Careful preparation undoubtedly leads to a professional finish. Never underestimate the time needed to prepare before any decorating project.

If you can, remove ornaments and furniture from the room and cover any remaining furniture and floor space with dust sheets. If old gloss paintwork is in good condition use a fine grade or wet and dry abrasive paper to prepare for the new coat. Blistered or flaking paint must be removed using a heat gun and stripping knife or razor edge scraper. A shavehook is useful for removing paint from mouldings and awkward areas. Chemical strippers are a useful alternative, however it is important to make sure that all traces of chemical product are removed before the new coat of paint is applied.

An inexpensive way to remove old wallpaper is by using a stripping knife and warm water. Slightly thicken the water by mixing with a couple of tablespoons of wallpaper paste, as this will adhere to the wall and help the water to soak in. Washable wallpapers will need scoring with a special tool to break the surface and allow water to penetrate. A steam stripper could be bought, or hired if you are decorating a large room. This can save you hours when dealing with a stubborn paper, but care is needed to avoid damage to your walls from the steam and hot water produced.

If your walls suffer from holes or cracks, then these should be repaired with filler, applied with a flexible filling knife or multipurpose chisel knife. When the filler is dry, smooth the complete surface with medium or fine sandpaper. Finally, thoroughly remove all traces of dust, paying special attention to corners. Knots in stripped or new wood must be sealed with a knotting solution to prevent staining of finished work later on. Ensure that any new plaster or filler is completely dry before applying paint.