The Decorator - June-July 2022

THE

DECORATOR

The official journal of the Painting and Decorating Association • June-July 2022

Borthwick Decorators Ltd Dunkeld, Perthshire See The Gallery for more!

NOMINATE SOMEONE IN THE INDUSTRY THAT IS INSPIRING YOU TO BE THE VERY BEST.

Purdy’s Mentor of the Year competition is giving those learning the painting and decorating trade an opportunity to thank the person who is inspiring them to be the very best. If someone in the industry has sparked your passion and helped grow your skills, nominate them now. It could be your boss, your training manager or a college lecturer. One professional decorator and one college lecturer will each ZLQ e DQG WKH SHUVRQ WKDW QRPLQDWHV WKHP ZLOO JHW D 3XUG\ EDFNSDFN ƓOOHG with Purdy products. Two runners up will receive £500 each, with a range of Purdy products for their nominators.

Deadline for entries is 30th September 2022 To nominate someone who has inspired you, please visit www.purdy.co.uk

WIN THIS AMAZING PURDY BACKPACK FILLED WITH PURDY PRODUCTS

Find us online...

Dear Members, As summer approaches, I hope my letter finds everyone fit, well and with buoyant job order books.

Fingers crossed for a good long spell of decent weather for all those outside painting contracts.

I’m really hoping that everyone has had a good look at the online Take Time Loyalty Platform for which we have purchased licences not only for you, the Member, but for all your employees too.

This is a fantastic new Member benefit with hundreds of great discounts on everything from weekend breaks, restaurants, and cinemas to more family orientated related offers, discounts, and deals. You should have received a stack of information over recent weeks both via our social media platforms and the fortnightly e-newsletter. Full details about this new benefit can be found on page 6.

If used on a regular basis, these discount vouchers can save you a great deal of money, and in the current stringent economic climate, I believe that this new benefit will be of great use to you, your family, and your employees alike. If for any reason you are struggling to log on or haven’t received your free licence code, please call one of the team at PDA HQ who will be more than happy to assist.

The three Apprentice awards which tie in with our Trophy Awards are now complete. Again, we saw some tremendous talent on show. I’d like to thank everyone involved including all the loyal sponsors without whose support we would be unable to host these competitions.

By the time you read this, we will have held the PDA Apprentice Wallpaper Hanger of the Year competition. A total of 24 apprentices took part this year, a record number in the history of this competition! Thanks to our sole sponsor Brewers Decorator Centres for their generous support. It’s very much appreciated.

It’s now just one month until the Premier Trophy Awards on 7 July in central London. I’m really looking forward to meeting all this year’s winners on stage during the event. Good luck everyone!

Before I close, I would like to appeal to those Member companies who are still to pay their 2022 subscriptions. With the Association approaching 130 years of supporting painters and decorators, we need to ensure that the ONLY trade body for our sector remains in place, has a voice and is there for our future Members. Without your annual subscriptions, this would prove an impossible task. I ask those still to pay, to contact HQ as soon as possible. We really don’t want to lose you! Take a few moments to look at the raft of benefits now on offer and you will see that it really is great value for money.

Have a great summer, stay safe everyone and I’ll catch you next time. Please don’t forget, if you wish to speak to me on any matter, simply call Head Office and we can arrange a call at your convenience.

Neil Ogilvie Chief Executive neil@paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk

@TheDecoratorMag

/DecoratorMag /TheDecoratorMag

elsewhere in this issue...

4 Association News 14 Members News 16 Training and Education 18 Industry News 24 The Gallery 26 Better Business 30 Case studies 38 Tooltalk

with Wayne de Wet

40 Products and services

THE

DECORATOR

Painting & Decorating Association 32 Coton Road, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV11 5TW Telephone: 024 7635 3776 e-mail: info@paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk web: www.paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk Chief Executive Officer Neil Ogilvie neil@paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk

June-July 2022 — Volume 91 No 3 The Decorator is published by Catherine Saint Publicity on behalf of the Painting & Decorating Association

Advertising and Editorial Catherine Saint Publicity Telephone: 07941 590183 e-mail: catherine.saint@yahoo.co.uk

PDA Editorial Neil Ogilvie Telephone: 07796 942474 e-mail: neil@paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk

Artworking and Design empathicVisions Telephone: 07789 725074 e-mail: info@empathicvisions.co.uk

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those held by the Association. Editorial items in this publication and the statements and opinions expressed thereon are published on the understanding that the author of the contribution is solely responsible for the opinions so expressed. Although every care is taken with advertising, no responsibility can be accepted by the published for their products, services and other matters advertised. The publisher will not be liable for any loss or damage consequential or otherwise occasioned by error, late publication or the failure of an advertisement to appear in any cause whatsoever.

3

ASSOCIATION NEWS

takeNOTICE

@thePDA facebook.com/thePDA

The latest news and updates about the PDA and wider issues across our industry.

If you have something to contrubite email info@paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk

The PDA sends best wishes to Queen Elizabeth for her remarkable Seventy Years as Monarch.

We hope all Members' enjoyed the Bank Holiday!

fo r r G e t se t m me

su

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR PROFILE PAGE We have recently given all Members' profiles a fresh new look, check yours now to make sure your contact information is up-to-date. You can also add details of the services you provide and images of your work.

To edit your page, log in to the PDA website and visit www.paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk/my-profile/ If you experience any log in issues, please contact sam@paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk or call 024 7635 3776.

BASEBALL CAP PDA branded with adjustable strap

£9.00

ROUND NECK T-SHIRT Navy or White .99 100% cotton

£7

Order from Head Office on 0247635 3776 or email sam@paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk

PDA AGM IRL! The Painting and Decorating Association Annual General Meeting will be held in person this year! Members are invited to attend the meeting, to be held during the Painting & Decorating Show on 22 November, which takes place at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Keep an eye on our Social Media channels and future issues of The Decorator for further details.

4

ASSOCIATION NEWS

T I F E N E B NE W !

S R E B M E FOR M

We have used our collective power of membership numbers to negotiate a new PDA membership benefit! All signed up PDA Members (and their employees) will now gain free 12-month access to the Take Time lifestyle club. This would normally cost £60 per person.

and business support, as well as the independent mediation and arbitration service.

The club will allow our Members to take advantage of a variety

Save big at hundreds of restaurants, hotels, gyms and spas.

of discounts and offers that will help during these difficult times,

Plus get super savings on entertainment, travel deals, and

as the cost of living rises.

This great new membership offer is in addition to your

discounts at top attractions nationwide. And that's not all, visit the Take Time website to check out the deals coming your way!

existing Member benefits, which include trade discounts, legal

Start SAVING now!

RECEIVE UP TO

RECEIVE UP TO

RECEIVE UP TO

RECEIVE UP TO

38% 50% 60% 50%

OFF CINEMAS

OFF DINING

OFF BEAUTY

OFF DAYS OUT

We’re encouraging all PDA Members and their employees to sign up for Take Time as soon as possible and make the most of the offers available.

There's no limit to how much you can save – all offers are there to make use of for a whole year.

How to access your Take Time membership Every PDA Member who has subscribed for 2022 can access their Take Time membership using a unique entry code. If you’re a Sole trader/self-employed member, PDA Head Office will contact you directly with your code. For companies with employees, due to GDPR please email your employee numbers along with a dedicated company contact to info@paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk with the subject line 'Take Time Codes'. PDA Head Office will then supply this contact with the required number of codes, it will be the contact's responsibility to distribute the codes to employees.

Once you have your code, signing up is quick and easy... Visit www.taketime.co.uk/register, register your name and email address, enter your unique code and create your password. You will then receive a verification e-mail* from Take Time, and you’re all set!

6

*If the e-mail doesn't arrive in your inbox, please check your spam/junk folder.

ULTRA SHARP, COATED TO GLIDE Fluorine coating drastically reduces resistance.

Blades glide much faster, and without getting stuck, through tricky materials including cardboard, polystyrene, foam, vinyl and textile wallpapers, caulk, silicone, etc.

#OlfaUK

olfauk.com

ASSOCIATION NEWS

WelcoTOmTHEeASSOCIATION...

WITH OVER 30 years in the decorating business, Mark, the owner of Tree House, has taken it upon himself to open a store to bring the best quality materials at amazing, not to be beaten prices to the trade and to the public.

Located in Flintshire, Tree House pride themselves on knowing their products and knowing how to help the customer.

Their team is small but mighty, Tree House will always try their best to get you what you need to get those jobs done, and if it’s not in store, they will endeavour to get it to you the very next day!

Not just one to look after your pocket, but also the planet, Tree House are currently the only Northwest distributor of 100% Eco paint Graphenstone, ‘The most innovative and ground-breaking line of natural paints and mortars using lime from the highest quality local sources’.

And what other decorating merchants do you know where the public could go for the paint, and leave with a decorator too? With seven painters and decorators on hand, Tree House not only offer the knowledge but the expertise when you need that little helping hand.

You can find some of their stock at their website, or find them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, one of their friendly team is always on hand to answer any questions you may have.

The world is our canvas, so lets paint!

Go with a company you can trust.

www.treehousedecoratingmerchants.co.uk 3B TRAINING ARE a multi-accredited training provider delivering health and safety training courses to the UK construction industry. They offer high-quality courses delivered in a range of formats by a team of highly skilled and experienced trainers who are experts in their fields, and are proud of their record in successful delivery.

3B provide nationally recognised accreditations such as CITB, CISRS, IOSH, NEBOSH, NPORS, Highfield, UKATA, and GQA and ProQual NVQs. The are members of Build UK and hold NEBOSH Gold Learning Partner Status, giving them the ability to provide the best quality training.

Courses are delivered at 3B training venues, customers address or site, and online with live trainers, plus offer a host of eLearning courses and NVQs. 3B Training live and work by their company values (known as 3B’s 3Bs) – ‘Be Your Best’, ‘Be Smarter’ and ‘Be Honest’ and these values underline everything they do and have done since the company started in 2011.

They are a customer focused business delivering the best quality training to enable your teams to work safely aiming to be world class in everything they do!

