Painting & decorating

Interior and exterior painting, wallpapering and prep work: colours, finishes, costs and getting a lasting finish.

• Best Paint Finish for Skirting Boards, Doors and Frames — Compare gloss, satin, eggshell and matt on woodwork, with advice on durability, yellowing, water-based versus oil-based systems and which suits your home.
• Best Paint for Bathrooms: Beating Steam and Mould — How to choose paint for a UK bathroom, including moisture-resistant finishes, ventilation, ceilings, woodwork and the prep that stops peeling and mould.
• Best Paint for Kitchens: Walls, Ceilings and Woodwork — How to choose paint for a UK kitchen, covering wipeable finishes, moisture and grease, ceilings, cupboards and the preparation that makes it last.
• Cost to Paint a Hallway, Stairs and Landing in the UK — Why hallways, stairs and landings cost more per square metre than other rooms, with typical UK price ranges and tips on getting an accurate quote.
• Cost to Paint the Outside of a House in the UK — Typical UK prices for exterior house painting, from masonry walls to woodwork, plus what affects the quote, scaffolding costs and the best season to book.
• Cost to Paint the Inside of a House in the UK — What it typically costs to have a whole house interior painted in the UK, with ballpark figures by house size, extras to budget for and ways to save.
• Cost to Paint Kitchen Cabinets in the UK — Typical UK prices for professionally painting or spraying kitchen cabinets, what is included, and how it compares with replacing doors or a whole kitchen.
• Cost to Paint uPVC Windows and Doors in the UK — Typical UK costs for painting or spraying uPVC windows, doors and conservatories, what affects the price and how long a painted finish can last.
• Cost to Wallpaper a Room in the UK: Typical Prices — What hanging wallpaper typically costs in the UK, how paper type, pattern match and wall condition change the price, and what to budget for materials.
• Damp and Mould Before Painting: What to Do First — Why you should not paint over damp or mould, how to tell condensation from penetrating damp, and the sensible order of steps before redecorating.
• Painter and Decorator Day Rates in the UK Explained — What painters and decorators typically charge per day in the UK, when day rates make sense, and how to judge whether a daily price is fair.
• DIY or Hire a Decorator? How to Decide — A straightforward way to decide whether to paint and decorate yourself or hire a professional, based on skill, time, risk, access and the finish you want.
• Filling and Sanding Walls Before Painting — How to fill holes and cracks, sand smooth and spot-prime walls so paint looks even, with advice on filler types, drying times and common mistakes.
• How Long Does It Take to Decorate a House? — Realistic timescales for painting and decorating a UK home, from a single room to a whole house, including drying times, prep and what causes delays.
• How Many Litres of Paint Do I Need for a Room? — A simple way to calculate how much paint you need for walls, ceilings and woodwork, with coverage guidance, allowances for coats and common over-buying mistakes.
• How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Room in the UK? — Typical UK prices to have a room painted by a decorator, what pushes the cost up or down, and how to compare quotes fairly before you book.
• How to Brief a Decorator So the Job Goes Smoothly — What to tell a decorator before work starts, from colours and finishes to access, pets and daily routines, so the job runs on time and as you expect.
• How to Clean Walls Before Painting: Grease, Dust and Marks — What to use and how to wash walls and ceilings before painting, covering sugar soap, kitchens, smoke and nicotine stains, rinsing and drying time.
• How to Compare Decorating Quotes Like for Like — A clear method for comparing painter and decorator quotes, covering scope, coats, prep, materials, timing and payment so you choose on value, not just price.
• How to Find a Good Painter and Decorator Near You — A practical approach to finding a reliable local painter and decorator, from checking past work and reviews to comparing offers and confirming details in writing.
• How to Get an Accurate Decorating Quote — What to measure, photograph and write down so painters and decorators can give you a realistic, comparable quote, and what to avoid leaving vague.
• How to Mist Coat New Plaster Before Painting — What a mist coat is, why new plaster needs one, how to mix and apply it, and how long to wait before the plaster is ready for a full colour coat.
• How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets for a Lasting Finish — A step-by-step guide to painting kitchen cabinets yourself, from degreasing and sanding to priming, coats and curing, with common mistakes to avoid.
• How to Paint Masonry and Exterior Walls Properly — Practical steps for painting render, brick and pebbledash walls, from washing and treating algae to repairs, sealer, masonry paint and weather windows.
• How to Paint uPVC Windows and Doors Step by Step — Learn how to clean, key, prime and paint uPVC window frames and doors for a colour change, including weather timing, masking and aftercare.
• How to Prepare a Room Before the Decorators Arrive — A practical checklist for getting a room ready for a painter or decorator, covering furniture, walls, floors, valuables, pets and the day before.
• How to Prepare Woodwork for Painting: Skirting, Doors and Frames — A practical guide to preparing skirting boards, doors and window frames for paint, from cleaning and keying to filling, caulking, priming and undercoat.
• How to Protect Floors and Furniture When Painting — Practical ways to protect carpets, hard floors, furniture and fittings during painting, including what sheets to use, masking tips and clean-up habits.
• How to Remove Old Wallpaper Without Damaging the Walls — Step-by-step wallpaper removal for UK homes, covering scoring, soaking, steaming, vinyl and painted paper, and how to leave walls ready for decorating.
• How to Snag a Paint Job: Checking the Finish Before You Pay — A step-by-step guide to inspecting painting and decorating work, spotting common faults in good light, and raising snags politely before final payment.
• How to Test Paint Colours with Samples at Home — A practical way to test paint samples on your walls, check them in different light, and choose a colour with confidence before you buy or brief a decorator.
• Lead Paint in Older Homes: What to Know Before Decorating — General guidance on the possibility of lead paint in older UK homes, why dry sanding is a concern, and sensible precautions before preparing surfaces.
• Lining Paper: When and How to Use It Before Decorating — What lining paper does, when it is worth fitting under paint or wallpaper, how it is hung, and common problems such as seams, bubbles and shrinkage.
• Low-VOC Paint for Children's Rooms and Nurseries — What low-VOC and low-odour paint means, how to paint a baby or child's room more comfortably, and sensible ventilation and timing tips for UK homes.
• Matt vs Silk vs Eggshell Paint: Which Finish to Choose — A plain-English comparison of matt, silk, eggshell, satin and gloss finishes, with advice on which rooms and surfaces suit each and how sheen affects wear and flaws.
• Paint Drying and Recoating Times: What to Expect — How long different paints take to dry, recoat and fully cure in UK conditions, what slows them down, and how to know when it is safe to continue.
• Paying a Decorator: Deposits and Stage Payments — How deposits, stage payments and final payments typically work on UK painting jobs, what is reasonable to agree, and how to protect yourself.
• 15 Questions to Ask a Decorator Before Hiring — A practical list of questions to put to a painter or decorator before you agree a job, covering prep, materials, timing, tidiness, payment and problems.
• Red Flags When Hiring a Painter or Decorator — Warning signs to watch for when hiring a painter and decorator, from vague quotes and big deposits to pressure tactics, with sensible ways to respond.
• Should You Buy Paint Yourself or Let the Decorator? — The pros and cons of supplying your own paint versus letting your decorator buy it, including cost, colour matching, quantities and who is responsible.