This is a water-based filler and is lightweight so it goes on fairly easily, adding a little water makes it smoother to apply.  Sometimes these ready mixed fillers set like concrete and are very difficult to rub down, but this stuff rubs down quickly using 80-grade sandpaper. It can be used on internal or external, but I think, as it is a premium flexible filler most will be using it on external work. It is suitable for use on render and woodwork, I used on both and was pleased with the results, it held shape and didn’t sag, will make sure I have a tub of this filler in my van.

To find more details on this product visit www.icipaints.co.uk

Visit Trade Express to find info on decorating products, training & reviews

Looking for a professional painter & decorator? Visit Anglia Decor Ltd.

Accidents from mobile elevated work platforms (M.E.W.P.’s) primarily come from:

• Failure of critical mechanical parts of the M.E.W.P.
•  Ground conditions unsuitable
• Serious falls from the Cherry picker
• Contact with another vehicle

Fall protection systems- (harness, lanyard and shock absorber) can’t be relied upon as the only means of protection because if the M.E.W.P falls over, being attached to it by fall protection system still results in serious injury.

Mechanical failure

This issue can be  addressed by means of inspection before dispatch from the hire company.  On delivery the machine will have an inspection sheet to show it has had items checked over and is in working condition.

For machines that are on long term hire the operative should check the following before use each day:

• General visual inspection of machine
• Check all bolts, screws and hoses fit tightly and that there are no oil leaks
• Check the arms, boon, jib and platform for visible damage or wear
• Check cylinder rods for leaks, wear and scratches
• Check wheel-reducing gears for leaks
• Check wheel nuts and tyre wear
• Check battery terminals are clean and tight
• Check fluid levels in battery and top up if necessary
• Check main control panel power cable is in good condition
• Check emergency stop works
• Check air filter is clean
• Check levels of motor oil, hydraulic oil and diesel level and top up if necessary
• Check the hydraulic filter-clogging indicator
• Check the tilt detector is functioning by tilting spirit level- alarm should sound beyond 5 degree angle

Serious falls from the cherry picker

• Always use a fall protection system attached to the appropriate anchorage point inside the cage
• Hold the guardrail firmly when operating or driving
• Remove any traces of oil or grease from the platform steps, guardrails or floor
• Wear personal protective equipment
• Never disable safety switches or safety devices
• Risks of jerky movements are high when:
• Sudden action on the controls
• Overloading the platform
• Do not take stepladders in the cradle to increase working height
• Never use the guardrails to climb on to increase working height
• Uneven ground, especially when moving whilst at height
• Gusts of wind
• Always close the safety gate to the cradle

Suitable ground conditions

It is advisable to have a banks man to help guide the operator when moving the machine form one worksite to the next.

Operator must asses the risks above him before using the machine

Pay attention to the position of the arms during rotation assent and descent.

Before use always walk the route to survey for obstacles

Never use:

• On soft unstable ground
• On ground slopes of 5 degrees and over
• In winds greater than permissible limit
• Near power lines
• In temperatures less than -15 centigrade
• In poorly ventilated areas
• During storms (risk of lightning strike)
• In the dark (unless floodlit)
• With a load exceeding max load
• With more than max operatives in cradle

Contact with a vehicle

To limit the risks involved in contact with a vehicle appropriate barriers to separate the work area from all traffic must be put in place. Also to prevent pedestrians from entering the workspace signs must be in place. The operative must be familiar with the machines controls and have been trained to use the M.E.W.P.
To walk the route  and know the risks involved before getting into the M.E.W.P. is a good idea.

Painters in Chelmsford, Essex trained in the use of mobile elevated work platforms- Cherry pickers. To find operators covering other counties visit IPAF’s website.

• 2″ paintbrush
• Scuttle
• Kettle hook
• Rad roller
• 9 inch or 12 inch roller (sheepskin or deep pile best especially if rough texture render or pebble dash)
• Roller pole
• Scraper
• Masking tape
• Filler and decorators caulk
• Wet rag
• Ladders- double 10 ft or 12 ft and if your house has an apex you may need treble 12ft
• Steps
• Dust sheets
• Masonry paint, Dulux Weathershield
• Fungicidal wash- if there’s a build up of algae or mould

Step by step instructions

As using ladders and working at height  There are many guides on ladder safety tips at www.youtube.com.

General ladder tips:

• Inspect the ladders for damage before use.
• Have someone foot the ladders.
• 1 foot out for every 4 foot up angle is recommended.
• Keep 3 points of contact with the ladder at all times.
• Keep a level base when placing ladder- avoid uneven surfaces.
• Do not overstretch when up the ladders.
• Keep a mobile phone with you when working at heights, at least if you have an accident you can call for help.
• Avoid placing ladders on wet decking or other slippery surfaces.
• Check what you have rested the ladders against before climbing up, needs to be stable and both ends at top make contact with wall or fascia.
• Make sure when working up ladders there are no people below you.