3btraining.com

8

Rustic Brick Red from the Albany Industrial Textures Wallpaper Collection

Your choice for outdoor jobs

YOUR FIRST PURCHASE WITH A BREWERS ACCOUNT* Ask in-store or visit brewers.co.uk *New cash or credit account holders only

Over 180 stores nationwide

ASSOCIATION NEWS

ADVICE for

our Members

A REMINDER ON THE IMPORTANCE OF

H&S TRAINING IN THE WORKPLACE UNDER THE HEALTH and Safety at Work Act 1974, supervisors, managers and directors must adhere to the requirement to provide suitable health and safety information, instruction, training and supervision to all staff, including trade persons, with the aim of helping to eliminate and reduce the risk of, accidents, injury and ill-health through work activities and to enable staff to work in a safe manner.

Training in health and safety ensures that workers follow the appropriate procedures on site, regardless of whether the painter or decorator is working at a commercial or domestic property, or working at a construction site.

Employees have legal duties in this regard too. They must: • Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and of others who may be affected by their work, such as other workers or members of the public.

• Comply with instructions or control measures such as the wearing of personal protective equipment.

• Co-operate with their employer on health and safety and training requirements.

• Correctly use and report any defects to the work equipment provided by their employer.

• Not interfere with or misuse anything provided for their health, safety or welfare.

Self-employed persons also have duties under the law in relation to their own health and safety if they work in certain work activities set out in legislation (such as work carried out on a construction site, or if working with asbestos) and in all cases, regardless of work activity, they must ensure that their work does not put others at risk. For health and safety law purposes, self-employed means that you do not work under a contract of employment and work only for yourself.

To access the Law Hub where PDA Members will find additional practical DIY templates and guidance around topics such as employment and health and safety law, get a token code from the PDA office and sign up for free on www.markellaw.co.uk/registration

A recent magistrates’ case, highlights how a failure to adhere to these legal obligations, can have disastrous consequences for both the employer and employee.

In this case, a construction company was fined £16,500 and ordered to pay costs of £5,778.40 by magistrates for breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 after an employee was injured at work leading to significant sight loss in his right eye.

At the time of the accident, employees were erecting PVC hoarding within a store to separate the refurbishment work area from members of the public. An apprentice decorator who was helping joiners set up the hoarding, struck one of the PVC panels using a mallet causing it to splinter. A fragment penetrated his right eye, causing serious injury and significant loss of sight. The incident has resulted in a life-changing injury to the person who will not regain full sight in his right eye, despite a number of postaccident operations.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the construction company had failed to suitably plan, manage and monitor the project. Risk assessments and method statements had not fully identified the need to wear safety eyewear during the erection of the hoarding.

In addition to this, the supervisor had failed to ensure that the documentation available on-site was communicated to the operatives before commencing work. Although safety eyewear was available on site, the wearing of it had not been made mandatory, neither were checks carried out to ensure it was worn.

The HSE inspector who investigated the incident commented that the life-changing injury could so easily have been avoided by providing suitable information, instruction, supervision and training to site personnel in respect of the fitting of the PVC site hoarding.

ARE YOU ELIGIBLE TO CLAIM R&D TAX RELIEF? MANY COMPANIES ARE MISSING OUT Research & Development is a valuable relief the UK government offers in order to incentivise businesses to innovate and enhance productivity. The scheme is widely underutilised and over the course of several budgets the Chancellor of the Exchequer has sought to widen the scope for claiming this relief. The most recent changes he made will be implemented from April 2023.

What do companies need to prove?

The scheme itself requires there to be an advance in science or technology. The definition is slightly wider than it sounds insofar that if an advance is sought, but ultimately not achieved because, say, the project failed, then relief may still be available. So, it’s important to be aware of the unsuccessful projects as well as the successful ones. This can often mean that where there has been some element of trial-and-error, or failed projects, then R&D could have taken place – and a valid claim can still be made.

10

A business has to have attempted to create new, or enhance existing, products, services, software or processes. The R&D has to be contained in a specific project and include identifiable materials and staff costs.

It’s also important that, at the outset of the project, a competent professional in that field would not know how to achieve the advance sought.

Finally, for a business to qualify it must be an SME (HMRC definition, so must be limited liability and subject to corporation tax). There must be fewer than 500 employees and have either a turnover under €100m or a balance sheet net asset value lower than €86m.

Costs which can qualify include staff, externally provided workers, subcontractors, materials and consumables (including utilities), payments to the subjects of clinical trials, and from April 2023 data and cloud computing costs.

Where it is important to examine the projects in detail, is when costs do not wholly relate to the R&D project.

Staff costs are often seen as the largest relevant

expenditure in any given claim, however, it is very unusual for staff to be completely devoted to R&D. It’s a fact that many companies miss out on claiming this relief because they and/or their advisers simply do not know about it or they’ve incorrectly assumed it does not apply to them. It can be complex to navigate and it’s crucial to be fully aware of what can and cannot be claimed.

How Relief is given The claim gives an additional 130% deduction in respect of the qualifying expenditure. A £100,000 spend therefore achieves an additional £130,000 in its corporation tax return and saves tax at the corporation tax rate.

The average claim in the UK is around £55,000, although for start-ups this may be lower. but it is a significant and valuable relief.

For more information, visit www.eastrnd.co.uk or email martin.bender@easyrnd.co.uk

A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO PROFESSIONAL QUALITY PAINTING TOOLS BRUSH AND ROLLER HANDLES MADE WITH BAMBOO COMPOSITES

ROLLER FABRIC MADE WITH SUSTAINABLE BAMBOO FIBRE

ROLLER CORES MADE WITH RECYCLED PLASTIC TRAYS MADE FROM RECYCLED PAPER PULP, LINERS FROM RECYCLED PLASTIC

BIODEGRADABLE DUST SHEETS MADE FROM CORN STARCH

ALL MANUFACTURED TO TRADE QUALITY RECYCLED PAPER PACKAGING

LEADING THE WAY pioneerbrush.net

ASSOCIATION NEWS

MENTOR OF THE YEAR RETURNS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW PURDY HAS ANNOUNCED that it will be running its Mentor of the Year competition again, we caught up with the team to find out more about the competition and what it means for our industry...

Professional decorators require a unique set of skills and high level of craftmanship in order to deliver the quality, stand-out finishes that customers are after. Purdy recognises that workmanship and quality tools need to work hand in hand to deliver the best results, which is why it is passionate about championing best practices and encouraging professional painters and decorators to instil their skills and knowledge in the next generation.

The Purdy Mentor of the Year competition underpins these values and gives apprentices and those learning the trade the chance to thank the people that are having a positive influence on them and their learning. The

competition is open to anyone just starting out in the trade and requires them to nominate someone that is inspiring them – whether they run their own business, manage or train decorators in a larger firm, or lecture at a decorating college.

Nominations can be made via the Purdy website from 1 June until 30 September, simply input the name and details of the nominee and tell Purdy what makes them such a good mentor, how they inspire you and what they have helped you to achieve.

The entries will be judged by Phil Warwick of CITB, Neil Ogilvie of the PDA, and Andy Cummins of Purdy. The

shortlisted nominees will then be invited to an interview, where they can explain more about the skills that they are instilling in the next generation of professional painters and decorators.

This year, the judges will be selecting one college lecturer and one professional painter and decorator who will receive £1,000 each – and the people that nominate them will each win a new Purdy backpack filled with Purdy products. The two runners up will receive £500 each, with a range of Purdy products for their nominators.

John Stevenson, the winner of Purdy’s Mentor of the Year competition 2021 (pictured left with his certificate) said, “It was truly an honour, and extremely humbling, to win Purdy’s Mentor of the Year competition. The fact that my students had taken the time to nominate me validates all the work that I do as an educator.

“I am thrilled that I have been able to inspire the next generation in the same way that my mentors inspired me.

In fact, I still remember the guidance, hints and tips given to me at the start of my career and I pass these teachings on to students in the classroom to this day.

“If anyone has a mentor who truly cares and goes that extra mile to support you and your career path, the Purdy Mentor of the Year competition is a fantastic way to demonstrate that you appreciate all of their efforts.”

For more about this year’s Mentor of the Year competition visit www.purdy.co.uk

EUROPEAN PROJECT PARTNERS FINALLY GET TO MEET IN PERSON! THE PARTNERS OF the PaintingSkillsAcademy (PSA) project were, at long last, able to hold their eighth co-ordination meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia, instead of the virtual online meetings. It was the first meeting of its type since the project began in December 2019 and was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Slovenia (OZS). www.paintingskillsacademy.eu

12

The 27 people attending participated well, sharing their expectations and vision of the project, and discussing the work undertaken so far. The opportunity of being together brought enthusiasm, new stimuli and fresh ideas to the project, and leaders had also arranged various activities to promote discussion on this ambitious project.

Mirka LEROS-S LESS THAN 3.5 KG. COMPACT DESIGN. 100% COMFORT.

Pure Innovation Ergonomic Design.

Dust-free sanding.

Dual Voltage.

5mm orbit.

For further information or to arrange a demonstration, please contact Customer Services on 01908 866100

www.mirka.co.uk

NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

WILLIAMS ACQUIRES WILLIAMS

FIFTH AWARD FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY IAN WILLIAMS IS celebrating high health and safety standards, after receiving its fifth RoSPA President’s Health and Safety Award. Presented as a result of achieving over 14 consecutive Gold Awards, the coveted President’s Award celebrates consistently high levels of performance in occupational health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

Mark Pollard, Ian Williams’ Health and Safety Manager comments, “To say we are delighted with this achievement would be an understatement!

Winning the President’s Award again such an endorsement, as it reflects excellence in our core business strategy of attracting, retaining and developing a sustainable, healthy and vibrant workforce which has safe working at its heart. We want to continue to be an employer of choice for people looking to develop their careers, something that is only realistic if health and safety is foremost in all our minds and behaviours.”

Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director said, “This is a fantastic and well-deserved accomplishment. All our award entrants demonstrate their unwavering commitment and passion for keeping people safe at work. By receiving this recognition Ian Williams join likeminded businesses and organisations worldwide, who represent the very best in their approach to Health and Safety. I would like to add my personal thanks for all the work that it has taken to secure this well-deserved award – congratulations to all those involved, who champion and drive up Health and Safety standards every day. You are a fantastic example to others in your sector.” www.ianwilliams.co.uk

14

ONE OF THE UK’s largest privately-owned property services companies, PDA Member firm Ian Williams, have acquired E.R. Williams (Painting Contractors) Ltd. The move will further strengthen Ian Williams’ presence in the North of England, while expanding its painting and decorating services.

