Decorating & DIY on a budget advice, please!

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Tonight/tomorrow, I'm after some decorating advice, pretty please! *batts eyelashes*
Tagging a few folks, but happy for any advice anyone has!

Today I enlisted my brother for help moving some cabinets out of the corner of the living room, to make space for my 40 by 90cm (if I remember rightly) fish stand. I hadn't planned to redecorate that room yet, since it really needs a lot of work, and other stuff has to be priority - as long as it's clean, that's the main thing. But after seeing it, and considering moving this huge aquarium stand and then setting up tanks on it, it would be better now that it's cleaned to at least sand that corner, and give it a lick of paint before setting up all that heavy stuff there.

Worst room to have to repaint though, since it contains both the parrots (which have huge cages, so not easy to move those to another room) and the large fish tank. But with windows and doors on both sides of the room, should be easy enough to move the parrots at least to the next room over, ventilate the room like mad, and the corner that needs painting is also the opposite side of the room from the 57g fish tank with it's canister filter.

@Colin_T @Wills @WhistlingBadger @jaylach you guys are practical and handy! And @jaylach and @Colin_T with your bird experience too, you also know how delicate their respiratory systems are. We've always been careful about what chemicals and sprays can(or cannot, for the most part) be used in that room, both because of the birds and fish. Think we will make the effort to get the birds bedtime cages and stands to a different room at least for the painting part.

As I said, windows and doors aren't a problem, but gloss takes much longer to dry and ventilate, can't realistically keep the doors and windows open for too long without the birds (and the rest of the draughty house) getting too cold.

So wondering about both the fish tank canister sucking in paint fumes (plus gaps in the hood) and fumes, and quickest method to dry the paint. I can set up standing fans, a dehumidifier, heater, or turn the heating on in the living room after manually airing the room out/running the fan to blow the fumes away from tank? Or would the heat potentially slow the drying and curing, or make the fumes worse, and cooler/dehumidifier the way to go?

I'm a pretty dab hand with a brush, and getting a couple of coats of emulsion done, dried and ventilated in a day won't be a problem. But when I gloss the picture rail and skirting board, I'm more concerned about how the best way to dry it quickly and deal with the fumes, so I know how many days to keep the birds out of the room for, and minimise the risk to the fish tank?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Sorry @jaylach , I decided to move this to its own thread to keep it simple!

Ya, birds can be touchy. I use no chlorine cleaners or ammonia. Even my glass cleaner is ammonia free. Even essential oils and some scented candles can be harmful.

Yep. Have to careful with fumes from the kitchen that's immediately off the living room, and don't use any aerosol air fresheners in those downstairs rooms, at most, some febreeze spray, but only sprayed directly onto fabrics and away from the birds and fish. I use a lot of natural cleaning methods - including some essential oils, but as you say, have to be careful with oils for all of the animals, not just the birds.

Most things can be cleaned with steam, hot water and dishsoap, and elbow grease, TBH!
But I also like things to be properly clean and disinfected, so along with using things like salt, biocarb of soda, white vinegar, lemon juice etc, I also use a fair amount of dishsoap and bleach. I can't abide a bathroom or kitchen without being able to bleach, even though I feel bad for the environmental effects. But at least bleach can also be used for fish, bird and other pet equipment safely, when diluted, rinsed thoroughly and allowed to air dry, so it's needed for both our health, and the animals.

As for decorating though, that's much more tricky! Doing it a bit at a time will help, but the birds won't love being moved and barred from the living room kitchen for very long (Oscar won't be happy not to be allowed shoulder rides downstairs!) but they can manage for a few days. I'm just wondering the fastest method to get the paint dried and room ventilated. Hasn't been redecorated in around 20 years.... maybe longer

 

[jaylach]

My mom always used vinegar and crumpled newspaper to clean windows. It works really well.

I sort of like decorating rooms. Here is my current entertainment setup in my living room... I say 'current' as it can change at any time on a whim.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

My mom always used vinegar and crumpled newspaper to clean windows. It works really well.

It does! Unfortunately, some cheaper newspapers, and with PVC windowframes and sils, that method can leave black ink smudges on PVC windowframes. Still my preferred method for mirrors though!

Have a brilliant steam cleaner with different adaptor heads though. One mum bought through a catalogue, and I liked using so much I bought one too for my own place! Has a window cleaning attachment too which works brilliantly, no chemicals, and less elbow grease and hunting for streaks!

I sort of like decorating rooms. Here is my current entertainment setup in my living room... I sasy 'current' as it can change at any time on a whim.