Break the job down to different sides of the house. Lay down sheets to paths, driveways on first side.

Mask up window sills to prevent spray damage

Move any cars out of range and ask neighbours to do the same. If it is a windy day be very careful as the wind can carry the paint spray some distance.

If you are painting a bare pebble dash house or bare render the first coat will need to be diluted with water, 1/4 water to paint and mix well. When rolling bare pebble-dash the roller will clog up with small stones from the walls and this will reduce the rollers ability to hold paint. To remove the stones spin out the roller over a sheet and stones will come out. Do this every 10 minutes or so. Also it will be easier to mask up around windows and soffit then you can just run a rad roller against the tape rather than cut in to a dry bare surface.

Have a look over the walls and scrape out any cracks or blown areas.

Fill cracks and holes to walls with external filler or if small, decorators caulk.

Fill the scuttle with paint leaving a quarter in the can to cut in with.

Use the kettle hook to attach paint can to ladders. Now start at 1 end and cut in the top half of the house (just this side for now). Around windows and soffit the rad roller may help with the metal knuckle side rubbing against the soffit it will let you get very close. (With the damp rag you can wipe any paint hits from windows.)

Attach the roller to the extension pole and roll out this side of the house. Work in a system, it may help to imagine 3 foot square boxes on the wall, paint each one at a time and it will help avoid missed patches. It will be easier to roll out when the sun is not shining on the wall as hard to see which bits you have done in the sun.

When complete you just have to cut in the lower part of the house. To paint behind the downpipes, use the rad roller and cut in brackets with a brush. You have the option to mask downpipes or black gloss them when walls are finished.

Once this side of the house is complete remove masking tape then move dust sheets to the next side and repeat the above steps.

Painters and decorators Chelmsford, Essex

• When painting windows, doors or anything with lots of fiddly cutting in try using a sash brush or 1 ½ brush that has been cut down  to a few cm bristle to give it a short profile. Long-haired brushes are not going to be easy to cut in with. The long hairs flex too much and skip over the rough surface of a window bead.  Medium or large sash brushes work best as they hold more paint and need less loading up.

• To paint the broad areas of a window you can either use a 2” brush or a rad roller with mo-hair sleeve. If not happy with the finish left from rolling flat areas then lay it off with the sash brush.

• Keep your strokes long when cutting in windows, if the first stroke does not cover with a solid coat the 2^nd or 3^rd will. Don’t try to use 1 painfully slow move pausing and going back a little each time you see you have missed a patch. There is a trick when using a sash brush to twist it as you cut in and will mean less misses on each stroke hence fewer strokes.

• Another trick to make cutting in easier is to run a line of caulk along the edge where window glass meets beading. This will give it a nice smooth line to cut to and save you time, well when you develop the knack to caulk and not need to run a finger along the line to finish it. (helps to cut nozzle at angle)Your customers will be pleased as this helps seal the window and prevent water ingress. Also the finished window looks better.

• If windows are in a really bad state with flaking gloss, try using a scarson. Quicker to remove the worst than a scraper, then needs sanding with 60 or 80 grade.

• When using a cherry-picker don’t have 2 men up there in 1 picker. It never seems efficient, as too much time will be spent moving not painting. A better use of 2 men on a say 4 storey block is:

1^st man in cherry-picker top 2 floors

2^nd man off ladders- ground and first floor.

What seems like small changes can add up to a big difference in overall work rate.

This list is by no means exhaustive; please feel free to add to these tips in the comments section.

Choice of Materials

Of course, quality brand materials will stand the test of time more than economy makes. The material cost to a redecoration job is always the smallest part, say 10% of total cost, so  attempting to save money here is a false economy. The leading brand manufactures such as Dulux, Crown, Leyland etc. invest more in research that improve performance of coatings.

Choosing the right materials for the job, eg. Hammerite or Metalshield for metal railings rather than standard gloss- even though you would not see a difference once applied.

Another example of choosing the right materials would be in painting a galvanised finish. A regular metal primer would not adhere long term to a galvanised finish, hence either Mordens solution or a Bin primer would be a better choice.

There are many products on the market that provide  longer term protection for external redecorations

Dulux Ultimate wood stains provides 10 year protection, a solvent based product in various colours

Sadolin woodshield provides 8 year protection and is a water based product in various colours

Dulux weathershield all seasons masonry paint provides 15 year protection, is a solvent based product in various colours

Dulux weathershield exterior gloss a 3 part system providing 8 year protection, oil based and various colours

Repair care International- resin repairs

The Repair Care System, originally established as the Window Care System in Holland in 1989, provides a genuine cost effective alternative to traditional joinery repairs.

