Ask a Trade: Painters & Decorators

I have some walls that are magnolia and some walls that have been re-plastered and painted white with a ghost coat. Do I need to paint the magnolia walls white as well if I plan to paint the whole room grey. Will there be two different tones of grey?

I'm going to be painting over an intensely bright orange coloured wall and want to change it to a duck egg colour. What recommendations can you give to go about doing this? (primers/coats/wall prep/etc)

How much will it cost to remove old wallpaper feature wall, re-wallpaper and paint a room with two coats and a gloss coat?

Hello, My house has had intermittent problems with mould in the past years and recently we have been planning to repaint the outside of the house. A friend has suggested using a fungicidal wash before repainting the house to get rid of any remaining mould there may be. I know this can be quite strong stuff, so I am hesitant to use it if it’s not required. Has anyone had any experience of using a fungicidal wash on the external walls of houses? Additionally, any specific brands or other suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

When painting on freshly layered plaster, how would be the best way for me to paint over the plaster without causing a mess or any problems to the paint/plaster later? The plaster is dry, but it has only been a few days since it has been completed. I’ve been advised that I could apply mist coats first to help seal the plaster – is this necessary, or should I just wait a little longer for the plaster to settle before painting?

Hello all, We are in the middle of planning some redecorating in the house at the moment and currently looking at what paints to use for skirting boards and doors right now. Some of them are bare wood and ready to be painted, while some already have a gloss paint applied to them previously. Should we remove the gloss paint from the already painted areas or just paint over them? Alternatively, we could use a different style of paint if that would better cover existing paint. If we need to remove the paint – what is the best option to do so, so that we can repaint again later? Any advice or past experiences would be great to hear about! Thanks!

I have a large floor area which features a slate tile effect and is a dark grey colour. I would like to give it a glossier look and have some glossy floor paint that could work to give it a brighter, shinier look. Would this be recommended on laminate flooring? And if so, is there any special preparation I should make for painting laminate flooring? Many Thanks

I have woodwork shelving fixtures in my room that I want to repaint. I have been told that I should use primer followed by an undercoat before applying the gloss pain. Are both coats required before the gloss paint or just one of these or could I even just use the gloss paint straight away? I want the best results, but I don’t know what the overall benefit is to using both coats before the gloss paint anyway.

Hello I am undergoing some redecoration of a bedroom at the moment. Recently we have replastered the walls and applied a first coat to the walls. Afterwards, we will be applying a second coat to the walls, then some minor repainting work on the ceiling afterwards. I have been told that using paint pads can provide a more even finish and are less messy to use, than normal paint rollers. Has anyone had any past experience of using both to compare? An even coat is my main priority with this, so if I can manage this with less mess using the paint pads, I’ll be keen to try them out.

Hi all A few months ago I had been redecorating my bathroom, which included repainting the ceiling. I had used Dulux’ bathroom specific paint – for better mould and moisture resistance. Since then, the paint has become flaky as small cracks are appearing – surely this is too soon for any noticeable wear? Is there any better suited paints for bathrooms ceilings? Or is there some way that the paint should be applied to be most effective?