Whether on a building site, in business premises, or house, sanding creates dust. Depending on the sanding job, dust has a tendency to be blown around, even by the smallest breeze. This can create quite a mess, adding to your clean up time. Dust inhalation is also a major risk to your health. You will need a solid dust control plan.

The Danger

Without pretective measures in place, sanding dust is breathed in. In the worst case, damaging lungs, causing chronic coughs, and forming fibrous, scar tissue on the lungs. Lead based paint dust is very toxic and needs to be managed correctly.

Solutions

The use of sanding machines, hooked up to vacuum extractors, are very efficient. In conjuction with good dust respirators and masks, zip walls and covering up well with drop sheets of plastic film and taping, will help control dust. Together these dust controls protect your lungs and minimise the mess.

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Investigations by WorkSafe into falls, while working at height, show that more than 50% of falls are from less than three metres and approximately 70% of falls are from ladders and roofs.

The Good Practice Guidelines working at Height in NZ, provide health and safety guidance to all people working at height and those involved in the planning and preparatory stages of any project that includes work at height.

Regulation 21 of the HSE Regulations is the source of the often-quoted “three-metre rule”.  It is mistakenly believed that no controls are needed where a person faces a fall of less than three metres.  That belief is wrong and ignores the overarching duties in the HSE Act.

At Sensation Painters the most effective system we have found, to minimise our risk of falls from heights is Scaffolding and for this we use Scaftech Ltd.

Scaffolding:

Scaffolds are a common way to provide a safe work platform. There are a wide variety of scaffolding systems available.

All scaffolds should comply with the Scaffolding, Access & Rigging NZ (SARNZ) Best Practice Guidelines for Scaffolding in NZ or equivalent guidelines or a higher standard.

All scaffolds should be erected, altered and dismantled by persons who have been trained and have suitable experience with the type of scaffolding being used.

All scaffolds from which a person or object could fall more than five metres, as well as all suspended scaffolds, should be erected, altered and dismantled by or under the direct supervision of a person with an appropriate Certificate of Competency.

All scaffolds shall be supplied with adequate information for the scaffold user, such as a scaffold tag or handover certificate. The information supplied shall include:

• its intended use
• safe working load
• dates of inspection (as applicable-the scaffold provider can advise the frequency of these dates)
• manufacturers’ instructions for assembly
• any special conditions and limitations.

If a scaffold has been altered, modified, tampered with and/or appears to be unsafe, the scaffold shall not be used until it has been checked and certified as safe by a competent person as outlined in the SARNZ Best Practice Guidelines for Scaffolding in NZ.

Mobile Scaffold:

Where work is performed using mobile scaffolds, employers should ensure that workers understand that the scaffold should:

• be erected by a competent person and used in accordance with the manufactures’ specifications
• remain level and plumb at all times
• be kept at least one metre from open floor edges and openings unless the edges protected, to prevent the scaffold tipping
• never be accessed until all the castors are locked, to prevent movement
• never be moved while anyone is on it
• be clear from overhead powerlines

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Which wall is the right wall for a feature wall?

Generally, the feature wall will be the wall that is naturally the focal point of the room. If you have a fireplace it will usually be the feature wall. Ideally, a feature wall will be relatively free of clutter and window, so paint colour or wallpaper doesn’t need to compete for attention.

Think beyond your walls too. Could you make a feature of your doors, ceilings or a piece of furniture?

Be aware of Wet Paint and Colours:

When you are viewing or choosing colours, give the paint or test pot a chance to dry first, before you decide if the colour looks right. The paint colour will look different wet, then dry.

Colours dry darker than when the colour is wet.  Just like wet concrete, there is something about wet paint that attracts kids, pets, insects and even adults. Use Wet Paint signs and notes or barricade off freshly painted areas.

Wash Brushes: (boring)

No one likes washing brushes and rollers out. If you know you will be painting over short periods or every day. Why not wrap brushes, put the roller sleeve in a plastic bag or glad wrap or in zip lock bags?

It keeps the paint moist, so your gear does not harden.

The post Painting Tips – March 2019 appeared first on Sensation Painters.

