Just a heads-up for all clients needing a solid reference point for preparation and materials for their job.
Important Steps Preparing Wood & Metal For Paint
Adequate surface preparation is a vital prerequisite for ensuring the quality and longevity of coatings.
Without proper preparation, even the most advanced metal coating technologies will fail. To turn your first metal paint job into a successful experience, we invite you to check the next steps to preparing for paint.
CHOICE
Water Based acrylic or Oil based?
Water based will dry fast enabling fast recoating. Today’s products are tough and resilient. Low Odour.
Oil based is traditional paint and has a strong odour. Drying times are between 16-48 hors and is a longer process.
Preparation
Clean the surface. To properly prepare new metal surfaces, use mineral spirits to remove grease and apply a rust-inhibitive primer before painting. For painted surfaces that are in sound condition, remove dust with a clean, dry cloth, de-gloss the surface with light sanding (we recommend 320 ‘wet-dry’ abrasive paper wetted), and wipe with mineral spirits to ensure good adhesion. To remove persistent dirt, wash surfaces with a mild detergent solution or with a commercial product recommended for cleaning painted surfaces.
Remove loose and peeling paint. If the old paint is in poor condition, you can remove it by hand wire brushing, sanding, or scraping. Since these methods are labor intensive and usually fail to deliver the results expected, many professionals opt for power tool cleaning, which can help remove paint quickly and easily. However, one drawback of using power tools is that they can polish metal surfaces, potentially causing paint-adhesion problems.
METALS Remove rust. When preparing metal for paint, checking for rust is important to make sure that the paint will adhere properly to the surface. To restore lightly rusted metal surfaces to their original state, use a brush to clean off loose rust, sand the area, and apply a high-quality rust-inhibitive primer (e.g. Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer). Also known as rust converters, rust-inhibitive primers can be used to cover rusted spots and turn them into non-rusting, paintable surfaces.
Repair small holes and dents. To repair holes and dents, sand the area until you reach bare metal and wipe with a degreaser mixed with mineral spirits. For small holes and dents, inject an appropriate epoxy-based composite directly into the hole and/or dent. For larger holes, apply epoxy filler to the edge of the hole, cut a piece of fiberglass mesh approximately one inch larger than the hole, and press it into the filler. Then, cover the mesh with epoxy, working your way from the edge toward the center of the hole.
For Wood and Masonry: Use a strong exterior filler and smooth down once dry with sand paper.
Prime the surface. Priming is a very important step in preparing metal for paint, especially if the surface will be exposed to moisture. To select the right primer, the type of metal to be coated along with the desired appearance, performance requirements, and environmental conditions should be considered. To begin with, water-based (latex) primers shouldn’t be used on metal surfaces, as moisture can seep through and cause paint to fail within weeks or months. Professionals recommend two types of metal primers: the rust converters mentioned above and galvanized metal primers. While a rust converter is ideal for preventing rust from recurring and making a rusted surface easier to paint, a galvanized primer is appropriate for metals (e.g. aluminum) that prevent paint from adhering to the surface. You can also find iron oxide and zinc chromate primers, which can be used on most metal surfaces, including interior and exterior iron and steel.
Priming immediately after cleaning the surface is imperative to prevent dust or dirt from accumulating and flash rust (rust that occurs within hours) from forming.
Painting tips for Interior walls:
But before any of that, there are a few golden rules to know.
INTERIOR TIPS FOR PAINTING WALLS
How to paint like a pro
Here’s a few helpful tips for painting interior walls:
- To ensure a smooth, professional finish, examine the surface of the wall for flaking paint, bumps and holes. Use filler for any cracks and holes. Let it dry, sand down the surface and apply sealant. For flaking paint and bumps use a scraper to even the surface before sanding and sealing.
- If your previous paint is satin or gloss rub the walls with sandpaper, using gentle pressure in a circular motion – this will help to create a layer that’ll help the paint stick.
- Clean your wall thoroughly to remove any dirt or dust with sugar soap and a bucket of water. Be sure to wear gloves and goggles as sugar soap can be an irritant.
- Once the wall is dry, cover switches, sockets and skirting boards with masking tape. If you’re painting it a different colour to the ceiling or adjacent walls, run masking tape along the edges so you get a nice, clean finish. Between coats, remove and reapply masking tape to avoid the adhesive removing any paint.