Commenting on the acquisition, Ian Williams’ Managing Director, Andy Havard says, “We are delighted to welcome E.R. Williams to the family, the company is a fantastic fit for our business, being a long-established family-run business with over 50 years of history. It is a great cultural fit and is committed to direct employment, training and development, and has an enviable record for outstanding customer service.

“These are values that align perfectly with our own approach to business and allows us to further enhance the services that we can offer to our customers in the North West. I would like to personally thank both Bill Williams and Ruth Walton for their open and transparent approach to our negotiations over the last six months and wish them a long and happy retirement, with the knowledge that their business is in safe hands.”

Bill and Ruth from E.R. Williams added, “We are very happy to pass on the future of our company to Andy and the team at Ian Williams. We have come to appreciate that Ian Williams is a fantastic organisation that shares our business philosophy and values their people as we have. We are grateful to everyone involved in the sale process for their support and good advice. Most of all we thank our workforce, past and present, who are the stars of the company without whom we would not have achieved the success in delivering a high level of service to our customers over many years.” www.ianwilliams.co.uk

MENOPAUSE:

IT MATTERS

The past two years have enlightened us all to the importance of good mental health and a sense of wellbeing. Companies, like Bagnalls, have introduced Employee Assistance Programmes and trained Mental Health First Aiders across their business to provide colleagues with support systems when needed.

Our industry is predominantly male and therefore engaging external speakers from organisations such as Andy’s Man Club has opened up the options for male colleagues to know there is support out their specifically for them where ‘it’s good to talk’ about how they are feeling.

However, there are plenty of women working in the painting industry too, and Bagnalls decided to hold ‘Menopause’ workshops, facilitated by an external speaker to support the women in our business.

Subjects covered included the physical and mental changes that take place in women, the benefits of taking regular exercise and eating a good diet, and how to cope with menopause through therapeutic, herbal or medicinal remedies.

It was interesting to hear that Japanese women suffer very few symptoms of menopause due to their soy rich diet and that circa 20% of men suffer from menopause type symptoms as well including mood swings, lack of sleep and poor concentration.

So we believe it is a subject that needs to be talked about, in both the workplace and the home, it is a natural part of aging and should not be a taboo subject.

For further support visit www.nhs.uk or contact Diane Evans at www.menopauseitmatters.com who is helping Bagnalls address this once unmentionable topic!

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

COMPETITION HEATS UP APPRENTICES FROM ACROSS the UK have recently showcased their skills during three regional events, as part of the PDA Premier Trophy Awards Apprentice of the Year competition. Forty-two apprentices took part in the annual competition, with heats held at colleges in Accrington, Coventry and Kent. The competition winners will be announced during the PDA’s Premier Trophy Awards at Plaisterers’ Hall, London, in July.

The heats were held at Accrington and Rossendale College in March, Coventry College in April and North Kent College in May. During six-hour contest apprentices had the opportunity to test their skills against their peers, tasked with replicating a given design, to not only test their accuracy and skill, but their ability to perform under pressure.

Neil Ogilvie, Chief Executive of the PDA said, “The quality of entries this year has been outstanding. These young people have really showcased their talent and professionalism and it is a pleasure to be judging their excellent work.

“I’d like to thank our sponsors CITB, Purdy Professional Painting Tools, Brewers Decorating Centres and tesa for their support. These competitions are a great opportunity for apprentices to meet their peers and put their skills to the test. They value the experience and it is important to us as a trade organisation to provide these opportunities for people starting their careers in the industry.” www.paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk

LEWIS TAKES A SHOT AT THE WORLD STAGE

16

PDA MEMBER FIRM Bagnalls were very proud of Lewis Boyle, painter and decorator at their Shipley branch, being a finalist at the UK finals of Skillbuild, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) construction competitions run in partnership with WorldSkills UK, earning Lewis a place on the Squad UK Painting and Decorating team.

Lewis has had a very successful career to date, not only winning the PDA Apprentice of the Year in 2020 but also being Crown Paints Apprentice Decorator of the Year Silver Medallist in 2019.

He has also been an excellent example to younger apprentices, alongside colleague Abi Johnson, by taking part in a community project painting a school in Slovenia and promoting apprenticeships at the Bagnalls Training Academy in Doncaster.

Lewis has said of his amazing journey so far, “The WorldSkills UK competition is such a big thing and I’m really proud of what I have achieved so far.

“The challenges are intense, but I have learnt so much and made some great new friends along the way.”

He puts his success down to working hard and learning new techniques, which he has then used in the workplace, as well as keeping up with all the emails and webinars.

After weeks of preparatory training in Scotland, not only refining his decorating skills but also his physical strength and mental aptitude, he had only one more step to go, the final selection in Loughborough.

Lewis attended the final but it wasn’t his day.

Unfortunately, Lewis was not chosen but remains part of Squad UK and will take part in the training to potentially represent the UK at Euroskills in Poland in 2023. He has also been asked to be a mentor for the rising stars in P&D industry, and as a previous PDA winner amongst his achievements he certainly has the credentials.

Jonathan Walker, Lewis’s Branch Manager added, “We always knew Lewis was a natural talent, but for him to have the recognition from others has been a real boost. He has worked extremely hard and demonstrated his best self, both practically and in the behaviours that he shows whilst competing. We are so proud of the painter he has become and see a long and successful career for him here at Bagnalls.”

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

IMPROVE SKILLS AND PROFITS WITH

BETTER ESTIMATING Presented by PDA National Treasurer, Bob Smith Are you one of the many decorators who ‘guesstimate’ the charge for a job based on the time and materials you believe you will need to complete it?

These costs are usually based on a notional hourly charge and the cost of materials plus a small mark up for profit. If you are, you are not alone!

This method is convenient for small domestic jobs particularly for the self employed where you have only your own capabilities to consider, but if you want to look at bigger projects then this method is not reliable or consistent enough for jobs such as schools or offices and especially when working for companies, main contractors or public authorities.

The purpose of this training, led by Bob Smith, is to show you a method of estimating based on the measurement of the elements of a building surface, the creation of a schedule of unit rates and a bill of quantities.

This workshop will cover: • Prime cost of labour • The standard method of measurement – SMM7 (1998) • Measuring on site • Daywork rates • Creating a ‘schedule of rates’ • Labour cost (creating a spreadsheet) • Schedule of rates creating on a spreadsheet or a card index system • Bill of quantities • Applying the schedule to a quotation • Composite unit rates

The course will run from 10am–3pm at PDA Head Office in Nuneaton on the 22 June 2022 To book your places at £50+VAT per person, email yvonne@paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk with the subject title ‘June Estimating’

17

SECTOR NEWS

P&Dnews 22 & 23 November

BOOK EARLY FOR THE MAIN EVENT! WITH THE THEME ‘All together now for the main event’, this year’s national trade show is shaping up to be a real must-visit according to early reports from the organisers.

“The theme underlines the event as the principal national forum for the decorating community, and follows a hugely successful 2021 fair which, despite COVID-19 precautions being put in place, still attracted almost 3,000 visitors”, say the organisers.

“This year’s event at the Coventry Building Society Arena will be even better. We’re planning some great promotions, prize draws, competitions, and raffles to ensure everyone has a really good day out. We’re delighted that the PDA will be among the 100-plus exhibitors eager to see familiar and new faces. The Association has accepted an invitation to outline the very latest benefits of Membership during one of the

and Decorating Show in November in Coventry. It’s always a fantastic event for the trade. We’ll be running a MasterClass session this year and letting everyone know the benefits joining other professionals and becoming a PDA Member.”

Grab a Grand of Tools!

All attendees this year have the chance to win premier quality decorating tools and ancillaries from Ciret’s Rota, Kana, Masq, and Prep brands.

A draw card will be given to all visitors on entry and prizes worth £1000, £500 and £250 will be awarded on each day of the show. popular MasterClass sessions which, alongside all the money-saving promotions and fun activities, form a valuable part of the event.”

PDA Chief Executive Neil Ogilvie says, “We are really looking forward to attending the National Painting

Other business-building attractions include: • A demonstration of state-of-the-art spray techniques in a special ‘clinic’ hosted by Abode Decorating Training Academy – and visitors will be invited to give it a go themselves.

• A seminar programme where top presenters are being lined up to share their expertise in the fields of finance, social media and training.

• Continuous ‘main stage’ demonstrations of all the latest tools,equipment and materials technology that will be making the news in 2023.

Suppliers from home and abroad will be offering all the usual freebies and masses of cut-price offers on everyday decorating essentials to make this year’s Main Event well worth the wait.

Chance to win a Mirka sanding kit The Decorator readers can register online at www.paintshow.co.uk for free tickets, regular updates and the chance to win this Mirka sanding kit worth over £1,100!

WHAT AN ACE DONATION!

RICHARD POOLE, BRANCH Manager of Brewers Norwich (North), donated a range of mis-tinted paints and spare rolls of wallpaper after spotting a request for help from Action Community Enterprises CIC, who were looking for supplies to introduce construction students to the world of painting and decorating. Driver, Jason Wigger was also happy to deliver the donation right to the door!

Action Community Enterprises CIC (better known as ACE) is a specialist provider based just outside Norwich, who have been delivering quality vocational training and alternative education since 2011, especially those that are not traditionally ‘classroom shaped’. To achieve that, they provide a wide variety of support programmes and vocational qualifications for young people and adults who, due to a variety of barriers, need additional and individualised help to move them towards further education, apprenticeships, or employment.

Now unwanted supplies could be put to fantastic use teaching the next generation of trade professionals. This donation of paint and wallpaper will greatly benefit ACE students while they are studying for their decorating units, learning plastering, painting, and wallpapering practical skills. These skills will help many of them go on to gain apprenticeships or employment within the construction sector.