Traditional joinery repairs such as splicing and filling are expensive and frequently fail, leading to costly premature paint breakdown and further timber decay.

The benefits of using Repair Care for joinery repairs include:

• Seals and protects vulnerable joints and end grain in windows, pannel doors and fascias
• Prevents premature joint failure
• Extends maintenance cycles
• Reduces future maintenance costs

Workmanship

Another very important part of the overall longevity of the redecoration is the workmanship employed to carry out the works. The cheapest quote is not always the best value for money, if for example the contractor wont perform adequate prep work due to an economy price quoted. To find a professional decorator in the U.K. try the Painting and Decorating Association. It is the marque of quality for the painting and decorating industry.

Preparation and sound base

The preparation and base coat is the most important part of the redecoration process. If the existing woodwork coatings have failed and bare wood has become exposed it is important that the wood is dry. Otherwise painting will seal the moisture in the wood and the coatings applied will fail. This is why it is preferable to redecorate joinery in summer / dry climates.

Any failing coatings, blistered or cracked paint should be scraped back using a scraper or scarson blade. From there, as long as the wood is dry you have a choice of primer coat to seal the bare wood so coatings can adhere:

Stained windows- Dulux preservative basecoat

Glossed windows- Dulux primer undercoat

Dulux zinc woodprimer

Dulux preservative basecoat

I’m sure Crown, Leyland and the other leading brands also have their similar primer coatings and preservative base-coats. Do a web search to find them.

The colour chosen for woodwork

The colour you choose to paint windows, doors, fascias & soffits is also a factor in its lifespan. Darker colours will absorb more sunlight and become hotter in summer months than white gloss finishes. When painted woodwork, like a door gets hot it will expand, at night temperatures drop and everything contracts. All this movement will play a part in the the eventual failure of the finish. (blistering, cracking or flaking) Light colours wear better, especially when it comes to south facing doors, fascias and windows.

Mastic / caulk sealant to prevent water ingress

This step can be performed during the preparation phase or at any time after completion. The edge where the window glass meets the beading can be sealed using window sealant or caulk and this will ensure water can’t soak into the wood and cause wet rot. It is a simple process and very quick to carry out.

After care of windows and joinery

To keep the windows clean will help preserve. If you have a problem with birds fouling on the sills this will eat away at the coatings, try fitting spikes to solve the problem. Keep a check on the woodwork every few months, if just the beading starts to crack you could get someone in to seal the problem areas and postpone the next redecoration further.

Warranty period

Remember to ask for a warranty on the redecoration works. The Painting and decorating Association recommend its members provide a minimum 6 month warranty, many companies offer 12 months. If there are any problems within the time period, use your warranty. The decorating firm will be happy to rectify and keep their customer for the long term.

Tools needed:

• Spat blade- a metal sharp edged tool to remove any nibs on bare plaster
• 2” brush
• 12” roller
• Extension pole
• Dust-sheets
• Filler- not ready mixed type
• 80-grade sandpaper
• Emulsion- Dulux Supermat or Glidden contract matt
• Water to thin emulsion for first “mist” coat
• Scuttle or roller tray

First step is to lay down dust-sheets to protect flooring.

Now with the spat blade/decorator’s straight edge, run the sharp metal edge along the bare plaster to remove any nibs or surface imperfections.

Now mix emulsion 2 parts with 1 part water and stir until no water visible.

Pour the thinned emulsion into a scuttle or roller tray

Cut in the bare plaster and roll out making sure to apply a thin even coat.

This is called a mist coat and acts to seal the bare plaster.

Leave to dry completely.

Now mix some filler with water and with a filler knife look round the room any fill any imperfections.

It will be easier to find the imperfections if you give the walls a light rub down.

When the filler has dried rub it down.

Next step apply 2 coats of vinyl matt or vinyl silk emulsion, allowing time for each coat to dry in-between.

Tools needed:

• Medium sash brush
• Mohair rad-roller good quality- wash with soapy water before use
• Paint kettle and tray
• Dusting brush
• Dustsheets
• Bin shellac primer
• Oil based eggshell or acrylic based eggshell
• Fine sandpaper 120-grade
• Wet and dry 400-grade paper (for best results)
• Cleaning chemical or sugar soap

Step by step guide

First step, put down dustsheets to protect flooring from paint spills.

Now give the faces of the cupboards a good wash with the sugar soap or cleaning chemical.

Decide how much of the cupboards you wish to paint. If just front face you can leave them on hinges. If you want the whole back and edges as well, take them off the hinges and do each step for 1 side at a time.

Leave doors to dry then give each a rub down with the 120 grade sandpaper to provide a key and ensure there are no lumps or blemishes.

