Browsing articles from "April, 2010"

Quality paint for decorating

Apr 12, 2010   //   by painter decorator   //   Blog  //  No Comments

What makes quality paint?

quality paints have better binders. The type of binder and amount used affect everything from stain and crack resistance to adhesion.

Several polymer types are used as binders for latex paints. Oil paints usually have a drying oil or a modified oil, called alkyds, as their binders. Of the two, quality latex paints with 100-percent acrylic binders are especially long-lasting. They’re also more expensive. quality paints have more prime than extender pigments. Prime pigments are good hiding pigments, while extender pigments provide bulk at low cost. The most common prime pigment is titanium dioxide, a white pigment found in both oil and latex paints.

John Bradley Painting Decorating Contractors only use the highest quality paints

Office Decor

Apr 11, 2010   //   by painter decorator   //   Blog, Office decorators, painter decorator apprenticeships, toxin-free paints  //  No Comments

When painting office walls, try to pick a color that reflects the spirit of your business. If you work in a traditionally conservative industry such as banking or legal services, you’re better off choosing a neutral color such as light green, beige, or a shade of white. If your business is traditionally staffed by more creative types such as designers or artists, instead of Painting decorating contractors,  feel free to go for walls with more visual pizzazz. Whichever tone you choose, be sure to use high-quality paint that will last for a long time, as repainting an office space can be a disruptive event.
Deck the Walls. Bare walls can give an office a dull, unlived-in feel, and that energy can affect the mood of your staff. Warm up your workspace by adding some tasteful framed photos, prints, or paintings to your walls. One creative idea is to invite local artists to display their artwork on your walls. It’s a win-win situation — they get exposure for their work while you get free office decor.
Make Your Office a Green Zone. Adding a few plants and indoor trees to your office setup will make your employees feel less cut off from the outside world, especially in offices located in very urban areas. When shopping for plants, read their identifying tags to determine what kind of light each needs, and make sure they will thrive on the amount of light available in your workspace. There are also many corporate plant services that will “rent” office plants and take over their care and watering onsite.

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Toxin Free painting and decorating

Apr 9, 2010   //   by painter decorator   //   Blog, decorating services, decorative paint effects, local painter decorators, Office decorators, painters decorators London, Painting Decorating Contractor, toxin-free paints  //  No Comments

We can use biodegradable green finishes contain non-toxic, native ingredients derived from plants, vegetables, trees, minerals and elements.

We can use nontoxic products that are at least as good as –and often much better- than conventionally made alternatives. Unlike common belief, toxic emissions do not end when paint dries. Even with acrylic latex or wood finishes the emmissions can go on for months, even years.

This is why we at John Bradley Painting Decorating Contractors, offer high quality paint without toxic petro-chemical solvents and other common hazards. Why bother trying to anticipate how long poisons will seep into your environment? If there aren’t any in there to begin with, there’s no need to worry at all. Better paints, without the poisons!

Many of our customers prefer to use non-toxic wood finish to treat all of the wood on a home, inside and out. By doing this they can deal with one durable product and simply have it tinted as needed. When using a stain the wood will be fully saturated with the first, most important coat. This makes for fast, effective finishing that leaves the wood well protected

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Decorating preparations: the tools of a professional

Apr 8, 2010   //   by painter decorator   //   Blog, painting decorating association  //  No Comments

Sheet Sander

palm sanderAlso called a palm sander, sheet palm sander, or pad sander, the nice thing about these tools is that they use ordinary sanding paper, available at any hardware store – and less expensive than precut sanding disks. Palm sanders use either a 1/3 or 1/4 sheet of sandpaper with 1/4 sheet models being the most common. My Porter Cable sander shown here is a 1/4 sheet sander.

Unlike the random-orbit sander, the sheet sander vibrates the sand paper along the axis of the tool, so it’s important to keep moving and move in the direction of the grain to minimize sanding swirl marks. Even then, they can’t be avoided entirely. A sheet sander does not sand as aggressively as a random orbital sander but I often prefer this slower pace, especially when making a final sanding pass.

Depending on the brand, the sandpaper attaches to the sanding pad with hook and loop fasteners or precut sheets with a peel-and-stick backing. My Porter Cable model uses the hook and loop system. It’s a little bit of a pain to use but seems to work well enough.