- If you’re painting over a darker colour, use a primer first – we recommend a grey one to make it easier to cover. Stir the paint thoroughly before starting. Apply with a roller in an M or W motion, using a small brush or roller for the edges and corners.
- If the wall needs another coat, now’s a good time to apply it so it has a chance to dry. Two coats are usually recommended, but check the directions on your paint for guidance.
- Once your wall is dry, carefully remove the masking tape, et voila! Your wall’s transformation is complete.
You can largely follow the same tips for sprucing up furniture but if you’re painting outdoors, such as sheds, benches and garden fences, you’ll need special paint that’ll stand up to the elements.
When it comes to paint brands, established main players have ruled the roost for decades, but with recent growing interest in home décor, renovation and general DIY, a few new contenders have joined the party too.
See our list of the best paint brands below
The Best Interior Paint Brands
When considering what paint brand to use on interior surfaces, range of products, coverage & durability are all key considerations. Here’s the list:
1. Crown
Crown have an excellent range of products for interior use, that are very popular with decorators & DIY’ers alike. The Crown Trade range consists of matt, eggshell, satin & gloss finishes, as well as a number of specialist products such as Crown Trade Timonox Vinyl Matt & Crown Trade Clean Extreme Scrubbable Matt. Clean Extreme in particular is one of the most popular highly durable matt finishes for interior walls & ceilings as it can be scrubbed without affecting the finish of the product, making it ideal for use in high traffic areas, kitchens or bathrooms, where it will be necessary to wipe down the wall.
Crown products sit somewhere in the middle of the price range, which means it offers excellent value for money in the market.
Crown Trade Vinyl Matt Tinted Colour£19.58 exc. VAT£23.50 inc. VAT
2. Tikkurila
A favourite of many professional decorators, Tikkurila offer premium quality paints & primers for a range of uses. They are fast becoming one of the most popular brands in the UK today due to this quality, with their paints offering high-quality finishes that can’t be matched. Some of their most popular products are Tikkurila Anti Reflex White 2, which creates a perfectly uniform finish with no roller marks, Tikkurila Helmi, which is an acrylic paint for interior wood & furniture and Tikkurila Joker which is an allergy-friendly eulsion with zero latex or VOC’s.
Tikkurila Joker Tinted Colours£13.45 exc. VAT£16.14 inc. VATTikkurila Helmi 10 Tinted Colours£5.98 exc. VAT£7.18 inc. VATTikkurila Anti Reflex White 2£15.31 exc. VAT£18.37 inc. VAT
3. Dulux
Next in our list is, the most well-known paint brand in the UK bar none, Dulux. You may have been expecting it to be number one on our list, especially down to the fact that Dulux has had consistently good quality products over the years. Furthermore, as such an established brand, Dulux offers a fantastic range of products and has an excellent customer services support network to help you if things go wrong. The only reason Dulux is not higher in our list is that it is the most expensive major manufacturer of paint, however that is because you are paying for a long-standing, reputable brand!
No matter what you are looking for, if you are willing to spend slightly more than you would with another brand, Dulux has a product for you.
Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt Tinted Colour£13.29 exc. VAT£15.95 inc. VATDulux Trade Eggshell Tinted Colour£20.92 exc. VAT£25.10 inc. VATDulux Trade High Gloss Tinted Colour£15.21 exc. VAT£18.25 inc. VAT
4. Armstead
If you are more price-conscious then Armstead is a great option to go for. Their vinyl matt emulsion is the cheapest on the market, although you certainly would not know it when you use it. Armstead is in fact made by the same manufacturers as Dulux, offering a smaller range of products that provide excellent value for money. Another excellent option for an interior emulsion from Armstead is the oil-based Armstead Eggshell that is perfect for high-traffic rooms such as bathrooms and kitchens that require added durability.
Armstead Vinyl Matt Tinted Colour£16.25 exc. VAT£19.50 inc. VATArmstead High Gloss Tinted Colour£14.16 exc. VAT£16.99 inc. VATArmstead Durable Matt Tinted Colour£24.16 exc. VAT£28.99 inc. VAT
5. Macpherson
Macpherson are another great value for money paint brand that while it does not have the largest range of products always gets the job done to a great standard. Do not be put off by their straight-forward and to the point branding, Macpherson is a long-standing and highly respected brand that are the paint brand of choice for many decorators!
