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Posts Tagged ‘skirting<’
Our Mr-Skill has many talents, but, by his own admission, painting is not one of them! He far prefers to find a painting and decorating specialist when any serious decorating needs doing. Even painting straight lines is a bit of a mission for our well-informed handyman, and that’s always a worry because anyone looking at the finished job will spot his errors for sure. 
Sidney is one of our regular London painters, and he is prepared to part with a couple of trade secrets to help you achieve the perfect painting job, when you decide to redecorate:
- Always paint the trim before covering the walls – that may be alien to most of us already, but Sidney says it is not that difficult to touch up a plaster surface later if you have managed to apply trim paint or varnish to the wall.
- If you are masking a surface you want to avoid spilling paint on, then let the trim paint dry completely before removing it. Otherwise the newly covered surface could peel off like a skin.
- Sidney also recommends masking the area where wall meets skirting baseboards. However, when you paint the tops of your walls, you can safely elect to key in nicely using the correctly sized brush, and the straight edge of the cornice as a guide.
- Sid goes on to warn, “Don’t overload the brush with paint, because inevitable and ugly paint runs will result for sure!”
- Our painting guru goes on to advise “rather paint using your shoulders and not your elbows or your wrists, and take long smooth strokes. The quicker you paint, the more chance of splashing you will have from the brush or roller.”
Even Sid concedes that painting is not everybody’s forte, so he suggests you get a painting and decorating quote, and then sit back and watch the experts at work. He rounds off with the following sage advice: 
“Always try to clear a room before painting it, as this facilitates a quicker and safer job with less downtime through moving things around. Use proper ‘spot sheets’ to collect spills, and don’t move from room to room without checking what may be stuck to the soles of your shoes.” Mr-Skill wishes you a happy painting experience!
Tags: brush, cornice, covered, decorating, find a painting-and-decorating specialist, key in, London painter-and-decorator, masking, Painting, painting-and-decorating quote, perfect, plaster, professional, roller, secrets, skirting, smooth strokes, surface preparation, trim, walls
Posted in Painting & Decorating, Project Advice | Comments Off
Probably the best kept secret to any good painting job lies in the word “preparation”. If you want your painting handiwork to look as good – if not better – than the professional look, you need to be well organised and prepare effectively. If you are not too sure about proceeding with the job yourself, you can find a decorator right here on Mr-Skill. Then, just sit back and let the experts do in one day, what may take you far longer.
Begin with the protection factor – preferably remove the furniture from the room you are redecorating. If this is not possible, then cover everything with old sheets to prevent paint spills and keep out the dust. Don’t forget the carpets, and remove pictures too. If this is starting to sound too hard, perhaps you should consider a decorating quote? 
Attend to any cracks or holes in the surfaces you are about to paint and sand them down when dry. Now, mix a mild solution of sugar soap in warm water, and use this for removing marks, oil, grease and general dirt. Mask off anything necessary, including straight edges where ceilings and walls meet, so that you can concentrate on the task at hand, namely painting!
We’re assuming you have all the materials you require for the job, such as:
- The appropriate quality paint, brushes, rollers and trays
- Interior plaster-filler
- Suitable ladder
- Cleaning cloths
- Covers (for the furniture and carpets)
Always begin at the top with the ceiling, since paint does drip from your brush, and rollers do tend to flick paint everywhere too. Use rollers for ceilings and walls, and brushes for the detail work in corners, on skirting boards and around cornices. Rollers are designed to spread paint effectively, so avoid saturating them when you refill.
Depending on the colour you select, you may need to apply two coats of paint to get the desired finish. Remember to let the paint dry properly between applications.
One of our London decorators says that the biggest test of a job well done is the clean up after you have finished. He’s assuming of course that you have completed the job as expertly as he would!
