Painting and decorating this year?
Are you sure you want to do it?
DIY painting and decorating can be fun if you know what you are doing, have the right tools and equipment and have at least some level of knowledge or expertise in painting, but this is in most cases, just for small internal areas or the garden wall, what about painting a whole house!?
DIY painting and Decorating. Yes or no?
If you plan on painting and decorating yourself, maybe a bit of painting the exterior, you need to be sure you know what you are doing. Each year thousands of keen DIY’ers are admitted to casualty with DIY related accidents.
In 2010, ROSPA published the following set of statistics for DIY related accidents:
Injuries from tools and machinery are estimated to account for 87,000 of the 220,000 DIY enthusiasts turning up at hospital each year
Ladder and stepladder accidents send 41,000 people to hospital annually – often resulting in some of the most serious injuries and even death when people fall from high up.
Splinters, grit, dust, dirt and other particles result in another 60,000 people seeking treatment in casualty
The most dangerous tools according to the Home Accident Surveillance System (2002) are:
1. Knives and scalpels (21,300 accidents in the UK each year)
2. Saws (15,100)
3. Grinders (6,400)
4. Hammers (5,800)
5. Chisels (3,900)
6. Screwdrivers (3,400)
7. Power Drills (3,000)
8. Axes (2,200)
9. Planes (2,100)
10. Welding Equipment (2,000).
The top ten DIY materials to take care with are:
1. Wood, chipboard etc. (29,400 accidents)
2. Paving/Concrete Blocks (21,200)
3. Metal bars, sheets etc. (12,800)
4. Nails (15,400)
5. Bricks (8,000)
6. Paint and paint pots (3,900)
7. Glue, paste etc. (3,100)
8. Screws and floor/wall tiles (2,500)
10. Wallpaper (1,600).
Common DIY accidents include cuts from knives while cutting cable and carpets, slips with saws when cutting wood, paint dripping into eyes from ceilings and slabs falling onto hands and feet.
Many accidents could be avoided by spending more time on planning and ensuring that safety gear – such as gloves, masks and goggles – is worn when necessary.
People often make mistakes when they rush jobs or are tired. Many people overestimate their capabilities, for instance gas and electric work should be left to the experts.
(source http://www.rospa.com/faqs/detail.aspx?faq=221)
Wise words indeed.
Some times, deciding to save a few quid by doing house painting yourself can seriously backfire on you.
Safe Professional Painting and Decorating
Most Painters and Decorators now have a lot more things to think about when it comes to the job they do.
In previous years, a painter and decorator would just turn up and paint what the customer wanted and that was about it and some didn’t even clean up afterwards!
Nowadays there is a lot more work that goes into the job than just the painting.
Many of the traditional painters and decorators sometimes specialise in other areas of the decorating business, such as painting very tall buildings, applying hygienic coatings inside hospitals, or painting in remote areas such as the North York Moors, Dartmoor or a Scottish island.
Nowadays painters and decorators are expected to do a lot of work before and after painting.
5 more Reasons Why DIY Exterior Painting and Decorating is Not a Good Idea
You may be wondering why you should even attempt to paint your home’s exterior yourself, or what it is about this job that makes it so difficult for a beginner to tackle.
The answer lies in the fact that attempting to do DIY work yourself can be fraught with difficulty and danger.
In fact, according to a recent survey by the UK’s Angi website, nearly 80% of homeowners make a mistake when tackling DIY projects and this can lead to expensive property damage, serious injury or even a complete house disaster.
1. You don’t have the right equipment
If you’re considering a DIY project, it’s a good idea to ensure that you have all the tools you need.
This includes a ladder, paint, primer and sandpaper for prepping your walls before you begin painting. Also, make sure that you have the appropriate safety gear and that all of your supplies are stored out of reach of children and pets.
2. You don’t have enough experience to do the job correctly
A quality exterior house painting job requires a great deal of skill and technique.
This is something that only experienced painters have – and that you simply won’t get if you’re a beginner trying to do it yourself.
3. You don’t have the time to do it properly
A good exterior paint job can take up a significant amount of your time, and it’s easy to see why many people want to avoid it when they have other things on their mind.
