Painting tips and guide in interior designing and decoration

T Surfaces and primers Unpainted softwood fnew or stripped), composite boards Ordinary wood primers, all- purpose surface primers, or primer/undercoat Resinous softwood and hardwood Aluminium wood primer Insulation board Stabilizing primer New plastering, plasterboard, rendering, or brickwork All-surface primer under resin-based paints; no primer needed under emulsion Porous or powdery plaster, rendering, or masonry Stabilizing primer Old wallpaper Treat metallic inks with knotting New iron and steel Calcium plumbate primer outdoors; zinc chromate primate indoors Bitumen-coated metal Aluminium spirit-based sealer Galvanized iron and metal Calcium plumbate primer Aluminium Zinc chromate or zinc phosphate primer fnot lead- based primers) Copper and brass No priming necessary Lead Allow to weather before painting; no priming necessary Ceramic tiles All-surface primer or zinc chromate metal primer Plastic, glass fibre All-surface primer

Preventing further damage To protect vulnerable areas of woodwork – such as sills, which are affected by condensation or rain – drill holes in the timber and insert and then seal in special wood-preserving tablets. These will dissolve and release a powerful fungicide should the wood become damp. Having made good the damaged area, check carefully to see how it became damp in the first place. If condensation is the problem, ventilation may need improving. If damp is rising, you may need to renew the damp-proof course.

If water is penetrating, you may need to replace window putty or re-seal around frames to keep it out. • Replacing wood If the damaged area is greater than is practicable to fill, cut out and replace the damaged timber. Remove all the affected wood and shape the surrounding area so you can match it with new wood. Apply wood hardener to any remaining soft fibres. Treat exposed wood with a clear wood preservative and, if you are planning to paint, use pretreated wood to fill the hole. Other- wise, treat your shaped piece with clear wood preservative before fitting it in place. It is best to cut the repair piece slightly too high so you can plane or sand it flush with the surrounding wood.