1. When painting walls, always roll your first stroke upwards. This helps prevent paint drips.

2. Always have the open end of the roller handle pointing into the wet painted area to help eliminate join lines.

3. If you stop for a break, seal your roller sleeve in a plastic bag and store upright. It will remain usable for up to 24 hours.

Till next time – Happy Decorating.

Well, luckily there is a simple solution. Purchase a quality paint brush. Ok – it costs a bit more but you really get what you pay for. A good quality paint brush ensures a thicker, more consistent and smooth paint finish. It has longer bristle so you don’t get streaks and the bristle is glued with premium epoxy to stop the bristle loss.

Good quality paint brushes also hold more paint. So you get the job done quicker and dip the brush into your paint pot less often- meaning you get less fatigue.

The handles are also ergonomically designed making it easier and more comfortable to hold and use, especially painting for long periods.

Other features that you may not even notice, but very important is the nailed ferrules ( the shiny metal part) and quality brushes use stainless steel, not cheap tin that will simply rust and deteriorate.

At PAL, we have been designing and making paint brushes, rollers and other paint accessories since 1961. Our quality products can be found at most major decorating stores and we are proud that PAL premium products will give you the perfect finish.

1. When painting any room, the golden rule is start from the top and work down, therefore, paint the ceiling first, then scotias, walls, followed by doors and finally skirting boards and floors.

2.Paint with your brush tips, never the sides. Hold your brush at about a 45 degree angle to the surface and work mostly with your wrists rather than your arms and shoulders.

3. Always brush into the wet areas. Paint should be applied to a dry area and then worked into a wet area. This helps any overlap to blend and gives your a perfect finish.

4. When looking for a paint brush, look for long tapered bristles that will not fray, nor flick paint. Generally speaking you get what you pay for, so if you’ve spent long hard hours prepping the project, bought quality paint – spend the money on a decent brush so you reap the rewards of a perfect finish.

Till next time – happy decorating.

Cheerful, optimistic yellows and oranges speak to our playful side, while tranquil blues and greens muster a sense of well-being and warmth. Add to that a vibrant mix of purples, mustards, ochres and earthy tones – all colours that celebrate our past – and the new season’s colours combine to refresh, inspire, motivate and lift our spirits. Hues have a feminine edge with a sense of cosiness. Alongside femininity lies retro. Old is the new new, as we look to surround ourselves with nostalgic pieces. Raw, unblemished beauty sits easily beside luxurious materials or simple, up-cycled objects.

Splashes of strong colour feature not just on accent walls – our appliances and homewares are getting an overhaul too. Toasters, mixers, fridges, ovens and other homewares are becoming brighter and cheerier, with oranges, yellows, reds and blues coming through.

Splash those feel-good colours onto walls and you have instant pick-me-up pizzazz. Try Resene Wild Thing, a star-bright yellow gold that’s bold, energetic and frivolous. For the really adventurous, pair this playful colour with blacks or blues, such as Resene Bowie, a clear litmus and cyan blue reminiscent of the 1960s.

For the full article  http://www.resene.co.nz/comn/whtsnew/2012_paint_colours.htm

It’s that time of year again – the sun is out, the air is warming up and there’s no better time  to get outside and enjoy it. We have some great tools and handy tips to re-rejuvenate your outdoor furniture and deck ready for the summer ahead.

Click here for our comprehensive tips for painting your exterior.

Here is another video in the colour forecast by Dulux talking about different colours, what they mean & how they can be applied in your home.

For help with selecting the right tools for the job, see our how to guides section. Or click here.

A quick intro into what Dulux are doing for their colour range 2011/2012. Will be posting more videos in this series for inspiration in your home.

The two most important things for a great paint finish are:

1. A good quality paint, &
2. A top-performing applicator (brush or roller).

Yet people seem to overlook the importance of choosing the right applicators when planning a paint project. The fact is, even fancy ‘one-coat’ paints will never live up to their potential unless they’re applied with the right applicators. So, how do you go about choosing the ‘right applicator’ for specific jobs? The first things you need to think about are:

- The type of surface you’re painting
- The type of paint you’ll need to use
- The quality of the finish you’d like to achieve.

Our how to guides are here to help you with these choices visit: www.paintaids.co.nz

We have just updated the Accent roller kit packaging to include colour blocking in Accent blue. Additions to the range include the new 150mm roller variant for Kitchen & Bathroom and Fence & Deck Kits.

The new 150mm roller range including handles, trays and sleeves is a new development and about to hit the shelves. It will be available in PAL, the PAL 1-6TM premium roller sleeve range and selected Accent products. Keep an eye out in your local store.