But if you’re willing to put in the effort to complete the job, it can pay off in the long run by saving you money on labour costs as well as providing you with the satisfaction of a job well done.
4. You don’t have the correct equipment
Choosing the wrong type of ladder is another common DIY mistake that can be very dangerous.
Ideally, you should always use a ladder that is long enough to reach the highest point on the building and that is securely fastened to a solid, level surface.
You should also be careful not to place the ladder too close to the base of the house or the ground where you’re working.
5. You don’t have the appropriate safety gear
Finally, you need to make sure that you have all of the correct safety gear for your project. This includes a ladder, a dust mask, gloves, a hat and sturdy footwear to keep your feet dry.
In addition, you should always be wearing a protective eye mask and earplugs to prevent debris from entering your eyes.
6. You don’t have the right paint colours
Using a poor-quality paint can result in your project looking cheap, drab or dull. Taking the time to research and choose the proper paint colour will go a long way towards creating the look you want for your home’s exterior.
If you’re unsure about which paint to choose, ask your local hardware store for recommendations or check online for reviews from other homeowners who have completed their own painting projects.
This will help you to ensure that your house’s new paint looks as good as possible and stays in the best condition for as long as possible.
There are several reasons why exterior house painting is best left to a professional:
- Experience and Expertise: Professional painters have the necessary experience and expertise to handle all aspects of exterior house painting, from surface preparation to the final coat of paint. They understand the different types of surfaces and the proper techniques to ensure a high-quality, long-lasting finish.
- Safety: Exterior house painting often requires working at heights, which can be dangerous for untrained individuals. Professional painters have the necessary safety equipment and training to ensure that the job is completed safely.
- Proper Equipment: Professional painters have access to high-quality equipment and tools, such as sprayers, rollers, and brushes, which ensure a smooth and even application of paint. They also have access to premium quality paint that is not readily available to the general public.
- Time and Cost Savings: Professional painters work efficiently and can complete the job in a fraction of the time it would take an inexperienced individual. This not only saves time but also reduces the overall cost of the project by minimizing the amount of paint and materials needed.
- Warranty and Guarantee: Many professional painters offer warranties or guarantees on their work, which provides peace of mind and protection for the homeowner. In the event of any issues or defects, the professional painter will be responsible for fixing the problem at no additional cost to the homeowner.
Overall, hiring a professional painter for your exterior house painting project is a wise investment that can save you time, money, and provide you with a high-quality, long-lasting finish.
What about Exterior Wall coatings?
Exterior wall coatings, and the application of coatings are just one specialist element of exterior painting and decorating and one that not just anyone can do.
To be competent and qualified to apply an exterior wall coatings, especially a spray applied wall coating, the painter needs to trained in various things, including how to operate and maintain the special spray machine used to apply the wall coatings
The painter and decorator who is learning how to apply wall coatings by spray, also needs to be competent with masking up doors and windows etc, to protect other areas of the house from overspray.
They also need to serve an apprenticeship or training period before they are competent enough to apply wall coatings themselves.
This refers straight back to the point we first made.
Painters and decorators, PAINT the walls and that is it!
Exterior wall coatings painters and decorators do a full range of building repairs such as rendering, crack repair, replacing bricks etc etc, before they can apply the wall coatings to your house.
It is because of this meticulous approach to detail that if a home owner has a Never Paint Again textured masonry coating on the outside walls of their house, they will not need to paint again, or have any painter and decorator around again for 20 years, guaranteed!
A final point is that if you have one of our external wall coatings on your home, the guarantee is transferable, making it easier to sell!
The takeaway point we are trying to make here is that our job not only involves a heck of a lot more work than just painting, our work also requires many years of training in all aspects of the job, to ensure not only a great finished product, but also the fact that we work safe and we know what we are doing.
This is also why our coatings are not available to purchase by anyone.
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a spot of DIY but ask yourself, do you really know what you are doing? Over confidence can lead to a visit to hospital so don’t try it
…….OR CALL US NOW ON 0800 970 4928
This is another original article by Guy Alexander Bell, of Never Paint Again. Please do not COPY this apart from for your own non commercial use.