Considerations when Choosing Paving Slabs

Paving slabs (or flags) are widely used for paths and patios and a any garden centre or builders' merchant will demonstrate the enormous range of sizes, shapes and colours available. Seeing the slabs is essential before buying them as you will not see the true colour and texture with online pictures. Take a small bottle of water with you and slightly wet the slabs. Slabs look different when wet, showing different colours, which may help you decide your winter flower beds.

Size and Shape
The most commonly used size of patio slab is 450x450 mm (18x18 in), although larger and smaller slabs are available. You could choose to lay your paving using just one size of flag, or perhaps use a range of squares and rectangles to produce a random-looking pattern. There are also geometric shaped slabs: hexagons, trapezoids and radial units to form arcs and circles.

Texture
Flags are available in a number of different textures. Riven concrete flags are manufactured to look like traditional old stone flags. Whilst some can look incredibly authentic, the cheaper versions tend to look somewhat unrealistic. If you are considering a riven slab, bear in mind that its bumpy, uneven surface may mean that you find it impossible to keep your patio furniture from wobbling!
Other textures may be found, such as coarse finish, exposed aggregate, smooth ground or polished styles. There are also slabs that have a pattern etched into them, or that imitate brick, cobble or sett paving. However, you should remember that any rough or etched flags will attract mosses and lichens, so they will need to be cleaned regularly.

Colour
Slabs are available in a huge range of natural grey, brown, red and yellow colours, although you will also find a number of more artificial looking colours. A dark slab in a sunny situation will absorb light (and heat), whilst a pale one will reflect the light and can brighten up a shady courtyard or basement.
Laying dark slabs in hot sunshine can crisp the concrete underneath before the slab attaches to the concrete. Coat the underneath of the slab either with PVA or wet them.

Quantities
If you are laying a pattern with slabs of different sizes or colours, draw a plan on graph paper to calculate the number of each required, allowing up to 5% extra for breakages. Try to work to dimensions that minimise the need to cut slabs.

check out other hints and tips at
www.homeimprovementsdirect.co.uk

We cover Middlesex, Surrey, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire

Paint stripping for doors.

If the existing paintwork is in a poor condition with several cracks and large flaking areas, the best result will be achieved by stripping the paint off back to the bare material. There are three key methods to achieve this:

Sandpaper, either by hand or using a power-sander, removes paint by physically breaking the paint bonds. Use coarse grade sandpaper first, working down to fine-grade sandpaper for a smooth finish. Remember to always wear a face mask when sanding.
If sanding by hand use a purpose-built hand sander or wrap a length of sandpaper around a cork sanding block. This will ensure a more even finish and, ultimately, save your fingers from aching.
This is the Cheapest approach however it Creates a lot of dust, Suitable only for mainly flat surfaces, Slow to penetrate through thick layers of paint and
Not suitable for lead paint.

Heat Guns cause paint to melt so that it softens and can be scraped off the surface using a putty knife.
Tools that have an open flame, such as propane torches, should not be used to strip paint as they can easily cause fires. Even non-flaming heat guns can cause scorching and burning if used for too long on a single spot. They should also not be used immediately next to glass panels as the heat can cause the glass to crack. This method gives Swift removal of several paint layers and Removes paint from contoured surfaces. However heat guns are Not suitable for lead paint, Can cause scorching and burning and Not recommended immediately adjacent to windows.

Chemical paint strippers may come in liquids, gels or pastes that use strong chemicals to loosen paint from the surface so that it may be scraped off the door with a putty knife. Use a scrape hook or wire wool to remove chemically softened paint from contoured and intricately shaped surfaces. The thickness of the gel or paste makes a difference only to how the stripper will adhere to a vertical surface, not its efficacy at removing paint. The chemicals in these strippers are often hazardous, causing severe irritation if they contact the skin and eyes or if inhaled.
Remember chemicals are dangerous! Never ever leave chemicals around, store them securely.
When working with chemical strippers always read the instructions carefully and follow all safety advice. Ensure that protective clothing and goggles are worn and that the job is undertaken outside or in an area of high ventilation. Do not use flammable chemical strippers next to heat, sparks, flames or any gas or electrical appliance, including fans for ventilation. Do not smoke while using these chemicals.

check out other hints and tips at
www.homeimprovementsdirect.co.uk

We cover Middlesex, Surrey, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire

Painting bare wood doors

Painting new bare wood doors for a professional finish.

Wooden doors have a variety of faces and conflicting grain patterns, all of which need to be painted seperately, however the end result must look even in colour and texture, especially when painting a new wooden door, with some careful preparation a new wood door can easily be painted to give that professional look.

