DIY with Nick Knowles: Painting

Nick Knowles: Is it worth investing in expensive paint?
Neil Ogilvie: Cheaper paint can contain chalk, so, if you paint over it with a better-quality paint, it can cause the cheap paint to lift. You may also need a good few coats, while an expensive paint will give good colour coverage in about two coats.

It's worth using a sealant, too. If you're painting on wet plaster, it's best to give the walls a 'mist coating', which is a thinned down coat of emulsion made with 30% water to 70% paint that soaks into the plaster. The second and third coat will then dry to a good finish. If the plaster is very porous or has a slightly chalky surface, use a primer sealer first then paint over the wall with emulsion.

Nick: In what order should you paint a room and what tool gives the best finish?
Neil: Start from the top down – paint the ceiling, then coving and the walls and finally the woodwork. If you're painting and wallpapering a room, paint the ceiling first, then the woodwork and wallpaper last.

It's worth spending a bit more money when buying rollers or brushes. I prefer sheepskin rollers as they give a great finish, wash easily and don't flatten down like synthetic ones. The same goes for brushes; cheaper ones lose their hairs quickly. Invest a little more and not only will the brushes last longer, but the job will look more professional.

Nick: Could you explain the new EU legislation standards regarding VOCs due to come into effect in 2010?
Neil: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in paint and varnish, which control the flow and drying times of the product, release solvents into the atmosphere that form greenhouse gas. The EU has created environmental standards that will come into effect on 1 January 2010. Paint manufacturers must reduce VOC levels in products to clear up air pollution as well as improve the health and safety side of decorating. As a result, these companies are currently developing a product that will perform like a solvent-based paint, while having minimal to no VOCs.

Nick: What's the best way to remove a paint stain?
Neil: If it's a solvent or oil-based paint, try to get it out straight away by dabbing it with white spirit and then washing it with detergent. If it's a water-based paint, you can dilute the stain with water and then wash it out. Emulsion stains on carpet are best left to dry and then rubbed with a fine nail brush – the paint will crumble away.

Nick: Once opened, how long does a tin of paint last?
Neil: A solvent-based paint can be stored for up to five years. Emulsions and water-based paints separate if kept in conditions colder than 0°C – they will freeze and be ruined – so it's best to keep these indoors. Never pour paint down the drain, either take it to a local rubbish dump or contact a charity called Community RePaint, which will accept part-used paint and reuse it in community schemes, and local projects.

About Neil Ogilvie
Neil Ogilvie is the North East Regional president and National senior vice president of the Painting and Decorating Association (PDA) of England & Northern Ireland.