5L Macpherson Gloss Brilliant White£20.83 exc. VAT£24.99 inc. VAT5L Macpherson Acrylic Eggshell Tinted Colour£34.10 exc. VAT£40.92 inc. VAT5L Macpherson Durable Acrylic Matt Brilliant White£24.96 exc. VAT£29.95 inc. VAT
Notable Exceptions
You may have noticed that we haven’t included any of the very popular luxury paint brands. While these brands have excellent paint colour ranges, they do not offer the quality that their price tag would suggest, which is why we would highly recommend avoiding them and using a paint mixing service to find an equivalent shade in a much better value for money paint brand.
The Best Exterior Paint Brands
When considering what paint brand to use on exterior surfaces, it is important to consider what surface you are treating and the longevity of the product you are using. Many of the major brands produce exterior paints, while their are a number of exterior specific brands that offers products for a particular surface.
1. Dulux
As with interior paint, Dulux has a fantastic range of exterior products for almost any surface, including wood, UPVC & exterior masonry walls. This includes the Dulux Weathershield range, which is available in both a retail & trade version. Again, the Dulux Trade range is slightly more expensive then equivalent products, but their range is extensive and readily available.
Dulux Trade Weathershield QD Exterior Satin Tinted Colour£27.49 exc. VAT£32.99 inc. VAT
2. Emperor Paint
A lesser known brand to other exterior paint brands, Emperor Paint develop just two products; a waterproof masonry paint & a masonry cream. What makes Emperor Paint unique is that they have developed the most advanced super hydrophobic technology available in the UK that creates a water repellent surface on exterior walls. This not only prevents water from soaking into the wall, but it also creates a self-cleaning surface that will not peel or flake for a minimum of 25 years, although they are so confident it will exceed this they offer a lifetime guarantee on all products. Crucially, breathability is completely maintained, which is what makes Emperor Paint unique compared to ‘sealer’ products.
The masonry paint is available in 12 popular standard colours, inluding white, off-white & light grey. Overall, Emperor Masonry Paint is by far the highest quality and best performing masonry paint available.
3. Zinsser – TOP NOTCH
A brand that is not always associated with paint is Zinsser, who develop a range of high quality decorating treatments & primers for interior & exterior surfaces. However, Zinsser offer an exterior paint that is fast becoming one of the most popular paints in the UK called Zinsser AllCoat. This can be applied to almost any exterior surface, can be tinted in almost any colour and is available in matt, gloss & satin finishes, making it one of the most versatile paints going. Another big benefit of AllCoat is that it has excellent 10 year durability, meaning you will not have to repaint every year, which is the case with cheaper, lower-quality products.
Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Satin Tinted Colour£21.25 exc. VAT£25.50 inc. VAT
4. Sadolin
When it comes to exterior wood paints & treatments, Sadolin cannot be beaten. The Sadolin range contains a wide range of interior & exterior wood treatments for any application, including wood varnish, woodstains & wood paint.
One of Sadolin’s most popular paints is Sadolin Superdec, which offers 10-year durable protection & can be mixed in any colour, meaning you can completely transform your garden!
PICK A COLOUR AND WE MIX IT!Sadolin Superdec Satin Opaque Tinted Colour£19.16 exc. VAT£22.99 inc. VAT
5. Sandtex
Sandtex is one of the number-one brands for exterior masonry paint. Their product range includes the popular Sandtex Trade High Cover Smooth Masonry, which is an excellent masonry paint that is cheaper than others on the market. This makes it ideal for those smaller DIY projects, such as a garden wall or stone planters, that do not require as much weather protection as exterior walls of a property. Overall, Sandtex is a reliable, trustworthy exterior paint brand that is a great option!
NEW5L Sandtex Trade High Cover Smooth Masonry Brilliant White£22.49 exc. VAT£26.99 inc. VAT
In Summary
In conclusion, there are a larger number of high-quality trade paint brands that all offer varying product ranges, however they all crucially offer good value for money. We would recommend whatever paint brand you opt for, you do some research into the technology they put into the paint, and research what professional decorators make of the brand. The chances are that if professional decorators will not use a paint brand, there is a very good reason for it!