Decorating

[shortee]

We're going to redecorate my son's room which is currently emulsion walls, painted ceilings and skirting.

I think that I need to wash the walls and ceiling and sandpaper the skirting to prepare the room for repainting and would be grateful for advice on the easiest way to do this (what solution to use in the water for example) as well on how much the skirting needs to be sanded down and the best type of sandpaper to use.

I hate decorating so any hints and tips on easy but thorough ways to prepare would be much appreciated !

Thanks in advance.

[ummmm]

Sugar soap to wash the walls down.

[Count-A-Strong]

You need to wash the walls & ceiling with 'sugar soap' and, as you say, lightly rub down the timberwork with a medium grade sandpaper.

[shortee]

Thanks to you both.

Is sugar soap something you buy or make by mixing, and if so, how ?

Also, when you say "lightly" rub the timberwork, how deeply (roughly) of the surface should be sanded.

Sorry, I've never done this before !

[ethandron]

we have never used sugar soap (or any other stuff) to wash walls or ceilings before painting/wallpapering them. even in the kitchen. we just fill in any cracks, give the walls and ceiling a bit of a dust down then paint or paper them.
nor do we sand down any paintwork. again, just go over them to remove any bits then undercoat and gloss.
i'm sure a professional decorator would be horrified but that's what we've always done and we've never had any problems in 34 years, our decorating looks great.

[ummmm]

Sugar soap can be got in most corner shops. It has instructions on it.

Woodwork....are there many chips?

[Count-A-Strong]

Sugar soap can be bought from DIY shops. You only need to lightly sand so that there are light scratches on the surface of the existing paint. This gives the new paint a 'key' to bind to.

[ummmm]

Sugar soap is very good for removing grease....I've only ever used it in the kitchen.

It's cheap as chips though so wouldn't be a waste of money.

I've always done what Ethandron does otherwise.

[ummmm]

Unless there are chips in the woodwork you don't need to sand them. Just make sure they are clean.

[theshedman]

Hi shortee, as it's in a bedroom by the sound of it I wouldn't bother with the sugar soap on walls and ceiling. Just make sure they are clean and free from cobwebs etc, and fill and sand any cracks in them. All the woodwork needs to be lightly sanded or more if it's badly marked or chipped, then wash it with sugar soap and rinse off. After undercoating the woodwork sand very lightly and wipe off using tack cloths which will pick up all the tiny bits that you probably won't see but will show through the finish coat of gloss. I usually use the green aluminium oxide sandpaper a medium grade. If you use it at the start then by the time you get to the undercoating and gloss it will be ok to use as a fine sandpaper as it will have beome finer.

[heathfield]

Dunno what all the fuss is about. I've done a helluva lot of DIY (still do!) and never had to wash down emulsion before putting more on, except where there's been a grease-mark on the wall. Dust-free surface, yes. With gloss - sugar soap, yes - it's important that the old surface is totally grease and dirt free, but thereafter, almost any modern gloss paint will take quite happily to the original gloss without the need for laborious sanding. Do the skirting first - you can wipe later emulsion drips off the new gloss paint, but you'll never be able to wipe later gloss paint drips off new emulsion!!

[shortee]

Many thanks for everyone's answers, much appreciated x

[Charlie911]

There isnn't any need at all to wash down the walls and ceings these days. You had to wash the walls and ceilings in the old days when whitewash would be used which was made with all sorts of things including flour and water!! It was so thin it didn't cover too well.

Modern paints will be fine. BUT, if you have any blue tac on the walls, make sure you remove all trace of it first as paint, although it will cover over it, it then stands out like a sore thumb. How can you remove all trace? Simply scrape off as much as you can and use a tinyiest bit of washing up liquid (neat) on a cloth.

Good luck shortee! :-)

[boxtops]

I've just repainted the ceiling in our spare bedroom and apart from removing the spiders' webs, no prep at all was necessary. If you should need sugar soap, I bought it in a squirty bottle from B&Q.