Resources

Decorating guides written from the job, not the brochure

What a decorator would tell you over the phone if the call went on long enough: which products, in which order, and where the money goes. Read before you book, or send them to whoever is paying.

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The guides

Three long reads, one per trade that gets the most questions

Each guide sits under its service page, which is the archive for that topic. The full set of services is on the services directory; the towns they are available in are on the areas we cover.

Rendering painting guide 9 minute read
Masonry paint for London render, pebbledash and brick: how to choose it and make it last
Most exterior paint failures in London come down to three mistakes: painting over dirt, using a coating that traps moisture, and skipping the repairs. This guide goes through the choices in the order a decorator makes them.
- What masonry paint is, and why exterior emulsion is not the same thing
- The four London wall types and what each one wants
- Breathability: the single number that matters most
- Preparation is the job
Filed under Rendering Painting
Spray painting guide 8 minute read
Spray painting a kitchen in a London flat: what actually happens, door by door
A sprayed kitchen is the most cost-effective transformation in a flat, and also the easiest to get wrong. Here is the process the way a decorator runs it, so you know what to expect and what to ask.
- Which kitchens can be sprayed
- Why the doors leave the flat
- Degreasing, keying and priming
- The lacquer and the sheen
Filed under Spray Painting
Wood staining guide 8 minute read
Wood stain, varnish, lacquer or oil? Choosing the right finish for doors, floors and stairs
Stain gives colour. Varnish, lacquer and oil give protection. Most jobs need one of each, and the pairing decides how the timber looks in five years. This guide sorts them out.
- Stain and finish are two different jobs
- Which timber you have changes everything
- Floors: lacquer for wear, oil for looks
- Stairs: the busiest timber in the house
Filed under Wood Staining

By topic

Every service page is the archive for its subject

Each guide is filed under the service it belongs to, and each service page carries its own method, product notes and answered questions. If a question is not answered anywhere here, ask it through the contact page; the way we work is on the about page and the overview on the home page.