View attachment 337260

I quite like decorating and DIY too! I'm not skilled with DIY as such, haven't used power tools much, but I'm not bad with a paintbrush and roller! Years ago in a rented ancient house, the landlord agreed to let me rip up the nasty carpet in the house we rented, and I used a tiny little cheap hand sander to sand down the original floorboards in this huge room by hand, stained it a dark mahogony colour, and varnished it. Was really hard work and took days just to get them sanded like that, but looked amazing, and I'd do it again! Also cheaper than buying any other kind of replacement flooring. Just need a rug or two

 

[jaylach]

It does! Unfortunately, some cheaper newspapers, and with PVC windowframes and sils, that method can leave black ink smudges on PVC windowframes. Still my preferred method for mirrors though!

Have a brilliant steam cleaner with different adaptor heads though. One mum bought through a catalogue, and I liked using so much I bought one too for my own place! Has a window cleaning attachment too which works brilliantly, no chemicals, and less elbow grease and hunting for streaks!


I quite like decorating and DIY too! I'm not skilled with DIY as such, haven't used power tools much, but I'm not bad with a paintbrush and roller! Years ago in a rented ancient house, the landlord agreed to let me rip up the nasty carpet in the house we rented, and I used a tiny little cheap hand sander to sand down the original floorboards in this huge room by hand, stained it a dark mahogony colour, and varnished it. Was really hard work and took days just to get them sanded like that, but looked amazing, and I'd do it again! Also cheaper than buying any other kind of replacement flooring. Just need a rug or two

I hate paint rollers... nasty messy things. When I bought the house years back in Ohio it was a new construction with all white walls that I painted. This was in 1976 or there about. I went to Sears to get paint stuff and found the coolest painting system. It was quickly done with no muss or fuss and pretty much no splatter. Instead of a roller it was different types of pads. Here is an example.

 

[MattW]

Sorta off topic but I love DIY & woodworking. I've made multiple plant stands out of pallet wood for free from the local garden center. They were perfect for the strawberry/tomato plants. I even managed to make a 3-foot-long chest out of scraps, from a skip we had when we had the loft converted into my room. The only money I spent was on a cheap circular saw and some 2-inch nails. I use that chest as storage for hardscape, old aquarium equipment, and old aqua soil in a tub. It's great when you complete projects like that, it's a real sense of accomplishment

 

[jaylach]

Sorta off topic but I love DIY & woodworking. I've made multiple plant stands out of pallet wood for free from the local garden center. They were perfect for the strawberry/tomato plants. I even managed to make a 3-foot-long chest out of scraps, from a skip we had when we had the loft converted into my room. The only money I spent was on a cheap circular saw and some 2-inch nails. I use that chest as storage for hardscape, old aquarium equipment, and old aqua soil in a tub. It's great when you complete projects like that, it's a real sense of accomplishment

I like wood but won't lie and say I very good with it. When my son was 5-6 years old I built him a to scale garage for his hot wheel cars. Thing even had rafters and I used spackling to mimic a cement floor and a snap type metal button for a floor drain. The thing even had real miniature shingles for the roof. It turned out really well and he loved it. Shoot, the thing even had a swing up type garage door that worked. I used heavy test nylon fishing line from my bay caster fishing reel to join the slats for the door so it could bend like the cover of a roll top desk cover. It took a couple of months to build this thing but that was mostly due to doing during lunch breaks at work. At the time I worked as a machinist and had free access to any kind of tool I wanted. Oh, the door even had a remote to open and close. At that time it was really early as to people having computers and I messed a bit to the point of even re-routing circuits on the motherboard to make my first system able to handle twice the memory. Building a remote to open/close the garage door was really a simple project.

On the funny side when I bought my house in Ohio the area between the kitchen and back door was a utility room with the furnace/water heater, utility tub and a half bathroom. It was actually a bit ugly so I decided to improve. I enclosed the furnace and water heater with folding louver doors which turned out great but I wanted to do more so I built a wall to separate the utility tub area that also held the clothes washer and dryer. The wall, with a door, also turned out well but here is the funny part. I had never built a wall so knew nothing. I never even thought about drywall and built the thing with half inch plywood on both sides. I mean it worked well and the wall was a solid as could be and the door even swung true. It was actually a well done wall in the end. Still I swear that the house could totally collapse and the wall would still stand. LOL! One might say that my build was just a little bit of overkill. End result was an attractive 'L' shaped hallway. Leave the kitchen and turn right and you were at the half bath. Go straight and you were at the back door. The paneling I put on the wall from hell matched the louver doors hiding the furnace and water heater. It really turned out nice.

