New Project - Prepare & Paint Apartment Interior

[monsoon]

Hi,
I would really appreciate some advice, tips, ideas and feedback to help
me with this job of repainting the apartment I own. It had a tenant, the
previous owner for the last 2.5 years, she moved out suddenly so I had
to come back from overseas, move in and live in it while I renovate it. I
will sand all the paint down, prepare the walls as there is a lot of
small holes, chips etc. I will also paint the ceiling. I will have to
replace the carpet in both bedrooms. The kitchen and bathroom had both
been semi renovated before I bought it so it's just going to be mainly a
matter of painting the walls. No floor tiles etc.

I don't have much money for this or time so please keep that in mind. I
want to do a good job and make it look nice but as cheaply as possible.

I bought a cheap orbital sander from Bunnings the other day and I have basic hand tools but that is about it.

I have more details on my renovating blog (http://homerenovating.org/painting/renovating-apartment-interior/) - and many pictures before I start.

I would really like some ideas on paint to buy from Bunnings, colors
etc. I would like the colors to be very light to keep it bright and also
to go with the colors of the kitchen and bathroom tiles etc for those
rooms.

I got a price on some carpet at bunnings and I can get some for around
$35 per square metre. I have never laid carpet before but I have watched
a guy lay it down last year in another house. The underlay and staples
are all in good condition and it looks like the old carpet will be easy
to lift off and reuse what is there.

I will update this thread each day, cheers....

[nww1969]

Its a bit hard to see what the walls are made of in the pic's but if they are gyprock which I suspect I would
be very careful using a sander on the walls, they can do a lot of damage.
If they are a cement render than I would not have thought they would have much damage at all.

Buy some selleys skim coat to cover any chips and damage as it sands quickly and easy without damaging
the gyprock around it.

I would also be using a flat based paint which will also help hide and defects and marks in the wall.
The last few places I have done have been all white, ceilings,walls and trim in a semi gloss.
Ask you paint place about adding a few drops of black tint to the white paint which takes the
full whitness out and blends in better and stops shadowing effect when using brush.

As for paint you could try a local independent and compare to bunnings, cheaper to buy larger
than a number of 4 litre cans, I used Brinlay paints which were from an independent paint place and
very happy with the results and cheaper.

Best of luck.


Brinlay Paints | Trade Centres (http://www.brinlay.com/stockists/index.php)

They have a stockest at mayfield but ring around and compare prices.

[monsoon]

hi NWW, thanks a lot for your tips. Yes it is gyprock boards by the looks, that is the soft artifial wood I think.,, I will try the sander and be very careful with it. At least it is a low powered one anyway. I might sanda lot by hand, I will see how it goes soon...

As for the holes in the walls, in the gyprock, then I have a large 15 Litee container from my previous house of "gyprock Pre Mixed Total Joint Cement". I plan to use this for holes and dents, will this be OK?

[amiaow]

Monsoon, I have used that compound on my house and it has been fine. However, it does go off in the bucket once you have opened it, often before its official expiry date- check that yours hasn't hardened or developed lumpy bits. If it has, a new big tub is around $50 which is still much better value than any of the spakfillas from the paint aisle!

I also wouldn't worry about damaging your gyprock with the orbital sander given that your walls have already been painted- you will just sand the paint if you use 120grit sheets.

[monsoon]

Yes the stuff can go off but even though it was opened and not used for over a year it still looks OK to me as I had sealed it propery. anyway I will inspect it more later and I'm glad this will work as it will save me some money and it is easy to work with too...

As for the gyprock, yes your right, it is OK sanding them, I just did most of one room and it worked fine.

[Gaza]

no offence but if you are on the forum posting questions it would be good to post the photos and the rest of the info here not on an external blog, if the blog is taken down in a few years this thread will be pointless without info from the blog.

this subject was covered last week on the WWF

i

[monsoon]

no offence but if you are on the forum posting questions it would be good to post the photos and the rest of the info here not on an external blog, if the blog is taken down in a few years this thread will be pointless without info from the blog.
go
this subject was covered last weekng to the WWF

i

it is too much work to both upload the images and details here as well. the blog is there forever don't worry as it's on my own domain name and hosting account.

I'm to upload more photos of the work I done today plus videos too....