Tags: brush, ceilings, cleaning, cloths, cornice, covers, find a painter and decorator, home painting, interior decorating, ladder, london decorator, masking, materials, paint, painter and decorator quote, Painting, professional painter, roller, skirting, tray, walls
Posted in Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
Years ago, when I was doing my apprenticeship under an irascible tradesman working for a Decorator in London, leaned the hard way that paint quality is all about preparation. This was  Ithrough the many times that I was forced to repeat a job in my own time over weekends, and once when I thought I was about to be brained by a pot of paint.
Those days are long gone past, and these days I spend most of my time training apprentice painters. I must confess though that sometimes I wish I had a pot of paint handy too, especially when feeling more than a little frustrated with certain of the British youth. For the record, if you have in mind to Find a Painter, these are some of the things you need to look out for when it comes to undercoating.
o Do they specifically propose to clean down all surfaces thoroughly first? Walls and ceilings must be scrubbed to remove all traces of dirt and mildew, preferably using sugar soap. This includes door and window frames, skirtings and the like.
o  What kind of crack filler are they going to use? Will the crevices be raked out and will all loose bits be removed? How will they be rendered dust-free, and how will the filler be worked away so as to become invisible?
o What different primer paints do they propose to use, and where, and why? Primers disappear under topcoats and cheap ones are often the main reasons behind attractive “budget” Decorator Quotes. If in any doubt, check first with the manufacturer of the paint – they all have customer hotlines these days.
Of course, when you Find a Decorator on Mr-Skill you can go ahead with far more confidence. This is because we assess them carefully ourselves, and you can usually see what other customers have to say about them too.
Tags: assess, clean, confidence, crack, crevice, customer, decorate, decorator, decorator london, decorator quotes, door, dust, filler, find a painter, frame, manufacturer, paint, painter, pot, quality, rake, scrub, skirting, sugar soap, surface, topcoat, tradesman, undercoat, wash, window
Posted in Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on Jun 08
Which one of us can look up at forest canopies and ancient trees without admiring Mother Nature’s loveliest works? There  is something comforting about wood’s beauty that makes us want to bring it indoors, and into our homes. At Mr-Skill you can Find a Joiner to make all your dreams come true, and at less than average market rates as well.
If you are building a new home with a double volume entrance hall, stop for a moment and consider just what added beauty strong horizontal and vertical wooden beams can bring. Upstairs rooms can lead from Juliet-style balconies that bring added warmth and light and space, even on a chilly winter’s day.
Alternatively, why not ask Mr-Skill for Carpenters Quotes to change your boring interior doors into  simple wooden works of art. Suddenly your home takes on a classy feel, and you will be surprised how little this pieces of magic costs. Add wooden skirting’s and wainscoting’s to complete the timeless classic feel.
A kitchen always benefits from the addition of wood detailing and this adds a richness that sometimes seems almost to reflect in added savour to the food. There are Joiners in London who make their livings transforming kitchens in this way. Conversions like these are expensive, but may have a multiplier effect on the value of your home.
At Mr-Skill we hope that you are enjoying what we write, and that it provides you with pleasure and inspiration too. Remember us when you are looking for any kind of tradesperson. Ours are rated, and charge competitive prices. Could you do better elsewhere?
Tags: art, beauty, carpenter quote, carpenters london, cost, door, dream, entrance, find a carpenter, find a joiner, forest, hall, home, indoors, inspiration, joiner london, joiner quote, kitchen, light, magic, skirting, space, tradesperson, transform, trees, wainscoting, warmth, wood, wooden
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
 Covings and Cornices are witnessing a renaissance in modern homes, and whereas once they were simply a practical item to disguise the joins where ceiling met wall, London builders are often receiving requests for something a little more unique. Both internally and externally, adding decorative coving to your property can improve the appeal and value of your home and maximise its “kerb appeal”.