Just for info... If you ever buy 2X4 wood, and find that one is a bit warped, Pour some boiling water on the warp and weigh down and let dry. The result is a nice straight piece of wood.

 

[Essjay]

I hate paint rollers... nasty messy things. When I bought the house years back in Ohio it was a new construction with all white walls that I painted. This was in 1976 or there about. I went to Sears to get paint stuff and found the coolest painting system. It was quickly done with no muss or fuss and pretty much no splatter. Instead of a roller it was different types of pads. Here is an example.
View attachment 337261

I like those pads too, but here they are not easy to come by. When I found a shop which had them I bought half a dozen.

We have textured wallpaper and rollers just don't work properly on those; neither to the pads with very short 'fur'. The ones I found have longer 'fur' which are ideal for textured surfaces.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I like those pads too, but here they are not easy to come by. When I found a shop which had them I bought half a dozen.

We have textured wallpaper and rollers just don't work properly on those; neither to the pads with very short 'fur'. The ones I found have longer 'fur' which are ideal for textured surfaces.

I don't like the way rollers splatter either, but they can be useful for the large parts of the wall and a more even smooth finish than brush alone, and I can't afford to go out and buy gadgets really at this point, as useful as those look.

I'm really looking for whether heat will help or hurt, or a dehumidifier could help. With the cooler February weather and a lot of wind, I can't leave the windows and doors open all day and night, but I move the parrots to a different room, I can start early in the morning, manually ventilate as much as possible, close up doors and windows later in the day and overnight, so the whole house doesn't get too cold.

Plus articles I read only confused me more. One said not to use fans or airflow through the room until it's dry, because otherwise dust and other bits will get stuck in the sticky paint...

Should I just suck it up and buy quick drying gloss?

I read this article: https://www.diygeeks.com/gloss-pain... Faster? 1,Airflow ... 4 4. Apply Thin Coats
High-gloss paint takes between 12-24 hours to dry for a re-coat and 36-48 hours to cure (fully dry).



Quick-dry gloss paint takes less than 1 hour to dry to touch, 90 minutes to dry between coats, and 24 hours to cure.

 

[Essjay]

We have used the water based quick dry paint for a few years because the solvent based longer drying paint affects my husband, though he prefers silk finish to gloss. Our son used water based gloss on his new flat door, which was primed but nothing else. He did use 2 undercoats first then two thin coats of gloss.
Back in 2020, our younger son almost poisoned himself with solvent based paint. It was lockdown and having just moved he decided to paint all the doors. He took them all outdoors, painted them then brought them in when it started to go dark. But they were still releasing solvent and he was so ill he had to break lockdown and come here for a few days till he recovered.

Based on that, with your pets both feathered and furred, I'd use the water based quick drying paint.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

sorry, hit post too soon accidentally. That article confused me by saying (article parts bolded, my own thoughts not):

"Fastest way to dry gloss paint:

1. Use a Paint Dryer.
2. Increase the Solvent Evaporation Rate.
3. Increase the Airflow.
4. Apply thin Coats."
   
   I don't want to buy a paint dryer product, but would invest in fast drying gloss for that room for sure.
   
   Then the chemistry part confused me, so hoped you, @Essjay @Seisage or one of the handymen here might help me understand the best way to do this!

1. High-gloss paints dry through solvent evaporation — the solvent (oil) must evaporate from the surface for the coating to dry. The paint will dry faster if you increase the solvent evaporation rate.
   
   To increase the solvent evaporation rate, do the following things.
   
   1. Use a hairdryer at medium temperature.
   2. Move the hairdryer over the paint coating for 5 minutes.
   3. Pause for 30 minutes.
   4. Use the hairdryer over the paint coating for 5 minutes.
   5. Turn off the hairdryer.
2. You shouldn’t fully dry the paint with a hairdryer as it causes the paint particles to dry too fast, creating a weak paint finish that cracks from minimal contact. Use the hairdryer for 5 minutes (2 times) to speed up the solvent evaporation and leave the paint to dry naturally.

I can do the above - but sounds as though I shouldn't turn the radiators on in that room until the paint has cured, or it'll dry too fast and crack? But would running a fan and/or dehumidifier help, or harm?

High-gloss paint cures through oxidation cross-linking, where oxygen reacts with the paint-drying oils. To accelerate the paint curing time, increase the room airflow.

To increase the room airflow, do the following.

1. Turning on the fans in the room.
2. Opening the air vents in the house.
3. Turning on the blowers and fans in the air conditioner.
4. Opening all the doors and windows near the coating.