Keep up to date with Brewers community stories on Facebook and LinkedIn - @BrewersPaints

18

SECTOR NEWS

LICK LAUNCH ECO TOOLS RANGE THE UK’S FASTEST growing interior brand and PDA Associate Partner, Lick, have acquired the leading sustainable decorating tools brand Eco-Union. The brand will merge under a new title, LickPro Tools. This latest move from the innovative home decor company is a further demonstration of its commitment to modernise and transform the decorating sector. By focusing on developing sustainable solutions the brand hopes to revolutionise a market that has historically failed to better its standards.

Eco-Union successfully secured B-Corp status, the first decorating company to ever achieve this prestigious credential, and successfully securing listings with key retailers and brand partners including Travis Perkins, Wickes, LeylandSDM. Not only were the products built with sustainability in mind, but functionality too.

The partnership was a natural fit for Lick, who are committed to growing the most innovative and sustainable decorating company in the world. Since launching in 2020, it has been its mission to transform the sector, meeting modern consumers' demands, with today’s shoppers actively favouring brands developing sustainable products. The Eco-Union founders will stay on at LickPro Tools, Joel as Head of Decorating Tools, and Nikki takes up a position as Head of Sustainability at Lick.

Lucas London of Lick says, “As we continue to grow the Lick brand, we aspire to transform the home decorating sector through innovation that holds sustainability at its core. We are committed to supporting our community of decorators through their whole journey with a high-quality, curated product range, inspirational confidence-building content and best-in-class customer service. Naturally, tools have always been a part of our vision in supporting our decorators with the Lick brand attached to the products, customers will

instantly recognise them to be a trustworthy choice, delivering on quality while always aligning with their sustainability beliefs and practices. Reducing the overwhelming paradox of choice by enabling decorators to simply make conscious choices.”

The decorating market for the most part is still unsustainable, from the tools and products to how they are created and the packaging they arrive in, Lick is leading the way in innovation. The LickPro Tools range has been built with sustainability and durability in mind. From rollers and brushes to dust sheets, paint trays and kettles, all materials are recycled, recyclable and reusable, encouraging users to hold on to their tools for future projects.

With the support of the Lick brand, LickPro Tools will be able to continue transforming archaic practices the sector and consumers have become accustomed to. This rebrand will help combat the intimidating choice paralysis consumers often face, as LickPro Tools will be synonymous with professional quality, durability and sustainably sourced materials.

LickPro Tools are available from www.Lick.com and stockists including Travis Perkins, Wickes, and LeylandSDM.

~An opportunity not to be missed~

Vacancies for Judges If you are a member of the Institute of Clerk of The Works and you can give some time between February and April each year, we would like to hear from you!

We have vacancies for two judges to join the existing team, an opportunity to put your skills to use inspecting the projects entered for the PDA Trophy Awards Competition.

The projects come from contractors and small firms across the country but one thing they have in common is outstanding work. From lighthouses to London theatres, you will view and inspect some amazing work. Site visits take place between mid-February to mid-April, and the final assessment is made at the end of April.

You will be invited to attend the Trophy Awards Luncheon Event, usually held the third Thursday of July at the prestigious Plaisterers’ Hall London. All out of pocket expenses are paid.

The ICWCI and the PDA are two organisations who work tirelessly to improve quality standards and believe in quality. Please contact the Painting and Decorating Association on 024 7635 3776 for further details and get an application form.

ICWCI Founded 1882

19

INDUSTRY NEWS

MIX AND MATCH

BCF LAUNCHES NEW ‘TRACE’ VOC GLOBE DECORATIVE PAINTS MANUFACTURERS are now able to adopt use of the statement ‘TRACE’ Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) as part of the British Coatings Federation (BCF) VOC Globe scheme to improve communication to consumers, highlighting which products have the lowest levels of VOCs. The TRACE globe will be used for products with VOC content of less than 0.1%.

Paints contain different levels of solvents, also known as VOCs. Solvent content can vary from negligible amounts to, in a very small number of products, very high levels. Given that VOCs contribute to atmospheric pollution, the industry is committed to reducing the level of solvent in paints. Decorative paint manufacturers have significantly reduced the presence of VOCs in their products over the last two decades, with 84% of decorative paints now sold on the market being water-based, and therefore low or very low VOC. The VOC Globe scheme is part of a wider initiative by the coatings industry to raise consumer awareness of the amount of VOCs contained in decorative paint products, allowing consumers to make more informed, and hopefully greener choices. Greater involvement from paint manufacturers in the scheme will also greatly help paint recyclers separate solvent-based and water-based leftover paint with ease, which aids reuse and recycling.

The British Coatings Federation takes the position that the use of the terms ‘Zero-VOC’ and ‘VOC-free’ are false claims and should not be used in the paint industry.

There will always be a trace element of VOCs, even if no raw materials containing VOCs have been added.

Even water can contain trace amounts of VOC, supply chains for the manufacture of paint are often complex and VOCs, even at negligible amounts, can also be introduced during any part of the process, through using raw materials that naturally contain VOCs, to processes that introduce VOCs, such as washing raw materials. It is impossible to ensure that every batch of paint is completely free of VOCs because of the potential for trace solvents to be introduced at any point throughout the supply chain.

The VOC Globe scheme is owned, managed and copyrighted by the British Coatings Federation. To coincide with the addition of the TRACE globe, the artwork for all the other ratings has also been updated.

20

Visit www.coatings.org.uk/reducing-solvents-in-paint or email info@bcf.co.uk for more information.

VALSPAR TRADE HAVE announced the launch of its exclusive Perfect Match community, designed to provide those in the trade with the support they need to offer their customers the best possible service, when it comes to choosing the colours for their next project.

Decorators can register for Perfect Match to get a host of benefits, all focused on achieving that perfect match for the end customer. Whether that’s finding an exact colour match, or a complementary colour scheme, by working with Valspar Trade, tradespeople can be assured that they will match their customers’ expectations.

Upon the initial sign-up, members will receive a free colour fan deck and 20 unique codes that allow their customers to order colour chips for free from the Valspar website (usually £5/€5). Members will also benefit from money-off vouchers to spend in store at TradePoint and a quarterly trends e-newsletter, ensuring that they are kept up to date with the latest design trends and news insight that they can then pass on to their customers.

The first people to register will also receive a welcome pack with a Valspar Trade T-shirt, cap and van sticker.

Speaking about the launch of Perfect Match, Laura Hettenbach said, “At Valspar Trade, we’re committed to providing the trade with the tools they need to offer the best possible service to customers. The Perfect Match is a great example of this, an exclusive community whereby members will receive a whole host of benefits, both for their business and for their customers, putting them in

touch with our superior colour matching technology and industry expertise.”

Valspar Trade offers a range of high-quality waterbased products from walls and ceiling paint to primers, undercoats, wood and metal paint. The advanced formulations deliver on all fronts, designed to achieve the perfect finish every time, and its colour matching technology is also like no other. The manufacturer can match a sample the size of your fingernail and mix the colour in store in minutes. With a database of over 2.2 million colours, if the human eye can see it then Valspar Trade can mix it, meaning customers should never be disappointed. www.valspartrade.co.uk

BUILDING THE BURNT CITY AWARD-WINNING THEATRE company Punchdrunk called on the expertise of Leyland SDM to help create a 100,000sq ft Ancient Greek immersive experience in South London.

Punchdrunk needed to turn two huge former military arsenal buildings into a mythical setting for its latest production, The Burnt City, which tells the story of the fall of Troy transposed to a future parallel world.

The company required a specialist to match the size of the project so turned to Leyland SDM, with its extensive range decorating products and 32 stores across the capital, for most of the materials required to build the set and staging.

Punchdrunk said, “Leyland SDM were instrumental in making the show happen, from setting up an on-site shop to being at the end of the phone, they were there even when most shops were struggling with supply chain issues. They really went above and beyond.”

In The Burnt City, audiences wear masks and are free to roam two worlds while the Punchdrunk cast tells the mythical story.

Roberto Agnese, Business Development Manager at Leyland SDM said, “This was a really exciting project for us to be involved in.

“We have been involved with supplying materials for theatre sets in the past, so Punchdrunk knew we had the range, quality and reliability to deliver their project.

“Punchdrunk approached us as one of the leading DIY and decorating specialists in London. Largely using our Chelsea store, we were able to provide many of the materials they required, including timber, plasterboard, paint and fixings.

“We even worked with the team to set up a mini Leyland SDM store on their premises so they could take what they needed, when they needed, and pay later.” www.leylandsdm.co.uk

FOR ROLLERS UP TO 15” WIDE

INTRODUCING THE BIG BROTHER OF BUCKET 25 AND 18

01

95-100% recycled rѴ-vঞ1

Disposable liners set of 5 Integrated, sloped rolling surface Strong handle for stable carrying Max. 15”

95-100% recycled rѴ-vঞ1

Max. 15L

Made in Holland

The BUCKET 38 and disposable liners are available at all

DECORATOR CENTRES

Zandvoortstraat 69 | 1976 BN IJmuiden | The Netherlands | +31 (0)255 - 510 409

SECTOR NEWS

Better drivers make better business sense

By Simon Turner, Campaign Manager for the Driving for Better Business programme RUNNING VANS CAN be an expensive business. While poor driving can obviously put your drivers and other road users at risk, it can also cost your organisation huge amounts of money, but often in ways you may not realise.

The most obvious costs are fleet insurance and repairs arising from unnecessary vehicle damage, whether that be serious collisions or just avoidable parking scrapes. A firm with a poor claims history can easily pay three, four, even five times the amount for fleet insurance as a well-managed fleet with a good track record.

Even if you haven’t claimed on your insurance, you might be paying for the damage in other ways, such as end-of-term penalty chargebacks from your leasing company that can prove very expensive.

To buy or not to buy Simple repairs such as replacing a broken mirror can cost hundreds of pounds each because many now have remote control adjustment, blind spot monitors and side repeater indicators built in.

If you buy your vehicles outright, then the reduced resale value of a poorly cared for vehicle means more money is needed for a replacement.

However, there are many hidden costs that are also involved such as the increase in admin and management time sorting out claims and repairs, right up to staff absence and vehicle off road time if the incident was more serious.

Operational costs such as fuel, tyres, routine service and maintenance, insurance and damage repairs are often simply seen as the cost of doing business, yet they can be significantly higher than they need to be when drivers and vehicles aren’t being managed properly.

