Painting is a simple, effective and distinctive way to produce an attractive, durable finish on walls, doors and window frames. Make sure the surface is properly prepared before you begin (see preparing walls, doors and windows for decorations).

Most home surfaces are porous, and cannot be painted successfully without priming. This is important when painting externally. The exposed grain of a piece of wood needs to be soaked in primer to be waterproof. Most new windows, doors and wooden fittings are now supplied pre-primed, but check for scratches and re-apply primer where necessary Areas of wood which will be hidden by brickwork after installation should be given an extra coat of primer

Choose the right type of paint:

emulsion is the most popular and practical type of paint

gloss and satin paints are mainly designed for woodwork, but can produce a harder wearing finish on walls

textured paints produce attractive effects on brick, stone or plaster

Begin by painting around the edges of walls and any switches set into the wall -about 60mm Blend in paint to edges with roller When painting with a brush, don´t overload the brush - dip the first third Apply paint in vertical strokes, spreading it out a right angles A pen grip is usually the most comfortable and effective When painting with a roller, match the type of roller to the type of paint

Coat the roller evenly, using the ribbed section of the rolling tray and use zig-zag strokes

Tint glaze to the desired colour and dilute with white spirit, brush onto the wall and, while still wet, dab rags over it, replacing them as they become soaked with glaze. Remember, glaze-soaked rags are highly flammable, so dispose of in a closed tin. Glaze is flammable and poisonous - treat with care and always wear PVC gloves to protect hands.