This was what I was thinking of doing while painting and as it dries to try to limit the fumes building up in the room and help it dry and cure faster. However, the below has made me think twice;



Don’t increase the airflow before the paint dries as a wet coating will accumulate dust and dirt. The paint curing process starts after the drying process, so increase the airflow once the paint coating becomes hard (rigid).

Because of the state of the room/bird dust/flaking old paint, dog hair and dirt the dog and cat bring in on their paws etc, now I'm thinking it'll just blow dust, dog hairs/feathers mould spores etc into the paint, and perhaps better to isolate the birds upstairs, cover tank and canister filter with a dust cloth, damp dust and hoover the room as much as possible once the wall and wood has been sanded, prepped and clean - THEN use quick drying gloss, and only open doors and windows once it's dried, to help it cure, hopefully without dust/hair/general debris being blown into the paint and ruining the finish?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Oh, and can use the hair dryer method. I'd better get dust masks... not only is there mould in almost every room, but the thick dust in moving furniture and things that haven't been moved in decades (like the ancient tank and stand) - I've cleaned around them, but notice my brother and I both coughing a lot after deep cleaning an area, and I've had to use my blue rescue inhaler much more often during those times. Not surprising when we're stirring up ancient dust, mould spores, and soon to add paint fumes to that!

 

[Essjay]

A dehumidifier won't do much to dry solvent based paint as the solvent will just go through and out the other side.
Elder son used to have his own handyman business till lockdowns killed it, he had a home made contraption - an air pump with a length of extractor fan tubing attached to the outlet, which he draped out of the window when using anything with chemicals or dust. If you don't mind having a window open in that room, you could position a fan next to the window so it blows the room air out of the window; you'd need the door open a crack to draw air into the room then out through the window.

I would definitely use mask when working with dust/mould. But not a covid mask, shops like Toolstation will sell more suitable masks. Yes it'll cost, but better that risking your lungs.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

A dehumidifier won't do much to dry solvent based paint as the solvent will just go through and out the other side.

Makes sense! Thank you

Elder son used to have his own handyman business till lockdowns killed it, he had a home made contraption - an air pump with a length of extractor fan tubing attached to the outlet, which he draped out of the window when using anything with chemicals or dust. If you don't mind having a window open in that room, you could position a fan next to the window so it blows the room air out of the window; you'd need the door open a crack to draw air into the room then out through the window.

Don't mind at all - It's basically a long, fairy narrow room, with a window either side. A door on the left leads to the front door hallway/stairs, the door on the right side is to the kitchen, and back door. Can create airflow by opening the right windows and doors, and have a standing fan I could add to blow the fumes out the right window (which is the side of the room needing painting first) and out the back door.

My other concern was from that article about waiting for it to dry when first applied, that hour or so for the quick drying one, before opening the windows and doors so it doesn't blow dust and dirt into the wet paint? But being in an unventilated room while using solvent based paint sounds really unhealthy, so would your son recommend having the doors/windows open as soon as I start painting, plus the proper masks of course?

I would definitely use mask when working with dust/mould. But not a covid mask, shops like Toolstation will sell more suitable masks. Yes it'll cost, but better that risking your lungs.

Absolutely. We've been using surgical covid masks (and disposable or rubber gloves, I get ecezema on my hands when using chemicals/over washing hands in hot water), but definitely want to buy decorating hard masks for sanding and painting!

Sounds like the water based one will be much safer for that room especially! For us and the animals. I'm more worried about that, than getting a perfect finish. This is only meant to be a quick and dirty rough job to improve it, not stripping the room right back and wanting to make it super pretty yet... only improve it overall before moving heavy furniture, tanks, and birds back to that side of the room!

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

These are cheap and within budget, and should be fine for general shifting old furniture and deep cleaning, I hope?

Grande FFP3 Valved Disposable dust mask CDN-P3, Pack of 2 | DIY at B&Q

Disposable moulded FFP3 face mask, designed to protect the wearer against higher levels of dust from home repair, woodworking, construction or water based mist.

www.diy.com

But given we both have problems with lungs/coughing/allergies, perhaps investing in something more durable is worth it? I don't know which are legit good products, or which are a bit of a con or waste.

10 Oxyline Masks X 310 SV FFP3 R D Respirator Half Mask / Reusable Dust Mask / 10 Masks | DIY at B&Q

Examples of use: High concentration of dusts, to be used in welding and soldering, protects against dusts containing the following substances: Beryllium, antimony, arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, nickel, radium, strychnine, radioactive particles.

www.diy.com