Better management Poorly managed drivers will often be prone to poor standards of driving which means they’ll often accelerate or brake more harshly, speeding and driving too close to the vehicle in front in order to keep up with their schedule. This naturally results in greater wear and tear on the vehicle and a higher chance of a collision.

Higher than average fuel use, tyre spend, maintenance costs and damage repair costs are therefore all reasonably good indicators of poor management, but they highlight an excellent opportunity for improvement. Unnecessarily high fuel use can also have a detrimental effect on your environmental impact.

Keeping check Measuring and monitoring data is the key to improving the performance of your fleet and ensuring that costs are controlled effectively. Analysing the detail behind the data will highlight the areas to focus on where behaviour is impacting costs and acting promptly on the results will start to deliver improvements.

The performance and efficiency benefits of doing it well include: • Reduced insurance and repair costs • Reduced maintenance and operational costs • Reduced fuel use and environmental impact • Less drain on management and admin time • Less business disruption from vehicles being off the road

If you aren’t measuring and you aren’t monitoring, then you aren’t managing – it’s as simple as that.

If you’d like to learn more about what you and your organisation should be doing and whether you have any gaps in your driver risk management, join the Driving for Better Business free programme at

www.drivingforbetterbusiness.com They have a wealth of free online tools and resources to help you understand where your priorities should be to reduce risk, control costs and improve efficiency.

MONARCH LOOK TO EXPAND STOCKISTS

22

MONARCH ANNOUNCED A re-launch into the UK market earlier this year with an exciting range of brushes, a brand-new website and a collection of carefully selected stockists. Through their comprehensive customer service and sales team, UK based warehouses and trusted retailers the re-launch has been a successful and exciting step for the Monarch and Monarch Advance brands.

With demand growing, Monarch are now looking to make their products even more accessible to their trade customers through new stockists. If you are interested in stocking the range you can contact Monarch directly at UKEnquiries@monarchpainting.co.uk Monarch is recognised for delivering innovative trade quality products which are manufactured to provide optimum performance for trade professionals. www.monarchpainting.co.uk

SECTOR NEWS

FILL IT APP TOUPRET HAS RELEASED its very first app, designed to make the work of tradespeople across the country as easy as possible by helping them to access all the information they need when on the job.

Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, the Toupret app is choc-full of handy tools and provides tradespeople with an easy way to find and use the best filler for their job all in one place, whether it’s comparing products, answering questions or providing the latest Toupret news and advice. It’s an invaluable first port of call for those undertaking building, construction, and painting and decorating projects.

For the first time, a handy product quantity calculator allows users to input the size of the area they are skimming or smoothing to calculate the quantity of filler needed to complete a job.

There are also several tools to help tradespeople find the best product for a task. First up, a barcode scanner which allows you to scan the pack to be taken directly to detailed product information and downloads. There’s also a selector tool on which users can enter details about their job, such as location, surface and any specific surface conditions, in order to find a shortlist of the best products to complete the task.

There is a dedicated page for every product in the Toupret professional range. From these, users can find technical information, pack formats and sizes, key product features and ‘how to guides’ for help to get the best performance from the product. Also available is a full data sheet for each product, and Q&A specific to that product.

LOOKING AFTER THE NEXT GEN The Toupret app also features a handy ‘compare section’, allowing users to find the product that best suits their needs by selecting and comparing side by side what each product can accomplish and key benefits, such as application and drying time.

Other features of the app include a stockist locator, contact page and advice articles, which will be updated regularly to keep tradespeople up to date with new product releases, application processes and legislation.

There’s also a FAQ section offering users the ability to quickly get answers to any questions they may have.

DURING 2022, IAN Williams will be the first contractor to offer its Painting and Decorating Apprentices a season ticket for the Dulux Academy.

This means they can access as many courses throughout the year as they want, from theory sessions to practical training on the latest painting and decorating solutions and techniques. It’s a great opportunity for individual career development, but also ensures we are at the leading edge to deliver a fantastic customer experience.

The Toupret app is available to download now, visit https://www.toupret.co.uk/download-app.html

Perfectly precise every time.

Precision is the new standard. tesa Precision Mask has been raising the standard of masking for over 15 years.

Scan for more info

23

tesa.co.uk

gal

The

Absolute Painting & Decorating To give this new build apartment some character, Absolute were asked to hang a mural from www.hovia.com – The walls was sanded and nibbed using a Mirka Leros, sealed with Zinsser Gardz and then lined. The mural came on one roll that had to be cut into nine single pieces to make the full amazing scene.

Ben Smith Decorating After prepping this open plan lounge and dining room with a Mirka dustless system, Little Greene paints were applied with Purdy brushes and rollers.

Michael Graham Decorators Ltd Undertaken by one Michael’s former apprentices, this stairway was fully decorated with Albany wallpaper to great effect.

C&I Decorators Ltd C&I boarded and skimmed all the inside walls of this city centre beauty salon in Derby, before finishing all trim work with Johnstone’s Trade Satin Finish, and Vinyl Matt for walls and ceilings.

WANT TO SHOW OFF YOUR HARD WORK? Enter now for free!

For your chance to win £100 of vouchers from Brewers and feature on our front cover, send in your pictures to thegallery@the-decorator.co.uk For use in the magazine and to be considered for the cover, we need high resolution, clear images.

24

lery

On the Cover Borthwick Decorators Ltd /borthwickdecor

LSB Decorative Painting The kitchen units were cleaned, abraded and then primed with Caparol Haft Primer followed by Caparol Pu–Matt, all using Llangnickel brushes and Axus foam rollers.

Rodgers Decorating Services The sharp work by a local joiner provided a great base for RDS to complete a fine spray finish using Sayerlack AU474 in black and top coated in AT96 with a 10% sheen.

Borthwick were asked to repaint this stunning country home prior to being put on the market... All the roughcast areas were sprayed, brushed and back rolled with Johnstone's Trade Smooth Masonry paint. The ingoes, bands and window sills were brushed and rolled with Dulux Trade Smooth Masonry paint. Fascias, soffits, windows and doors were coated with Gori 99, posts were brushed and rolled with Dulux Trade Quick Dry Opaque, and gates with Johnstone's Trade Smooth Metal paint.

£100 of vouchers from Brewers are now on the way to Borthwick Decorators Ltd for their winning Gallery entry!

25

BETTER BUSINESS

Do your values matter?

by Charlie Budd

I

’ve been thinking a lot about values over the last few months and how they matter. A few weeks ago I advised my step-daughter to talk about how her values aligned with a potential employer’s when she went for an interview. I’ve put my values on my new website, because I want to do business with people who care about other people, and care about the planet...

Values are often not talked about, but they

brought up, or particular experiences in our

We will also choose our clients. You may

can have a big impact on people’s

lives. While it’s interesting to delve into the past

subcontract to a builder who pays on time and

behaviour at work, and personally. Values

to figure these things out, what’s most

pays well, but they ask you to cut corners and

can really affect our happiness and the

important is how we exhibit our values.

you’re really not okay with that. There are

success of our businesses.

I can remember my Dad once being three

times when we need to stand by our guns and

We all make important decisions based on

hours late picking me up from school, and

do what we think is right, do what aligns

what we perceive people’s values to be; whether

perhaps that had an impact on me always

with our own values.

it’s who we vote for, who our friends and

wanting to be on time. Being on time shows you

partners are, or who we do business with.

care about other people’s time and their lives.

So what are your values?

issues are very important to me. I used to be a

We’ve all got values, even if we’ve not

wildlife conservationist, so I’ve made that clear

help you get more work, and the kind of work

clarified them or written them down. What’s

on my website, and I know that’s resonated

you want, and they are both about storytelling.

really important to you every single day? Is

with some of my customers.

Another example is that environmental

it family? Being on time? Conscientiousness?

Values and the power of storytelling There are two ways in which your values can

The first is the stories you tell, and the second

You’ll have your own values - what are they?

Being reliable? Integrity? Do you contribute

is the stories people tell about you.

The stories you tell are whatever you put on

Who do you want to do business with?

your website, your social media, your leaflet,

Who we buy from and who buys from us isn’t

yourself, how tidy your kit looks. Everything

other people can create clearer and healthier

just a case of money. We don’t only choose the

you present to the outside world tells people

relationships, whether they’re personal or at

cheapest suppliers, we choose those who

what kind of person, and what kind of

work. People know where they stand when you’re

supply decent products, who deliver on time,

tradesperson you are.

clear about your values in how you behave,

who charge a fair price, who give honest

There are also the stories your customers tell

what you say, and what you put online.

advice, and who will rectify mistakes quickly

about you – the referrals, did you turn up on

without quibbling.

time, do a good job, were you professional,

to particular charities? Is the environment important to you?

Making these things clear to yourself and

Of course, you do have to be careful and somewhat selective at times, in case your values are at odds with other people’s values.

This can be especially true when it comes to politics and religion.

how your vehicle looks, how you present

pleasant to have on their property?

Your values and how you exhibit them creates your brand, and it’s your brand that will get you the work you want, but perhaps most importantly, behaving according to our

Why do you hold your values?

values are a crucial part of how happy we are with our work, in our relationships and in life.

There will always be

When we are living and working in a way that

a reason why we

aligns with our values, it can be deeply

hold the values we do.

satisfying. As Shakespeare wrote “to thine own self be true.”

Perhaps it’s how we were

Want to learn more?

Find me at www.chinbadgermedia.co.uk

/chinbadgermedia 26

@chinbadgermedia

@ChinBadgerMedia

charlesbudduk

BETTER BUSINESS Strong customer service is vital for delighting clients, increasing word-of-mouth referrals and retaining loyal customers, but do you have the systems in place to ensure you’re working in the way that potential customers expect?

Attracting the ‘Millennial’ market

High-Touch

Customer Experience Strategies Aged between 26 and 41, millennials are tech

easier for them through the use of technology.

