Guides
Practical advice for Folkestone homeowners on prep, technique and getting a good finish.
Paint over a mould patch and it will usually be back in a few weeks, now with a pretty coat on top. Clean it, cure the reason it grew, and only then repaint.
Read the guide Prep and repairsKitchen walls and old smokers' ceilings have a way of showing through a fresh coat as brown patches. The fix is cleaning and sealing, not extra coats of the same paint.
Read the guide Interior decoratingA brush you clean properly will outlast a dozen cheap ones. It takes about ten minutes, and the sooner you start the easier it is.
Read the guide WoodworkSkirting and door frames take more knocks than any other paintwork in the house. A good finish comes from the prep and the order you work in more than the paint itself.
Read the guide Colour and finishChoosing white sounds easy until you are standing in front of forty tins that all look different. The answer depends on your light, your room and the finish you want.
Read the guide WoodworkNew paint slides off old gloss because the surface is slick and sealed. A little keying and the right primer make all the difference.
Read the guide Colour and finishOne bold wall can change a room, or look like a mistake. The difference is choosing the right wall and getting the edges crisp.
Read the guide WoodworkThe topcoat gets the credit, but sanding and priming do the work. Skip them and even the best paint will fail early.
Read the guide WoodworkWindow frames are small, fiddly and unforgiving. Working in the right order is what stops the sash sticking and the glass ending up covered in paint.
Read the guide Colour and finishBoth finishes protect wood, but they look and wear differently. Choosing between them comes down to how much shine you can live with and how much of your woodwork is less than perfect.
Read the guide