No house project is too big or small for paint stripping before painting. Have a look at this before an after example to show the lengths to which we go to get that perfect painted finish!

The post PAINT STRIPPING – WHY? appeared first on Sensation Painters.

INTERIOR PAINTING

We recommend to our clients that winter is the best time of year to get the interior of your house painted. Auckland in winter is cold and wet, meaning that exterior painting can be a bit of a stop start process, waiting for dry and windless days.

If you are thinking about painting the interior of your house in winter, we recommend thinking about it as a mini-makeover.

Painting the interior of your house is also a good time to think about:

• Changing your lighting while the ceilings are being painted
• Making any changes you want while the walls are being plastered
• Taking down your drapes and blinds and get them cleaned while painting is underway

Paint drying times are often longer in colder weather but can be shortened by using fan heaters and dehumidifiers.

If you choose to use Sensation Painters to paint the interior of your home in winter you can be assured that our painters can get a full 40 hours of work done (this is unlikely with exterior painting) and the team is happy to help you move heavy objects, will cover carpets and look after your possessions.

EXTERIOR PAINTING

Exterior painting in winter is a little trickier and is often a slower process than in summer due to the cold temperatures, rain, fog and wind.

If you choose to paint the exterior of your house in winter remember:

• Drying times are slower
• It is a good idea to do your preparation at the beginning and end of the day
• Maximise drying times by painting between 9am and 3pm
• Don’t gloss paint after 3pm
• If you paint after 3pm and the temperature is below 10°C overnight the paint will not dry and moisture may get into the paint
• You can cover your house in shrink wrap or tarps, to speed up the process but this will add extra expense

At Sensation Painters we recommend winter time for interior painting. If your house is looking a little dated, it’s probably a good time to think about freshening up its interior. There are lots of great new colours out there to liven up the interior of your house. Getting your interior painting done in winter means you get to enjoy the summer months without the disruption of workmen around your home.

To get advice a quote please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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So, if you’ve decided to paint your house this summer, we have some tips that will make the job run a little bit easier.

PREPARATION IS KEY

The key to a great finish starts in the preparation and whilst you may find the prep even more tiring in the heat, 75% of the job is in the washing, stripping, sanding and filling that is done before the house painting begins. It’s a big part of the project, but worth the effort.

We always recommend a house wash at the start of the job and use Premium House Washing. Barry and his team have never let us down.

PAINT AROUND THE SHADE

The best advice we can give you when working on bright sunny days is to work around the shade. This not only protects you from the sun and helps you see what you’re doing, but also stops the paint from drying out too quickly

If you are painting in direct sunlight the surface temperature you are painting can be 10 -15 degrees higher that the temperature you’re working in.  By painting in direct sunlight, you run the risk of the paint drying too quickly. When paint dries too quickly it leaves brush marks, looks ropey and flashes (the surface has a shimmering effect).

We always paint from right to left – laying off (or smoothing off) back into the wet paint. Work quickly and cover small areas at a time e.g. take one weather board through at a time. This helps you maintain a wet- edge on your brush and helps you avoid painting areas you have already covered. Working right to left will help you get a great finish.

USE HOT WEATHER PAINT THINNERS

When you’re painting with water based enamels in summer we recommend using hot weather paint thinners to slow down the drying time and to leave you with a wet edge for longer. Resene supplies good quality thinners to ensure the paint doesn’t dry too quickly and cures properly.

RECOMMENDED DRYING TIMES

Although it may be tempting to shorten the drying time in the hope you put on an extra coat of paint, we always recommend following the manufacturers’ recommended drying times. In good conditions you can hope to get two and sometimes three coats completed in a day.

BE SUN SMART

The Auckland sun can be harsh so make sure you’re sun smart:

• Use sunscreen
• Wear a hat and sunglasses, and cover up from the sun
• Drink lots of water so you don’t get dehydrated

If you do need to work in direct sunlight it is a good idea to put up a shade cloth or tarp to stop the paint drying too quickly and to help you see what you’re doing.

CONCLUSION

Summer is a great time to paint your house. Careful preparation and following our painting tips will help get a great paint job that lasts.

If you would like Sensation Painters to help with painting your house, get in touch with Paul for advice or a quote.

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