Andrew Small, Managing Director for leading

natives who have grown up with technology at

They are also investing in their homes, with

home renovation and design platform

their fingertips for everything, and they’re your

millennials’ spend on home renovations

Houzz.co.uk shares tips on how you can

next generation of customers. With a tech-first

surpassing

who

leverage technology to elevate your client

approach to all areas of their lives, these

historically reflected higher median spend,

management techniques and market yourself

potential customers expect their tradespeople

with a 70% jump in 2020 (£17,000 versus

to this tech native demographic, with these

to make their project more transparent and

£10,000 in 2019), according to Houzz research.

low maintenance yet high-touch strategies...

older

generations,

Deliver smooth communication Clear communication is vital for a successful renovation project. In fact when surveyed, the professional users on Houzz tell us that miscommunication and misunderstandings are often the root cause of frustrations. Similarly, in our research, homeowners stated that communication was the number one deciding factor when choosing to hire a tradesperson.

With Houzz Pro, you’re able to deliver a streamlined communication experience, where all interactions are stored centrally, helping to avoid misunderstandings as there is a record of what has been agreed. And

Use tech as a selling tool Winning a project is as much about selling your design as it is about selling yourself. Potential clients will also be evaluating your processes and how easy it will be to work with you. Impress them with tools that make their life easier and help to alleviate any concerns they may have.

Visualising the finished project can be difficult for the client, which mat prevent them going ahead and investing the money, with the Houzz Pro 3D Floor Planner, you can help your clients envision how a space will look and feel and align on important project decisions early in the process.

with the personal project dashboard, clients can access all the information about their project at any time, from any device, helping them to feel part of the process.

Provide financial clarity A home renovation project is a deeply personal investment for a homeowner and not just financially, they are also investing their time, personal space and trust in you. A recent Houzz survey found for one in five renovators, lack of financial transparency was a challenge in their recent projects. By being up front and clear about costs, the impact changes have on the budget and when payments are due, you’ll ensure that there are no surprises for the homeowner. It’ll also give you the reassurance that payments will be made in full and on time.

Remember: When they win you win Manage (and exceed) expectations

By incorporating all of these points as a

For many customers, this is likely to be the first time they’ve undergone a project,

fundamental part of your day to day, not only

and they won’t know what to expect. As the experienced one, it’s your job to inform

are you delighting your clients and helping to

them about what will happen, ensure they have realistic expectations and help them

attract

to understand the timeline. It’s also important when working in someone’s home to

transparency and trust into your core business

be respectful of their space and let them know what will be happening and who will

operations and mitigating any risk from

be there. The Timeline feature on Houzz Pro lets you create and share a visual timeline

miscommunication or misunderstandings, which

ones,

you’re

also

building

that helps the homeowner understand the stages of the process, which they can access

all lead to a better bottom line. It’s a win-win

online. By doing so, you’ve not only set an expectation, you’ve probably exceeded it.

for everyone involved.

These are the things people remember and tell others about.

28

new

www.houzz.co.uk/pro

High quality ultra VPRRWK ȴQLVK ZLWK HPXOVLRQV DQG ZDWHU EDVHG SDLQWV 2SWLPDO SDLQW ORDGLQJ FRYHUDJH 6XLWDEOH IRU VPRRWK VXUIDFHV

Finish E\

www.ciret.co.uk

sales@ciret.co.uk

CASE STUDY

C

hris Jones of C.I.J Painting & Decorating Services sent us photos of a garage conversion he was recently asked to complete the decoration of. We were interested to learn more about the work involved, so got back in touch with him...

The best garage bar none?

The private property in Hagley near Stourbridge, where I’m

Once the plastering had thoroughly dried for a few weeks I returned

based, recently had a unused triple garage and office space

to work on the ceiling, first with a mist coat and then spray finished using Dulux Trade Diamond Matt in Timeless, a very light neutral cream.

converted to become an entertaining and social space.

As well as completing the decorating, I was also tasked with organising the carpenter, plasterer, pump and bar installers, which actually helped me keep things moving along and avoid unexpected waiting around for

After mist coating the walls, most of them were also finished using the same Dulux Timeless as the ceilings, but this time by brush and roller.

other trades to finish their parts.

The rooms are part of a period cottage, so the client requested that

I made feature walls of the two of the former garage door spaces, by

the colour scheme should match the rustic feel of the rest of the home,

painting these in Little Greene French Grey Dark to match the front of

which had a light and neutral palette.

the bar, which also carried through to the doors in the side room.

Above: The freshly plastered rooms provided a great base to work from.

30

The skirtings, door frames and base structure of the bar were then installed by MSC Trades, so I then set about priming all of these.

C.I.J Painting & Decorating Services are Members of the PDA, based in Stourbidge. You can find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cijpaintingdecorating/ or give them a call on 07527 474928

CASE STUDY

The French doors in the main room, and other oak doors were all coated with Osmo Polyx-Oil Clear Satin. The bar top needed extra protection and a change of colour, so this was first stained in Osmo Dark Oak before applying three coats of Sadolin PV67 Heavy Duty Varnish to it.

Finally, door frames and skirtings were simply finished off with Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Satin in brilliant white.

As the entire project was essentially a new build and I was organising the other trades, there were thankfully no major obstacles to overcome or unforeseen difficulties that came up, so we had everything completed on time and within the original budget.

The client was very impressed with the finish and didn’t imagine it would turn out how as well as it did.

31

CASE STUDY

Coating the crossing with

care

A

s a long-standing approved contractor to Cadent, Bagnalls was commissioned to repaint a pipe bridge that spans the River Ribble in Preston. The contract had to be carefully planned in order to minimise disruption to local residents and businesses, manage traffic in the area, work safely over a tidal river and ensure the welfare of the local wildlife. Contract Manager Jonathan Walker gave us all the details...

Prior to any works commencing we had to seek the required

Protecting the watercourse below and the wildlife living in and around

permissions, which included the Environment Agency for working

the river Ribble meant that several areas of environmental protection had

over a watercourse, Highways England who own the stone piers, the Local

to be put in place, including fully encapsulating the scaffold to prevent

Council for site storage and welfare area, and traffic management.

any contamination of the watercourse below.

Workspace was restricted for several reasons; the residential area,

These careful measures allowed the site team to watch a family of otters

working over a river, and roads running either side of the crossing. A

playing in the river and catching fish, quite unperturbed by the coating

small area of land adjacent to the bridge was setup as the site compound

works taking place above them!

which was used for welfare facilities, storage and general site set up.

Traffic management on the narrow Riverside Road aided with loading and unloading of scaffold, and siting of compressors and materials during the repair and blasting phases. We also worked with the local café owner

activities taking place.

In addition, we enforced strict covid practices during the works to

to maintain parking for his customers to mitigate any risk of lost custom.

protect our own employees, visitors to site and the general public.

Site Set Up

Surface preparation and coating process

The 96-metre-long crossing was divided into five sections to accommodate

Careful management and planning was required to ensure that the repairs

the weight of the scaffold, equipment being used, and the load-bearing

were completed in line with Cadent’s requirements, safely and within the

constraints of the bridge. Each time a section of scaffold was erected, moved

programme specified.

or dismantled, a rescue boat had to be deployed in the river for safety.

32

The area was also busy on a daily basis, with local residents, dog walkers and pedestrians, who regularly walked past and enquired about the

The existing coatings underneath the external wrapping of the pipe were

A bespoke walkway was erected from the compound to provide suitable

confirmed as containing lead. This meant that all works were undertaken

and safe access, and specialist stairs were installed down the bank to

using disposable suits, masks, gloves etc, and all waste containing old

allow access for the safety boat operators at high tide.

paint coatings was carefully disposed of as hazardous waste.

Above: An exposed section of the bridge before repainting, with encapsulated scaffolding visible either side which would have exceeded the load-bearing capability of the structure.

CASE STUDY

Significant structural repairs were also required to the supporting

The PPG Technical Advisor visited the site to undertake adhesion tests on several possible coating options, prior to the most appropriate

framework structure prior to blasting and painting.

The specification was also completed in line with Cadent’s requirements, abrasive blasting to SA2.5 standard, followed by the

specification being recommended.

This crossing was an extremely complex project and required the expertise of our long-serving site and management teams, their teamwork

application of a four coat PPG paint system.

The compressors could only be located either side of the bridge, inside the traffic management and site compound, along with the blast pots, this meant that the logistics of the blast hoses and air lines had to carefully planned.

All spent abrasive was carefully bagged and removed from site and disposed of via an approved waste contractor, as hazardous waste.

and knowledge ensured that all aspects of the project were completed in the correct sequence to meet the deadline required.

All works were completed within the specified 18-week programme to the safety, quality and environmental standards required by Cadent.

We’re really proud of the work and entered the project in the PDA Trophy Awards Industrial Category, so have our fingers

Specification

crossed for 7 July!

All existing tape wrapping and residual adhesive was removed from the larger low pressure pipe and supporting steel structure, prior to abrasive blasting all metal areas to SA2.5 standard and applying the PA9 & PA10 compliant Sigma specification from PPG. Cadent requested that the Cold Applied Laminate Tape (CLT) on the smaller high-pressure pipe was left in-situ. Due to the rubberised finish of this, PPG were approached to advise on the most suitable specification to ensure specification compatibility and longevity.

Bagnalls are Members of the PDA operating Nationwide.

You can find them online at www.bagnalls.co.uk or call their Head Office on 01274 714 800

33

CASE STUDY

A

s part of a major reinstatment programme of the former Whitehall Theatre, PDA Member firm UK Decs Ltd were contracted to complete the all important finish.

Reviving

Trafalgar UK Decs Ltd completely repainted the Trafalgar Studios in London during the very difficult period, at the heart of the covid pandemic.

The grade II listed building has undergone a major multi-million pound restoration project to reinstate the theatre back to its original heritage 1930’s design, some of which has not been seen for over 90 years.

34

CASE STUDY

Working under the instruction of architects Foster Wilson Size, the

To meet government safety regulations, all the main walls throughout

decoration began in August 2020, where one of the main stumbling blocks

had to be painted in fire proof paint, which during the pandemic was

was only being allowed to have four people on site at any given time.

extremely hard to source.