Once all doors have been primed they will need to dry completely before the next step. See back of tin for drying time.

The primer ensures that the eggshell paint will stick to the doors.

Now the doors are completely dry give them a light rub down with the 120 grade sandpaper and dust off ready for next coat.

Wash out the sash brush and rad-roller or use new one.

Now apply an even coat of eggshell to doors. One at a time cut them in and roll with mohair rad-roller.

Once all painted let them dry completely, see back of tin for drying time.

Using the wet and dry 400 grade paper, wet sand the doors to give a flat  perfect finish.

This step will remove any small hairs shed by the roller.

Wash down doors with warm water.

Once again, apply an even coat of eggshell to doors and leave to dry completely.

Take up dustsheets and clean up any mess.

Painters & decorators Chelmsford, Essex.

To find other advice on painting and decorating

Tools needed:

• medium Sash brush

• rad roller with mo-hair sleeve

• paint kettles x2

• sandpaper

• dust sheet

• dust brush

• screwdrivers

• 2″ or 3″ brush

Step by step guide.

Wash out rad roller mo-hair sleeve and brush to remove any loose hairs.

First, remove any door furniture (chrome/ brass handle & kick-plates) to avoid any paint spillage and spray.

Lay down dust sheet to protect floor.

Check over the existing coating- scrape back to sound base any flaking or blistered areas.

Rub down door to a smooth finish, remove any old runs.

If it is a new door, treat any knots with knotting solution & allow to dry.

Prime any bare wood surfaces with quick drying wood primer & allow to dry completely.

Fill any dents, cracks & blemishes with 2pac filler. (cracks running along a join can be filled with decorators caulk)

Allow filler to dry completely, rub down 2pac filler so achieve a smooth finish and feathered edges

Apply a primer coat to any filled areas to seal and allow to dry.

Apply 1 coat undercoat in choice of colour. First cut in the door with sash brush then use rad roller to roll even coat. (if door was new bare wood apply 2 undercoats)

Once completely dry lightly rub down with 12o grade sandpaper to remove any nibs.

Tools needed:

• Dust sheets x 4
• Filler, paint kettles
• Cork & cork gun
• 2″ brush
• Dusting brush
• Sand paper(80 grade), scraper & filler knife
• Roller and paint tray
• Roller pole, step ladders
• masking tape
• White emulsion
• Colour emulsion
• Undercoat & gloss
• step ladders

Step by step guide

First step, clear the room of furniture and remove curtains/blinds. If you can’t remove everything the large items can go in the middle of the room and be covered with a dust sheet.

The rest of the floor space will need to be covered with dust sheets next, or they will be sprayed with emulsion. If you plan to discard the carpets in the near future this step can be skipped!

Prep the room. Any dents to the walls & ceilings will need to be filled.  If the walls have cracks, first gouge out the cracks with a scraper so the filler can penetrate the cracks. Work in a thorough system so as not to miss any defects. Check cracks where the skirting boards and frames meet the walls, these will need cork (caulk) applied with a mastic gun.

The filler is now drying, so you can start the ceilings. Cut in (white emulsion) round the edge of the ceilings and ceiling rose also. You can “hit” the top of the walls which makes this step quicker. (use step ladders)

Roll ceiling using roller attached to pole. Two coats ensure no missed areas, will need about 30 minutes to an hour to dry between coats.

Check filler on walls to see if dry. If so rub down with sandpaper (80 grade) to smooth edge. Touch up any filled areas with emulsion to prevent filler from showing through finished coats.

Next step, cut in walls, where walls meet skirting boards and frames you may hit as these will be painted later in undercoat and gloss. However where walls meet ceiling you will need to take more time to achieve a straight line. (use step ladders)

Once finished roll out walls using roller on a pole. Ensure dust sheets are in place as this stage can be messy!

If the walls need another coat wait until first is completely dry then repeat cut in and roll out stages.

That’s the ceilings and walls finished. Next step woodwork, please see our other blogs on:

How to paint a door

(http://www.blogdumps.com)

www.angliadecor.co.uk

Anglia Decor Limited is a painting contractors offering painting and decorating services to Essex, London and Kent.To see examples of some of the work we can provide please visit our gallery.

We provide the following services across Essex, London & Kent:

• Commercial painting and decorating

• Residential painting and decorating

• Cyclical redecoration and property maintenance services

• Expert painting and decorating advice

• Woodwork repairs- repaircare and traditional 2pac repairs

• Landlords redecoration services

• Interior design service

• Block / flats redecoration services

• Muraspec and wide vinyl application

• Cherry picker operators

• Business premises renovation and redecoration

• Application of solar reflective roof coating

• Clearing & repairing gutters

• UPVC fascia & soffit cleaning

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