Subscribe to RSS feed
Essential Tools Every Decorator Should Own
For any decorating project, you need an essential set of items to help you get the job done to the best possible standard. Good preparation means having all the tools to hand before you get stuck into decorating. Whether you’re wallpapering a living room or revamping some garden furniture, there are several important painting and decorating tools that you should keep within reach.
Preparation tools, such as dust sheets and masking tape, are crucial for keeping a room nice and clean whilst decorating. And when it comes to painting, there are all sorts of brushes and rollers you can choose, depending on your budget and level of expertise.
Read on for our complete guide to essential tools every decorator should own.
Preparation Tools
Every decorator needs a solid collection of preparation tools. These include:
Sandpaper
Filler
Dust Sheets
Masking Tape
Read on to find out more about each type of preparation tool and which products you should choose.
Sandpaper
Sanding is a vital step in almost any decorating project and is needed to create a smooth surface for painting. Sandpaper is grouped based on grit, and it’s advised to have a range of sandpaper in your toolkit to suit different decorating jobs.
Coarse sandpaper (40 grit)– designed to remove previous finishes on wood, such as paint.
Medium sandpaper (80 to 100 grit) – designed for general-purpose sanding.
Fine sandpaper (120 to 220 grit) – designed to roughen surfaces before painting.
Ultra-fine sandpaper (320 to 440 grit) – used between painting to achieve an extra-smooth finish.
Filler
Filler is a necessary tool used to repair any cracks or imperfections on a wall before painting. When purchasing a suitable filler, there are a couple of things to look out for. Ideally, the filler should be fast-drying and easy to sand down. Make sure you have both a filler for interior decorating jobs and a filler for exterior decorating jobs.
This powder Toupret Interior Filler is the perfect choice for experienced decorators. It expertly takes care of any gaps or holes on ceilings and walls.
Dust Sheets
Having a few high-quality dust sheets to hand is a great way to protect a room before decorating. The two main types of dust sheets are cotton and polythene.
The Basics Cotton Twill Dust Sheet set is a great choice for every type of decorating job. It may also be worth investing in further protection for carpets and rugs. This Packexe Carpet Protector provides high-quality protection for fabric surfaces around the home.
Masking Tape
Masking tape is needed to protect an area of a wall from paint splashes. There are different kinds of masking tape that you’ll find in our range here at Dulux Decorator Centre.
Most masking tape is fairly inexpensive. The High Precision Tape is ideal for achieving sharp, precise paint lines when decorating indoor or outdoor surfaces. It adheres consistently to most surfaces and can be removed cleanly without leaving any residue.
Alternatively, you can choose a Rough Surface Tape specially formulated to stick to uneven surfaces and provide clean results, even in cold conditions.
Decorating Tools
Every decorator will have different opinions about products they need in their collection. However, there are a few key paint tools that everyone should own. These include:
Brushes
Rollers
A Paint Tray
A Ladder
Of course, this list is not exhaustive. Other important decorating items include paint mixers and paint scrapers. It all depends on your current projects and what you deem as essential.
Brushes
All decorators should have a suitable selection of brushes to choose from. It’s a good idea to own a variety of straight and angled brushes in different sizes so you have the right product for every decorating job. For ultimate value, choose a multipack of paintbrushes like this Dulux Decorator Centre Synthetic Brush 5 Pack. With five brushes included, you can’t go wrong.
Paintbrushes vary in price, but our huge range of brushes means there’s something to suit every budget.
Rollers
Paint rollers allow large quantities of paint to be applied quickly and efficiently to a wall. The main types of rollers are:
Short-pile rollers – these are great for applying paint to surfaces such as interior furniture and doors.
Medium-pile rollers – these are used to apply paint to a wide range of surfaces such as interior walls.
Long-pile rollers – these are ideal for applying paint to textured surfaces. They help the paint to reach small gaps and cracks in the wall.
Rollers also come in different sizes, the smallest size generally being 4”. Again, you should aim to have a selection of rollers in your toolbox.
Once you’ve chosen a roller frame, you can then select different sleeve types, such as the Dulux Decorator Centre Glosser Simulated Mohair Sleeve. This sleeve helps to provide fine, even paint coverage and is ideal for even the trickiest of decorating projects.
Paint Tray
When choosing a paint tray, keep in mind the size of the paint roller you intend to use. For example, if you’re using a long paint roller, be sure to find a tray that will accommodate the roller’s size.
Make sure to choose a paint tray with a deep paint-deposit area, such as this Dulux Decorator Centre All Purpose Roller Tray. This will save you time when working as you won’t need to keep refilling the tray with paint.
A Ladder
Whether you’re painting or wallpapering, ladders are an important tool for accessing those hard-to-reach corners of a room. We recommend choosing a step ladder that can be easily adjusted and used in different positions.
This Youngman S400 HD GRP Platform Steps Ladder is a great choice as it features a large platform to provide a secure work area. Check out the rest of our ladders range for even more choice.