Coving is not in itself a difficult addition to make to a room, but when you are considering integrating coving, architraves, skirting and maybe even a dado or picture rail to create an impressive effect, you may want to use the skills of a builder in London to assist you with the design and installation. Particularly with high ceilings or exterior applications, it is far safer to use the services of a London builder with a scaffold, rather than try to carry a piece of coving up a ladder!
The uses for coving may not only be limited to the horizontal and vertical joins of a room or brickwork. Ceiling coving is also becoming popular, with designs available to compliment an existing ceiling rose, create the impression of a beamed ceiling or highlight another feature of your ceiling. Indeed, wall and ceiling coving is now being introduced to incorporate concealed lighting units and add a very special touch to your home at little expense.
We have published a few ideas about what can be achieved in a room with coving and cornices. We hope that these inspire you to think of how the addition of coving could make a change to the rooms in your home – and don’t stop there! The integration of coving and cornices with architraves, skirting and picture rails can turn an ordinary room into something superb.
 Pre-packed coving and cornices come in range of materials, each providing a different influence on your room, and it is a good idea to discuss your ideas with a London builder to determine the best materials to use and that your plans are practical.
A good selection of London builders are accessible through our Tradesmen´s Directory or if you would like to use the “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of the page, builders in London will be able to email you with London builders quotes for helping you give your rooms the “Cor! Nice!” effect.
Tags: architrade, bathroom, bedroom, cornice, coving, dado, Decorating & Interior Design, Find a Builder in London, general building, lounge, picture rail, plastering, skirting
Posted in General Building, Painting & Decorating, Plastering & Drywall | Comments Off
Posted in Building A-Z on Aug 21
 The terms coving and cornices are frequently used interchangeably to describe an angled finish where a wall joins a ceiling. However as a London builder will explain, coving is the straight area between two horizontal corners and a cornice is the decorative moulding which masks the join where necessary between two pieces of coving. Coving and Cornices can also be used both internally and externally to create some incredible effects – see what our London builders have done on our “Inspiration” pages – or they can be integrated into a fantastic interior design program with matching architraves, skirting and dado rails.
 Originally interior coving and cornices were made from plaster and became very popular during the 17th and 18th centuries as wealthy house owners demanded more and more ornate cornices to display their wealth. During Victorian times, the use of covings became more popular in more modest formats, and the Victorians also introduced the picture rail – a matching parallel strip several feet below the coving.
In modern homes, coving is likely to be very simple but still fulfils the same function – to hide the line where surfaces meet. Modern coving and cornices are almost all made from plastic or polystyrene, although plaster, gypsum and timber is available, usually at a greater cost. Coving is a simple way to finish off the look of a room and does not require any special skills to erect, just care and attention. Coving is especially useful when a new stud wall has been erected or a ceiling has been replaced, and fitting a cornice will remove the need to undertake detailed finishing of the corner where the wall and ceiling meet.
Coving and Cornices come in a range of materials:-
Plaster coving is expensive, heavy and easy to damage, however provides a more solid, impressive look to a room. You need to take precautions when putting up plaster coving as messy hands marks can be left on the plaster and surrounding walls and ceilings. Plaster coving can be painted with either emulsion or gloss to compliment the decor of your room once it is in place.
Paper Covered Gypsum is a medium weight option which is fairly robust but definitely needs to be painted after it is installed.
Polyurethane is a lighter coving which is also strong and also needs painting once you have it in the right location.
Polystyrene is a very light and very inexpensive choice for coving. It is easy to damage and has that typical polystyrene bubble finish, so will need careful handling and painting with emulsion.
Timber coving is light, flexible and easy to use. It is more appropriate in darken rooms with a wood theme and needs painting or varnishing once installed as it can discolour unevenly.
If you would like to find out more about coving and cornices, and the difference they can make to a room, speak to one of the builders in London featured in our Tradesmen´s Directory or alert London builders to your requirements by filling out a request in our “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of the page.