Original beams, plaster work and mouldings all needing to be

Embossed wallcoverings were ‘picked out’ using metallic paints, which

re-instated and finished to a very high standard. Having initially priced

was made a little easier by the construction of a birds eye scaffolding,

up the project, this soon had to be developed into a completely different

alongside scaffolding at lower level.

schedule of works as every wall that was stripped or uncovered revealed

After a challenging nine months UK Decs of adapting to a new way of

a new set of challenges to deal with, this led to UK Decs having to adopt

working, the renovation was finally completed in May 2021 ready for the

a 24hr working site to meet the deadline agreed.

opening of the award-winning Jersey Boys.

UK Decs Ltd are Members of the PDA based in Ashton-Under-Lyne with national coverage.

You can find them online at www.ukdecs.co.uk or call them on 01457 837600

35

THE PAINTING AND DECORATING SHOW WITH JOEL BARDALL

SPEAKING YOUR LANGUAGE. For the lowdown on the latest products, top tips, business advice, competitions and exclusive deals. It’s just one of the trade specific shows that make Fix Radio the only station for the trade.

EVERY TUESDAY AT 2PM ON DAB, ON MOBILE, ONLINE

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Features & Benefits

‘ Exceptional grip and comfort ‘ Available in six sizes

‘ Heat resistant and touch screen compatible ‘ EN388, EN407, CE & UKCA certified

Wonder Grip

WG-1855HY U-Feel @wondergripofficial

www.wondergrip.com

Years ago, wearing gloves was always about keeping my hands warm, but they have become part of my PPE over time. I wear gloves now to suit the different types of work that I do, protecting my hands from paint and dust whilst decorating, or tough protection from debris when doing construction work. I must admit I had not thought about wearing gloves to provide additional grip.

Wonder Grip U-Feel gloves make a real difference, especially when handling doors, plasterboard, glass, ladders and access equipment, or even roller poles.

The gloves are manufactured using a polyester and spandex 18-gauge liner, coated in an exceptionally thin Nitrile. The high visibility yellow colour also means my hands stand out which provides additional safety.

An essential feature for me is that they are touch-screen compatible and have true sizing. Wearing them is incredibly comfortable, I can carry out all tasks

tool TALK

Products independently tested and reviewed

by Award Winning Decorator, Wayne de Wet

effortlessly with no restrictiveness, so they are a real game-changer for me!

SPYSPONGE™ @spyspongetools

www.spysponge.com

On a recent trip to the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas, I was fortunate to come across many innovative products and tools. SpySponge™ is the patent-pending invention of owner Jake Creeley, who runs a very successful second-generation drywall business in the USA. SpySponge™ is the world’s first sanding sponge with LED lights, making it possible to carry out detailed sanding with crucial light at the critical angle, so imperfections are found as you sand.

Features & Benefits

‘ Dual angled medium and fine sanding pads

These high-quality sanding sponges, approximately 5” x 3” x1”, have a durable, long-lasting medium and fine abrasive grit on each side and two incredibly straight angled edges, allowing you to

‘ LED light approx 90 mins per charge

get right into internal wall corners and ceiling lines.

‘ Everything can be re-ordered

Firstly, use the supplied wooden dowel to push out however many

‘ Rapid charger included

Three pre-cut plugs run right through the product, which serve two purposes. plugs as you see fit, to install up to three of the bespoke LED lights in either direction or combination. Secondly, they enable the sanding block to be more flexible by simply removing the foam plugs.

The LEDs provide light for approx 90 minutes on a single charge of the supplied AAA batteries.

SpySponge™ two-pack bundle comprises a box of 48 sponges, a wooden dowel, carry case, 12 AAA rechargeable batteries, six LED lights and eight-slot rapid battery charger (requires a UK plug adapter).

If you’re not the lucky winner of this issue’s Prize Draw (see opposite), they’re currently available in the UK through www.belmoretools.co.uk

38

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Kapro

905DG Condor @rollinsgroup

www.rollins.co.uk

On a recent barn conversion job in Norfolk, I was asked to install new window sills and found that the levels were all over the place, the Kapro 905DG proved invaluable.

With audible and digital features that took the guesswork out of setting levels, this is a good quality level with a digital accuracy of 0.05° at level and plumb, and 0.2° at all other angles.

The LCD display and control panel is set at 45° powered by two AA batteries, the large silicone buttons make

Features & Benefits

‘ Buzzer at 0°, 45° and 90°

operation easy, even with big hands.

The display, which is backlit in a bright green with black numerals, offers auto-power off and a choice of

‘ Powerful magnets

measurement units.

‘ Wall grip feature

unique white backing to make it much easier to read.

‘ Lifetime warranty on vials

which help prevent the level from marking and sliding all over the place when used on walls and other surfaces.

‘ Finely milled base

‘ Water resistant padded bag

Shockproof vials are made from acrylic, with one red tilted Optivision® vial that has gradient lines up to 2° and a Deep shockproof black rubber end caps provide ample protection, plus two black rubberised bumpers on the back It even comes with a zipped padded bag with an additional pocket to store spare batteries and the instruction leaflet.

Command

Picture Hanging Strips @command

www.command.com

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but this 60-year-old has just accepted that 3M Command Picture Hanging Strips are amazing! Firstly, they are easy to use and give damage free picture hanging. There is no need for nails, drills or screws, and they are removed with no adhesive residue or marked walls, and easily repositioned. There are many options available to suit different size picture frames and the weight, so it’s essential to choose the correct set.

Clean the area with rubbing alcohol and allow it to dry, press a pair of strips together and peel the back off side, firmly position it on the back of the picture and repeat as required depending on the size and weight of frame. Finally pull the remaining backing paper off the strips and press into position on the wall, pressing firmly for 30 seconds. Remove the picture and press the strips on the wall again for 30 seconds before waiting one hour for adhesive to fully bond.

Finalise the picture on your wall, and it’s all sorted...

Features & Benefits

‘ Keeps pictures flat to the wall

The more you do, the easier it gets and there’s a handy

‘ Huge range of weight and size options

video on their website showing the process.

Just bear in mind that newly painted surfaces need to harden fully for at least seven days before using them.

‘ Suitable for small and large pictures ‘ No nails or screws required

ion

One of each item reviewed in this edit of Tooltalk are available to one lucky PDA Member! il to tooltalk@the-decorator.co.uk For your chance to win, send an ema l Leed of PWL Decorating Services.

Well done to our most recent winner, Pau

Win it all!

You can find Wayne on...

@ToolTalk1

@ToolTalk1 39

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Get it done ASAP @rustinsltd

www.rustins.co.uk

After surveying customers, Rustins is adding a new light grey colour to their popular Quick Dry ASAP (All Surface All Purpose) paint range. The Rustins ASAP range of paints can be used on without a primer on a wide range of substrates, it’s water-based and dries to a satin finish, while resisting flaking or peeling because of its flexible capabilities, and can be used both indoors and outdoors.

UP

tool

Keep up to date with what’s available for the modern decorator

Spray wherever you go www.graco.com/cordless To help contractors complete fine-finish jobs faster and

Perfect sanding in hard-to-reach areas @mirkaltd

www.mirka.com

convenience, freedom and safety, Graco developed the GX™ FF Cordless, currently the only high-performance

Mirka is spearheading sanding innovation with the addition of the new DEOS 343CV sander to the

cordless fine-finish sprayer on the market. It’s ideal for

DEOS product family. The tool has been designed to handle multiple applications that range from

medium to large fine finish jobs and smaller residential

detail sanding to furniture and window frames, while the tool’s 75 mm x 100 mm pad enables

renovation projects, working with both water- and oil-

easy access to hard to reach areas. The Mirka® DEOS 343CV has been developed by the R&D

based materials. The cordless version includes two

team with the user in mind... Its low profile makes it easier to control, the lightweight ergonomic

DEWALT 6ah FlexVolt® batteries, fan-cooled fast charger

design provides a comfortable grip that will allow the tool to be used for extended periods, and

that recharges the battery in under 60 minutes, and a

the brushless motor provides the power to perform at the same level as the bigger members of the DEOS family.

40

easier whilst enjoying the ultimate portability,

Contractor PC Compact™ Gun to spray in the tightest areas with ease.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Portable power sucks /makitauk

www.makitauk.com

Makita’s VC001GL and VC003GL dust extractors deliver impressive output that is equivalent to corded alternatives.

Both machines can house two XGT 40VMax batteries so that when the first battery runs out of charge the second one automatically kicks in, plus the VC001GL and VC003GL have large tank capacities of 8-litres and 15-litres respectively, preventing the need to regularly down tools. ‘High power’ and ‘quiet’ modes, allow users to select the most appropriate setting for the application, and wet and dry vacuum cleaning provides professionals with a solution for every job.

Live life on the edge @mirkaltd

Reach new heights www.bossaccesstowers.com

www.mirka.com

Mirka UK is expanding its accessories range with the introduction of the Edge Protector for its DEROS 150mm. This new product has been designed to fit easily and will prolong the lifetime of the backing pad as it

WernerCo have a new addition to its telescopic ladder family with the

helps prevent damage to the periphery of the pad. In addition, the Edge

launch of the BoSS TeleguardPLUS, providing users with exceptional

Protector safeguards adjacent surfaces as it avoids scuffing or damaging

height and ultimate safety when working at height in accordance with

when the user is sanding into corners and edges.

the latest EN131-7 specification. Available in four sizes up to a safe working height of 5.15m, it also offers the ability to be used in flat slab mode and on stairways. The spacious platform and guard rail allow for free hands, and the built-in tool tray helps to maintain a safe and clear working space, saving time transporting tools up and down. The larger sizes are supported by quick-release easy-to-deploy adjustable stabilisers, making set-up and dismantling a fast and simple process, while large wheels allow for easy manoeuvring around on site.

41

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Preserving Heritage, affordably and sustainably Historic England loudly advocates repair, “Historic timber windows were usually made of very durable timber seldom found nowadays and therefore with careful maintenance can last indefinitely” – This still leaves many questions over the cost, timeframe, and what products to use, to truly preserve the history of our ancient buildings.