Random Orbital Sander

random orbital sanderSince it’s introduction in the early 1990′s, the random orbital sander has become a mainstay in the woodshop. This is because it works faster than a vibrating palm sander and it doesn’t leave swirl marks. The latter advantage is a result of the elliptical random orbit of the sanding disk such that the same path is not followed twice. The random sanding action also means that you can sand in any direction, even across the grain, without worrying about leaving sanding marks. Now, that’s nice!

Random orbit sanders use 5″ or 6″ sanding disks that attach using either pressure sensitive adhesives or a hook and loop system. The disks have holes in them that allow sanding dust to be removed during operation. Most sanders, like a Porter Cable, come with a canister to collect the dust or can be hooked up to a vacuum system. I find that the canister works well enough for small sanding tasks but it’s definitely better to hook up the vacuum hose for the bigger painting decorating jobs.

Sanding Blocks

Sanding pad with handleYes, there’s still a place for the old fashioned sanding block. The one shown here can accommodate a 1/2 sheet of sandpaper and is designed for sanding flat surfaces. The ends of the paper are attached by two wooden cleats that screw down against the base to hold the paper in place. The handle is simply a small block cut out from a section of 2″ x 4″ with the ends rounded. If you’re really into hand sanding, you might consider buying a palm-friendly rubber sanding block; most of these are designed for a 1/4 sheet of sandpaper.

A sanding block works much better than hand sanding without a block because in the latter situation, there’s a tendency to create an uneven surface due to differences in finger pressure. It doesn’t take a lot of skill to use a sanding block — just a bit of elbow grease and the right type of sandpaper. Since sanding blocks are commonly used for final sanding passes, this means fine grit paper, say 180-220 grit. In terms of abrasives, I typically use garnet or silicon carbide sand paper for hand sanding.

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Professional painters and decorators

Apr 8, 2010   //   by painter decorator   //   Blog, Decorating  //  No Comments

Cowboys often come in vans with impressive looking logos proclaiming membership to a professional guild – these are not professional decorators.
Professional painters and decorators come with references and several of them. All of them verifiable and that do take your call when trying to contact them.
Quality levels in the professional decorators trade range from the highly skilled Master Painter to the unqualified, semi-skilled (aka. the proverbial “cowboy”).

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Are you tired of trying to find a decent contractor or builder?

Apr 6, 2010   //   by painter decorator   //   Blog, Decorating, decorating services, decorative paint effects, Painting Decorating Contractor  //  No Comments

Are you sick of trying to find a decent decorating  contractor or builder?

Would you like to find out how you can make your exterior walls free of maintenance?

Would you like to learn how you can cure damp, mould, mildew, condensation and musty odours?

Are you tired of having to have your house repaired and painted every year?

Does your property have cracks, hollow render, flaky tyrolean or loose pebbledash?

Would you like a professional FREE survey of the outside of your home and a detailed written quote with NO obligation or pressure?

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Commercial Decorators

Apr 5, 2010   //   by painter decorator   //   Blog, Decorating, painter decorator apprenticeships  //  No Comments

Commercial Decorators

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external decorators

Apr 5, 2010   //   by painter decorator   //   Blog, Decorating, decorating services, Office decorators, painting decorating services  //  No Comments

external and professional decorators

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painting and decorating services

Apr 5, 2010   //   by painter decorator   //   Blog  //  No Comments

We offer a full range of painting and decorating services to both private and commercial clients.

Our services include:

  • Repairing holes and cracks
  • Sanding and preparing surfaces to receive highest quality finish
  • Repairing water damage
  • Plaster Boarding
  • Plaster skimming
  • Interior and exterior painting
  • Wallpapering
  • Door Trim hanging
  • Cornice Installation
  • Picture Railing
  • Varnishing
  • Sealants

a few of our many Satisfied customers of 25 years:

"The work is always of the highest standard."
Wes Brannigan,
Chairman, Rockwood Park

"...polite, clean and very efficient. Often members would comment on the quality of his work."
Robert J Broadway,
Facilities Manager, East Grinstead Town Council