Tags: architrave, cornice, coving, dado, General Builders, gypsum, moulding, Plastering & Drywall, skirting, timber
Posted in Building A-Z | Comments Off
An architrave is the name given to a piece of wood that covers the gap between the door or window frame and the wall. Some architraves are very detailed and others are plain, however all types are cut and fastened in the same way. In the image below the architrave is highlighted in green to distinguish it from the door frame, and this task should be very simple as the door is square and both of the corners will be 90 degree angles. You will need a mitre saw that cuts exact 45 degree angles for this job and a second pair of hands is always useful, so if you are apprehensive about fitting an architrave by yourself, consult one of the London builders featured in our Tradesmen´s Directory.
Measuring and Cutting
 Measure the three pieces of architrave you need to go around the frame of the door. Normally architrave reaches all the way down to the floor, but some houses have it meeting the skirting. When measuring the horizontal length, remember that you will want the architrave to sit 5-10mm inside of the door and not flush with the door casing.
Before cutting the architrave, it is a good idea to mark all the pieces with the direction of the cut, as it is so easy to cut one piece at the wrong 45 degree angle and then have a section with the wrong mitre that is shorter than the others. Effectively, it is an expensive mistake to make as you will have to start all over again. Make sure that the work is secured tightly during cutting to get a clean angle.
Fixing and Fitting
 The best way to assemble the three pieces is on the floor. Glue the joints together and then secure with a screw from above so that it cannot be later seen. Now position your construction over the door frame and fasten it by nailing it in. The nail heads can be knocked in with a nail punch and the holes filled in thereafter. Now your architrave is ready for painting or varnishing.
As mentioned above, this job is considerably easier with the right tools and a second pair of hands. Although purchasing a quality mitre saw will be of value to you in the future, using a London builder will enable you to get the job done for a similar cost and provide a guaranteed finish. If you are considering replacing an existing architrave or installing a new one, use the “Post-a-Job” facility at the top of the page to get building quotes from local builders in London.
Tags: architrave, builder, coving, doors and windows, Find a Builder in London, General Builders, Home Improvements, interior decoration, mitre saw, skirting
Posted in General Building, Handyman Services, Plastering & Drywall | Comments Off
Posted in Building A-Z on Aug 21
 An architrave is the decorative moulding fitted around the casings of internal doors, windows, and loft hatches to hide the joint between the wall or ceiling and the timber casings. It comes in a variety of materials – although most commonly wood – and masks any subsequent shrinkage and movement between the door or window casing and the wall.
Architrave should be fitted by a London builder after all wall surfaces have been finished (but not decorated) and before fitting skirting board and doors. For one side of a door or window casing, three lengths of architrave are normally required – one horizontal head piece and two vertical side pieces. For a loft hatch, four pieces of architrave are normally required with mitres at each end of all four pieces.
 Where the elements of the architrave meet, the corners are usually mitred – with a typical, square topped casing, the corners meet at rightangles (90 degrees) so the mitre cuts on each piece of architrave should be 45 degrees. However, in older properties, doors, windows and walls bow and shrink with age (don´t we all!), so the exact angle may be questionable. In this case, angles will need to be measured individually and cut accordingly.
Architrave is normally fitted by a builder in London so that it sits back from the inside of the casing timber by about 5 to 10mm. Too narrow a spacing will restrict the knuckle of the doors´ hinges, whereas a larger margin may reduce the overlap of the architrave onto the casing and reduce the available area for putting in nails and supporting the architrave. In most cases, try to keep the style of architrave and the margin the same throughout a property, although in some cases this may not be possible (nor desirable).
In you are thinking or replacing an existing architrave, or installing a new one, have a look at our “Project Advice” on how to fit an architrave, or speak to one of the builders in London featured in our Tradesmen´s Directory.
Tags: architrave, coving, door frame, doors and windows, Find a Builder in London, General Builders, mitre saw, plastering, skirting, timber, Window & Door Fitting, window casing
Posted in Building A-Z | Comments Off
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