Flay's First Law of Decorating

[french frank]

But it's those trivial tasks we embark on that end up requiring the professional!

My mother had a saying, often used when children were being helpful around the house: "Do a job and make a job."

[Nick Armstrong]

French polishing -

I got the reference! Mind you, I've never been clear how the French variety differs from any other. I do know that if I tried it, we'd be straight in Flay's category 1 of a wrecked piece of furniture needing a team of experts to resurrect it....

[teamsaint]

I got the reference! Mind you, I've never been clear how the French variety differs from any other. I do know that if I tried it, we'd be straight in Flay's category 1 of a wrecked piece of furniture needing a team of experts to resurrect it....

Its where" polished" is worringly close to "Polished off......."

Hope your french gaff isn't looking anything like THIS, Cals.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKb3J9mctlo

Edit: I always assumed French Polishing invloved knocking off at mid day for half a bottle of red, a crafty Gauloise, and a baguette half a metre long.....

[Richard Tarleton]

I've never been clear how the French variety differs from any other.

acc. to Wiki it's a process not a product, and takes a long time. A luthier friend explained it to me......

PS I remember that ad - lovely!

[Nick Armstrong]

Edit: I always assumed French Polishing invloved knocking off at mid day for half a bottle of red, a crafty Gauloise, and a baguette half a metre long.....

That's how I always pictured French Polishing

(PS there is no French gaff... the child labour will be carried out in London. Come to think of it, if there's any spare time, rather than polishing, perhaps I can get the chimney swept... )

[johnb]

1. Buy good professional brushes, such as Purdy synthetic brushes - not the cr*p in B&Q. They are available online or from professional decorator centres. You will surprised by the difference they make.

2. Buy a "BrushMate" Trade4+ (and a few vapour refills) to store your brushes in overnight or for few weeks - brushes that you have used for oil based paints, that is. Makes life so much easier. Once again, they are available online or from professional decorator centres.

[umslopogaas]

johnb #21, that stirs a memory. My dad owned a holiday cottage on the Norfolk Broads, and one summer back in the 1960s me and my mate stayed there, thought it could do with a bit of a paint job and went down to the relevant store in Yarmouth to buy some brushes and paint. Being young and broke, we went for the cheapest, but were approached by an old man with a very broad Norfolk accent while we were excitedly noting that these brushes were half the price of the other stuff: [I'll approximate the accent as best I can, it was a long time ago] "Doan buoy thaat boy, 't got no airs on 't" [approx. translation, "Dont buy that boy, it hasnt got any hairs on it"] Sage advice, always check to see if its got hairs on it.

[Flay]

always check to see if its got hairs on it.

What matters is that the hairs stay in the brush!

[Serial_Apologist]

My first law of decorating would be not to get plastered.

[amateur51]

One starts here in late June (and another coming in to upgrade the lights, thereby saving me from Lord Finchley's fate). Also, conveniently, I am employing a small French cousin in need of pre-Bac. English experience (and £££) to run up and down step-ladders removing, dusting, classifying and storing (or discarding) CDs, books and DVDs, and then replacing on freshly painted shelves

Does the upstairs neighbour know?

Even if he doesn't, I'm putting in a call to Sir Andrew Green KCMG of Migration Watch - I think he should be told - he was barely keeping it all together this morning during a provocative interview by Evan Davies on Today

[Nick Armstrong]

Does the upstairs neighbour know?

Even if he doesn't, I'm putting in a call to Sir Andrew Green KCMG of Migration Watch - I think he should be told - he was barely keeping it all together this morning during a provocative interview by Evan Davies on Today

Issa free labour market, innit Mister Farridge

[Serial_Apologist]

Issa free labour market, innit Mister Farridge

<sigh!>

[Flay]

Saturday saw Flay kindly washing the dishes for the in-laws. He shoved a tumbler onto a shelf only to displace two crystal glasses from the other side which crashed, nay exploded, on the worktop, showering shards to the four corners of the room

Today sees Flay back at home doing some decorating. He tries out his patented paint-stirrer usilising the electric drill (fortunately in the garage).

Mrs Flay's walking boots now look psychedelic!

[Nick Armstrong]

That's another nice mess you've gotten yourself into...

[Anna]

That's really funny Flay Why not use a sturdy chopstick as a paint stirrer? That's what I do (a plastic one inscribed Hounslow Chinese Restaurant, no idea where it came from!)

I've been decorating the past few weeks. My Top Tip of the Day is - when painting a very narrow room (downstairs loo) don't step back for a breather and lean against freshly emulsioned wall!!

Actually, I did the whole room with a brush, walls and ceiling, rather than use a roller and I'm very pleased with the finish. I'm now on to my third project, the dining room. So far, no major disasters and no spilled paint.