Simon Tubb started off renovating shop fronts,

Using techniques taught on the Advanced

with over 40 years in the industry, he was

Contractors course, Simon reconstructed sash

tired of using two-pack fillers to repair rotten

windows and shaped the resin to copy timber

timbers. Frequently finding cracks in window

profiles, resulting in a professional finish.

joints months or years later and moisture

Internal and external repairs were completed

seeping into window timbers, these repairs

on the main house, outbuildings, barn

were not efficient or effective in the long run.

conversion, and to everyone’s amazement, they

“I was always chasing my tail, spending days

restored the pool house to its former glory.

searching for a carpenter. Trying to organise

Simon added, “The resin is so versatile. It can

the logistics caused delays in the project,

be used on wood, metal, and brickwork. I

wasting time and adding to the overall cost,”

believe Repair Care, when used correctly, also

says Simon, “Returning later for the next paint

prevents future major rot problems.”

cycle and do it all again it was disheartening.”

Simon does not doubt that money was saved

Sensing a change was needed, Simon reached

by doing the repairs, believing other

for Repair Care. Impressed by this resin, he

contractors would have condemned the

trained to become an Advanced Contractor.

property and called for replacements.

Simon’s skills were put to the test on a recent project at a property dating back to 1839.

“The woodwork was in disrepair, neglected

Following the success of the restoration, Simon and his team have had further projects booked in the area. To keep up with demand,

and rotten. The customer thought the pool

his other team members are now on

house was unrecoverable”, said Simon.

Repair Care training programmes.

The team began by sanding down to

Concluding, Simon said, “Repair Care resins

expose the bare timber, allowing them to

are a sustainable option. They are an

identify areas of rot to be removed ready for

investment in preserving history, with the

replacing it with Repair Care’s Dry Flex 1™

benefit of saving time and money in the long

and Dry Flex 4™.

run. Quality speaks for itself.”

BECOME A TRAINED CONTRACTOR FOR LESS! PDA Members can now join Simon in becoming a Trained Contractor at a special discounted rate. The Trained Contractor course is designed to provide you with hands-on experience and the confidence to take away their full product and system information.

Learn to identify and assess damage, what products to use, prevent further wood rot, and extend the maintenance cycle. Upon successful completion, you are issued with a certificate and a personal Repair Care trained contractor card valid for four years, it also allows contractors to provide a 10-year guarantee on their repair!

PDA Members can get 30% discount, quote ‘PDA’ on booking for discount.

For further information call 01827 302 517 or visit www.repair-care.co.uk 42

EXCLUSIVELY AT

FOR THE

UNRIVALLED

YOUR LOCAL

PERFECT MATCH

PAINT FINISH

Sail the he Seas R156C

Undersea Green W40B

Silver Bonnet R288D

SUPERIOR COLOUR

2.2 MILLION TINTABLE

FREE CUSTOMER

MATCHING

COLOURS

COLOUR CHIPS

Downing Street L17BW36D

Blue Batik R157B

COLOUR TREND

FREE

MONEY OFF

INSPIRATION

MERCHANDISE

VOUCHERS

10 ££5 £5 OF F

D TINTE Ceilings lls & WaREADY ve r aboMIXED 2.5L o

TINTED Wood & Metal

Endless Summer R153E

So Twee X30R65C

GET MORE FROM VALSPAR TRADE

Sign up for give-aways, money-off vouchers and free colour chips for your customers, plus colour trends advice and more.

Register online to receive a welcome pack and regular benefits* Visit valspartrade.co.uk/perfectmatch

*Terms and conditions apply – see website for details

Gilded Age X69R14OF

SIGN UP NOW

OFF

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

.co.uk www.brewers

Just roll with it /DenoKalimano www.denokalimano.com

off the shelf

DK Rolls creates a workspace that is clean, accessible, clutter-free, and safe. You can equip your mobile workstation according to your everyday tasks and needs, make your work more efficient and spend less time trailng back to the van. The painter’s workstation fits a 20 litre paint bucket in the front, three baskets suitable for placing all necessary tools and accessories, and four hooks for attaching brushes and rollers. There’s also a back compartment for carrying extras like a torch and batteries, or a bag of filler. Two clamps on each side are great for holding roller and torch poles. The DK Rolls is easily moved wheverever you need it, and fits through all door frame sizes to enable secure movement on the site.

Earthborn Silicate Masonry Paint is a great alternative to standard masonry paints and limewash due to its high breathability, weather resistant and durable matt finish. The finish can be applied by brush or roller and used on interior and exterior bare, porous, mineral surfaces such as stone, masonry, concrete, pebbledash, plaster, and sound silicate-based painted surfaces. Virtually VOC free, the water-based masonry paint has low acrylic content and helps to prevent algae growth. The product can have a life span of up to 15 years when used with an Earthborn primer to achieve a highly breathable and permanent chemical bond.

Earthborn Silicate Primer is the ideal product for masonry substrates that are bare, porous, and previously unpainted. Earthborn Bonding Primer is to be used on previously painted, sound masonry substrates. Both primers are also water-based and virtually VOC free.

With 48 beautiful colours to choose from Earthborn have introduced 100ml sample pots, selecting the right masonry colour has never been so simple!

A brush for every type of painter @axusdecor

www.axusdecor.com

Over the years, Axus Decor has worked hard to develop and grow its range of brushes... For outstanding value, the Pro-Brush (blue ) is long lasting, delivers a smooth finish, and holds a large amount of paint. If you're a speed-painter, you might want to step up to the oval-shaped Captain Chunk brush (onyx), which feature a unique Tricho™ filament that are mechanically smashed to split them into ultra-fine strands, dramatically increasing the surface area for paint pick-up and so fine that any brush marks that they leave are hard to notice. If your sole objective is to deliver an immaculately smooth finish, Silk Touch brushes (mink ) have chemically treated extra-fine filament tips. Axus Decor's Wood Finishing brushes (lime) have a very slim stock, preventing overload, essential for drip-free finishing when applying woodstains and varnishes, and they're also great for laying off a roller finish. For specialist work, the grey series includes a range of brushes in various shapes and sizes for mouldings, sash windows, detailed work, and hard-to-reach areas such as behind pipes and radiators.

44

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Pioneer Brush launch new Eco decorating tool range Pioneer Brush are one of the World’s leading manufacturers of paint brushes, with an annual production of over 18 million paintbrushes going to over 20 countries. In the UK, they distribute products under the Spirit and Swift and Lightning brands.

New to the range is Spirit Renaissance Eco, professional quality decorating tools incorporating eco materials that promote sustainability, recyclability, and biodegradability with trade quality products.

Peter Samuel, the Managing Director at Pioneer Brush says, “The aim of this range is to answer the need across industry in general to think ‘green’ and to apply this to our product lines, but without compromising on the quality demanded by our core customer, the professional decorator.

“In effect a range that uses eco materials but is not exclusively so, a step in the right direction”.

One of the key eco components used is bamboo. Bamboo is fast growing and sustainable, by first processing it into fibres and then using these or the cellulose from them and mixing these with recycled plastics, it can be converted into granules and injection moulded or spun into yarns to make roller fabric.

The injection moulded material has a very comfortable feel to it, being more like wood than plastic but completely crack resistant. The fabric, being made with organic material, has a high absorbency which gives excellent paint pick up.

Another material being made use of is recycled paper pulp. These make ideal paint trays when used with recycled or biodegradable tray inserts. They are strong and slip resistant and can be fully recycled again after use.

Biodegradable film, the technology to transform starch from organic matter such as corn into plastic film, has existed for many years and is most often used in agriculture as polytunnels under which to grow produce. After harvesting the crop, the tunnel degrades into the soil completely, rather than breaking down into micro plastic.

This material is also easily adaptable for use as a dustsheet as it’s stretchable and water-proof, making it equal in performance to the more usually used polythene and can be extruded to multiple thicknesses. In order for the material to degrade it needs to be in moist and dark conditions, so will not disappear in use when painting!

As the need to better utilise landfill increases each year, biodegradable products are very likely to increase in usage significantly and dustsheets are an obvious example of the kind of product that is ideal for this.

The range is being launched now throughout the UK. For further information, please contact Pioneer Brush at info@pioneerbrush.com or visit www.pioneerbrush.net for more details about the company.

45

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Why UK decorators love a ‘Hammy Green’ Everyone’s favourite?

We know that every painter and decorator has a favourite go-to roller sleeve and brush. It goes without saying that these essential tools are an extension of your own arm when they’re in the hand all day.

But, we hear time and time again, Perfection Medium Pile sleeves

“We realise it’s quite a statement to

nick-named a “good old Hammy Green” – Hamilton think they know why...

say they everyone’s favourite,” says Hamilton Brand Manager, Sarah Coussens,

What do users want from a roller sleeve?

“but the nickname ‘Hammy Green’ came

When we consider that using a roller sleeve is usually 95% of the finish of a wall, then a good

from seeing it in conversations on social

sleeve is absolutely key. Speed is also important, its why we use a roller after all!

media forums.”

Hannah Jones, International Product Manager for the UK, conducts testing for all Hamilton

From research conducted through such user forums, 76% of those pro decorators surveyed named a Hamilton roller sleeve as

products and adds, “Based on what we know is most important when using a roller, we test all our sleeves for finish, speed, coverage, lint loss, pick-up, capacity and of course, spatter.

“Good results across all these stringent tests, as well as in-hand experience from real users,

what they currently use, with over 85%

culminates in the development of the best roller sleeves. Hamilton sleeves perform extremely

having used a Perfection.

well in all these tests, hence why they are a sleeve of choice.”

Sarah continues, “We also asked them,

The Perfection ‘Hammy Green’ is a medium pile microfibre blend that is available in 4”, 9”,

why? It simply comes down to good paint

12” and 15” – all with a 1.75” core. Short, Long and Extra Long Pile sleeves are also available,

pick-up, quality and a lovely finish. It doesn’t

a great range for all surfaces!

need to be any more complex than that!”

When using water-based paints, pro’s expect their rollers to last whilst being easy to wash out and perform well when re-used. It seems that the ‘Hammy Green’ is clearly meeting these expectations!

Hammy Green’s Perfect match Of course, you’ll need a frame to use the sleeve!

A Hamilton Perfection 9” cage frame offers a classic lacquered wooden handle that is compatible with screw-fit extension poles.

/hamiltondecoratingtools 46

www.hamiltondecoratingtools.co.uk

For the early birds and the night owls Manage your account and shop with us 24-7 duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk

Together, we roll.