an auger in action when unblocking a sink, but they can also be used for simple blockages in toilets.

Drain rods

Drain rods allow you to get right down to the blockages in underground drainage pipes.

Sometimes unblocking drains requires lifting manhole covers and clearing the underground drainage pipes. This is where you will require drain rods to push down into the pipes, locate the blockage and with a little pushing and turning, break the blockage up.

You simple feed the drain rods into the underground pipes by connecting one to the next as you gradually push down into the drainage system. Ensure that you screw each section together tightly and with most (if not all rod designs), only ever rotate the rods clockwise, as going anti-clockwise may unscrew sections and you could end up leaving rods underground, and therefore doubling your problem as you’ll have to dig up the drains to get them out.

Some final thoughts for unblocking drains

• Make sure you wear appropriate protective equipment.
• Whichever tools you use or require, remember that all of them require disinfecting after use.
• Not mentioned above are the chemical cleaners/unblockers. These can be very effective but you must be absolutely precise on following manufacturer’s guidelines, as the chemicals used are normally seriously toxic, and therefore require the utmost respect. Examples of guidelines include never mixing different chemical cleaners, and never use them in conjunction with a plunger. However, you can also find ‘greener’ chemical options now, which are once again another alternative.
• If in doubt when unblocking drains, seek professional advice, and with serious blockages, the professional option may be the only way.
• Finally, try to do all you can to avoid blocking drains in the first place by taking care in what actually goes down sinks, baths, showers and toilets in your home.

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