A guide to Painting a door step by step

Begin by rubbing medium grade sandpaper in the direction of the grain to ‘key’ the bare wood surface.

Wipe dust away using white spirit and a cloth.

Any cracks, voids or holes should be filled with cellulose filler, woodfiller or putty. The filler should be left slightly proud of the hole and then sanded back with fine sandpaper to achieve a really smooth finish.
If your door is to be painted in a clear varnish or waxed, it will be important to match the colour of filler or putty to that of the door. If no exact match is available in a pre-mixed form, purchase small quantities of both light and dark colours and mix your own.

Paint Knotting Fluid over any knots in the wood, this helps to avoid stains on your paintwork caused by resin slowly bleeding out of the wood. You can get knotting fluid from B&Q or Screwfix shellac grades which still contains wax, which ought to be "dewaxed" before fine finishing work.

Finally remove all dust and debris by wiping the door down, including the edges, with white spirit and a clean cloth.

A good coat of primer should always be apply to bare wood. Make sure this is worked well into the woodgrain and covers any knots thoroughly. When the primer has dried, rub the door down with fine sandpaper and then a clean cloth to remove any dust.

Now apply a layer of undercoat, preferably by the same manufacturer and in the same colour as the top coat will be. Again, once dry, sand this layer down with fine sandpaper and wipe away dust. You may need to repeat this step to get a solid undercoat to cover a dark wood door.

The top coat of gloss or vinyl satin can now be applied, taking care to check over completed areas to remove drips and paint build-ups.

check out other hints and tips at
www.homeimprovementsdirect.co.uk

We cover Middlesex, Surrey, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire

Repainting wooden doors

To re-paint a wooden door is down to the condition of the existing paintwork. If it's in good order then a simple re-coat will usually suffice, however if the paint is old, flaky and discoloured then it will need to be removed, the door sanded back and then fresh paint applied to produce a decent finish.


Repainting a door, a step by step guide.

Remember that There’s no need to take woodwork back to the bare timber if the existing paintwork is in a sound condition.
If there’s a little flaky paint, remove it with a scraper and then sand the surrounding areas to even out the surface.
If possible, remove door furniture (handles, knobs, plates and knockers).

If the existing paintwork is in a poor condition with several cracks and large flaking areas, the best result will be achieved by stripping the paint off back to the bare wood. This can be achieved in a number of ways using either tools and 'elbow grease', or chemicals.
Having removed paint as necessary, fill any cracks, voids or nail holes with cellulose filler, woodfiller or putty. The filler should be left slightly proud of the hole and then sanded back with fine paper to achieve a really smooth finish.
If your door is to be painted in a clear varnish or waxed, it will be important to match the colour of filler or putty to that of the door. If no exact match is available in a pre-mixed form, purchase small quantities of both light and dark colours and mix your own.
Sand the whole door with medium grade sandpaper to ‘key’ the surface and provide a texture to which the next coat of paint can adhere. This is particularly important if any existing paint is gloss.
Wipe the door down with white spirit and a cloth, including the edges, and clean dust from keyholes to ensure debris is not collected onto the paintbrush.
If the existing paintwork is in good condition, there is no need to prime or undercoat the door. However, if the existing colour is darker than the new top coat, an undercoat will help to cover this up.
If the door has been stripped back to bare timber, primer and undercoat should definitely be applied.
When any primer has dried, rub the door down with fine sandpaper and then a clean cloth to remove any dust.
If applying a layer of undercoat, it should preferably be by the same manufacturer and in the same colour as the top coat will be. Again, once dry, sand this layer down with fine sandpaper and wipe away dust. You may need to repeat this step to get a solid undercoat to cover existing dark paint.
The top coat of gloss or vinyl satin can now be applied, taking care to check over completed areas to remove drips and paint build-ups.

check out other hints and tips at
www.homeimprovementsdirect.co.uk

We cover Middlesex, Surrey, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire

Painting a flush door

Painting a flush door you will need;

Medium and fine grade sandpaper
Paint remover – coarse sandpaper, heat gun or chemical stripper
Screwdriver
Cellulose filler, woodfiller or putty
Knotting fluid
4” paintbrush and 1” paintbrush
4” short pile roller
Drop Cloth
Primer
Topcoat Paint
Water to clean and dilute if using water-based paint, such as emulsion
White Spirit to clean and dilute if using oil-based paint, such as gloss
Clean cloth


Paint the edges of the door first using the 1” paintbrush.
Next paint the faces of the door using the 4” paintbrush in sections.
As you complete each section, lay off the paint with a light upward stroke using the tip of the brush.
Don’t overload your brush with too much paint as this will encourage runs.
Check back over the door and remove any developing runs by brushing them out and laying off with an upward stroke.
Alternatively, if this method does not deliver a smooth enough finish, dilute your paint with a little water or white spirit, as appropriate, and use the 4” mini roller to apply the paint all over the door very quickly. To avoid the ‘orange peel’ immediately lay off with a clean 4” paintbrush.

How much paint will I need?

It is recommended that gloss or vinyl silk paint is used for the top coat on doors as they are the most hard wearing.
A single coat of primer, covering both sides of a door will require 0.5 litres of paint.
A single coat of undercoat, covering both sides of a door will require 0.5 litres of paint.
A single top coat of gloss, covering both sides of a door will require 0.5 litres of paint.

check out other hints and tips at
www.homeimprovementsdirect.co.uk

We cover Middlesex, Surrey, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire

Painting panelled doors

To paint a panelled door you will need;

Medium and fine grade sandpaper
Paint remover – coarse sandpaper, heat gun or chemical stripper
Screwdriver
Cellulose filler, woodfiller or putty
Knotting fluid
2”paintbrush and 1” paintbrush
Drop Cloth
Primer
Topcoat Paint
Water to clean and dilute if using water-based paint, such as emulsion
White Spirit to clean and dilute if using oil-based paint, such as gloss
Clean cloth

Paint the edges of the door first using the 1” paintbrush.
Then paint the faces of the door using the 2” paintbrush.
Paint the moulding and centre field of each panel in sequence, moving left to right and top to bottom over the door.
Paint the vertical stiles in between each pair of panels.
Then paint the horizontal rails, moving top to bottom.
Finish by painting the vertical stiles on the latch and hinge side.
You should aim to coat the door in the sections it was made, so try to apply paint only up to the junction of each stile and rail.
As you complete each section, lay off the paint with a light stroke along the longest dimension using the tip of the brush.
Don’t overload your brush with too much paint as this will encourage runs. These are especially likely to form in the corners of the panels. To minimise this, ensure you paint out of, not into, the corners to discourage paint from collecting there.
Check back over the door and remove any developing runs by brushing them out and laying off with a stroke that follows the woodgrain.
When finished the door should be evenly covered all over, with the paint running in the direction of the woodgrain on all of the individual components of the door.

How much paint will I need?

It is recommended that gloss or vinyl silk paint is used for the top coat on doors as they are the most hard wearing.

A single coat of primer, covering both sides of a door will require 0.5 litres of paint.
A single coat of undercoat, covering both sides of a door will require 0.5 litres of paint.
A single top coat of gloss, covering both sides of a door will require 0.5 litres of paint.

check out other hints and tips at
www.homeimprovementsdirect.co.uk

We cover Middlesex, Surrey, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire

Painting a ledged & braced door

You will need;
Medium and fine grade sandpaper
Paint remover – coarse sandpaper, heat gun or chemical stripper
Screwdriver
Cellulose filler, woodfiller or putty
Knotting fluid
2”paintbrush and 1” paintbrush
Drop Cloth
Primer
Topcoat Paint
Water to clean and dilute if using water-based paint, such as emulsion
White Spirit to clean and dilute if using oil-based paint, such as gloss
Clean cloth

Paint the edges of the door first using the 1” paintbrush.
Be sure to cover the top and bottom edges well to protect against wet rot.
Next paint the faces of the door using the 4” paintbrush.
Paint the rear face of the door next using the 2" paintbrush, first covering each vertical panel, and finishing with the ledges and braces.
Don’t overload your brush with too much paint as this will encourage runs. These are especially likely where the boards meet.
Check back over the door and remove any developing runs by brushing them out and laying off with and upward stroke.
Now paint the front broad side of the door, following the grain and covering each vertical board completely, before moving on to the next.
As you complete each section, lay off the paint with a light upward stroke using the tip of the brush.

How much paint will I need?

It is recommended that gloss or vinyl silk paint is used for the top coat on doors as they are the most hard wearing.

A single coat of primer, covering both sides of a door will require 0.5 litres of paint.
A single coat of undercoat, covering both sides of a door will require 0.5 litres of paint.
A single top coat of gloss, covering both sides of a door will require 0.5 litres of paint.

check out other hints and tips at
www.homeimprovementsdirect.co.uk

We cover Middlesex, Surrey, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire