Decorating & Finishes
77 sources in the library on decorating & finishes, 40 on this page cited in a published note. Each one says what the document covers and what it is good for. Name a source to see which document it is and where to read it. One at a time. Page 1 of 2.
- very strong RN-IOLB2W cited
GOV.UK
GOV.UK guidance on charging VAT, confirming that a business has to be VAT-registered before it can charge VAT.
Cited in Painting & Decorating Costs Per Room.
- very strong RN-CDLNT7 cited
Health and Safety Executive
The specific HSE information sheet behind the dust advice, with the numbers a note can quote. Names three types of construction dust: silica dust, also called respirable crystalline silica, from concrete, mortar and sandstone; wood dust from softwood, hardwood and wood-based products including MDF and plywood; and other general dust from materials with little or no silica, most commonly gypsum as in plasterboard, limestone, marble and dolomite. States that over 500 construction workers are believed to die from exposure to silica dust every year, and that the main dust-related diseases are lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, most developing slowly though advanced silicosis and asthma can come on quickly. The legal framework is the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, and the three required steps are Assess, Control and Review. On damping down it corrects a common site habit: water needs enough supply at the right levels for the whole time the work is being done, and just wetting the material beforehand does not work. High dust levels come from high-energy tools such as cut-off saws, grinders and grit blasters.
Cited in How to Insulate a Loft (DIY), How to Insulate A Vaulted Ceiling In 5 Steps, How to Lay a Patio, How to Sand & Restore Floorboards and 4 more.
- very strong RN-DF6UI1 cited
Health and Safety Executive
HSE's construction lead page. It states lead pigments were commonly used in paints for buildings until the 1960s and that lead was not removed from all commonly used paint until the early 1980s, which is the date test any note about stripping paint in an older house needs. The highest-risk activities it names are stripping or preparing leaded paint from doors and windows, working with lead on roofs, hot cutting of lead or leaded paint in demolition, and blast removal of old leaded paint. Health effects include anaemia and kidney disease, with chronic exposure risking kidney, nerve and brain damage, and a link to a small number of occupational cancers. The governing law is the Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002, which requires employers to protect employees from the risks from lead, applied through an Assess, Control and Review model with FFP3 respiratory protection at an assigned protection factor of 20, changed work methods, dust control, protective clothing, hygiene and medical surveillance.
Cited in Fixing Doors That Stick or Drop, How to Fit Coving & Cornice, How to Repair Victorian Coving, How to Restore Radiator and 5 more.
- very strong RN-KU7LZ2 cited
Health and Safety Executive
Sets the conditions under which work with asbestos does not need a licence. The exposure must be sporadic and of low intensity, with the air concentration not exceeding 0.6 fibres per cubic centimetre measured over 10 minutes, and must not exceed the legal control limit of 0.1 asbestos fibres per cubic centimetre of air averaged over a four hour period. Materials listed as non-licensed include asbestos-containing thermoplastic and vinyl floor tiles worked on without substantial breakage, drilling textured decorative coatings to fit fixtures and fittings, painting or repainting asbestos insulating board in good condition, and maintenance of asbestos cement products such as roof sheeting, tiles and rainwater goods provided they are not substantially damaged. Notifiable non-licensed work includes large-scale removal of textured decorative coatings by steaming or gelling, and removal of asbestos cement where the material will be substantially damaged or broken up. This is the reference for anyone lifting old vinyl floor tiles or stripping Artex in a pre-2000 home.
Cited in Asbestos in the Home: Survey, Removal & Cost, Skip Hire Costs & Sizes.
- very strong RN-3418JT cited
Historic England
Historic England's retrofit advice on windows and doors, summarising its research into the thermal performance of traditional windows, which found curtains, interior shutters and blinds significantly reduce heat loss.
Cited in Blinds vs Curtains vs Shutters.
- very strong RN-XH6E39 cited
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
The standard that decides whether a loft ladder is legal and when a raised deck needs a balustrade. Published 3 January 2013, it covers protection from falling, collision and impact including stairs, ladders, ramps, guarding and vehicle barriers. Paragraph 1.31 states that retractable ladders must not be used as a means of escape. Paragraph 1.32 permits a fixed ladder, with fixed handrails on both sides, only for access in a loft conversion containing one habitable room, and only where there is not enough space without altering the existing space for a compliant stair, which is the rule that catches most loft ladder installations. Paragraph 1.29 restricts alternating tread stairs to loft conversions. For a private stair the maximum pitch is 42 degrees (Table 1.1 note 1), the normal relationship between rise and going is twice the rise plus the going between 550mm and 700mm, and for dwellings external tapered steps forming part of the building need a going of at least 280mm. Paragraph 3.1 requires guarding wherever it is reasonably necessary for safety at the edge of a floor, gallery, balcony, roof, light well, basement or similar sunken area. Paragraph 3.2 requires guarding to be at least the height in Diagram 3.1, allows any wall, parapet or balustrade to serve as guarding, and requires it to resist the loads in BS EN 1991-1-1 with its UK National Annex and PD 6688-1-1, with BS 6180 for barrier and infill panel design. Handrails should be positioned 900mm to 1000mm from the pitch line or floor.
Cited in All You Need To Know About Double Glazing Repairs, Basement & Cellar Conversions: Cost, Basement Conversion Cost & Feasibility (UK), Bifold Doors: Cost, Sizes & Alternatives and 56 more.
- very strong RN-D1VL32 cited
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Approved Document M Volume 2 defines light reflectance value (LRV) as the total visible light a surface reflects, which is the definition the note uses.
- very strong RN-36DJN7 cited
The National Archives
Regulation 4 of the 2012 VOC Regulations bans placing on the market any paint that exceeds its Schedule 2 limit or lacks the regulation 5 label giving the limit and the product's VOC content.
- very strong RN-9UBMOD cited
The National Archives (legislation.gov.uk)
The UK regulations' table of maximum VOC contents for decorative paints: trim paints are capped at 130 g/l water-based and 300 g/l solvent-based; it settles the regulatory driver.
Cited in Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained, Types of Paint: Emulsion, Eggshell, Satin & Gloss.
- very strong RN-PICO98 cited
The National Archives (legislation.gov.uk)
SI 2012/1715, Schedule 2, gives the maximum VOC content in grams per litre of ready to use product, by subcategory and by type, WB for waterborne and SB for solventborne. Interior matt walls and ceilings 30 g/l for both WB and SB; interior glossy walls and ceilings 100 g/l for both; exterior walls of mineral substrate 40 WB and 430 SB; interior and exterior trim and cladding paints for wood and metal 130 WB and 300 SB; interior and exterior trim varnishes and woodstains 130 WB and 400 SB; minimal build woodstains 130 WB and 700 SB; primers 30 WB and 350 SB; binding primers 30 WB and 750 SB; one-pack performance coatings 140 WB and 500 SB; two-pack reactive performance coatings 140 WB and 500 SB; multi-coloured coatings 100 for both; decorative effect coatings 200 for both. Regulation 5 covers labelling. These are the numbers behind any claim about low-VOC paint and the gap between water-based and solvent-based gloss.
- strong RN-G1OCFP cited
BSI
BS 6150:2019, published 31 March 2019, committee STI/28, current; it supersedes BS 6150:2006+A1:2014. Clause 1 gives recommendations for good practice in the preparation, initial painting and maintenance painting of buildings internally and externally, including dwellings, offices, schools, hospitals and hotels, where decoration is a significant or the major factor. It takes account of the need to protect building materials against weathering and other forms of attack, and gives detailed information on wood, metal, masonry and other typical building substrates. It covers the paints and coating materials in common use, with limited reference to specialist and factory-applied coatings, and excludes the protection of structural steel elements, which falls under BS EN ISO 12944. This is the citation for the primer, undercoat and finish coat sequence and for surface preparation before painting.
- strong RN-HMZAPS cited
BSI
BS EN 13120:2009+A1:2014, published 28 February 2009 with Amendment 1 in 2014, committee B/538/3, current; it supersedes BS EN 13120:2004. Clause 1 specifies the requirements internal blinds must fulfil when fitted to a building, and also deals with the significant machinery hazards relating to construction, transport, installation, operation and maintenance of internal blinds, listed in Annex B. It applies whatever the design or materials, and names the covered types: venetian blinds (free hanging, guided, non-retractable), roller blinds (free hanging, side guided, tensioned fabric), vertical blinds (free hanging, top and bottom track, sloping headrail), pleated and honeycomb blinds (free hanging, guided, laterally moving, tensioned), Roman shades and Austrian or festoon blinds. This is the product standard behind the operating-cord safety requirements on new internal blinds, so cite it when comparing corded against cordless or motorised blinds.
Cited in Conservatory Blinds: Cost & Types, Integral Blinds Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide.
- strong RN-9A1H9G cited
BSI
The standard that produces the Euroclass letter, and the one regulation 7(2) of the Building Regulations names by title and ISBN when it requires external wall materials on a relevant building to be Class A2-s1, d0 or A1. Published 31 Jan 2019 and Current. Part 1 provides the reaction to fire classification procedure for all construction products, including products incorporated within building elements, with the sole exception of power, control and communication cables which are classified under EN 13501-6. Products are considered in relation to their end-use application, which is why an insulation board or cladding panel cannot carry a meaningful Euroclass in the abstract: the classification attaches to the product as used in a stated build-up. This is the reference for reading the suffixes as well as the letter, s for smoke production and d for flaming droplets.
Cited in Cladding and Render: The Complete UK Guide (2026), PIR vs Mineral Wool Insulation Compared.
- strong RN-R926HN cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
STATUS: WITHDRAWN on 5 November 2024, a recent change that matters because decorating notes still quote BS 4800 colour references. BS 4800:2011 (the SET) was published 31 May 2011, ISBN 978 0 580 74345 0, ICS 87.040, committee STI/14, and was the schedule of paint colours for building purposes: the framework behind references such as 00 E 53 or 18 B 25 used in specifications and by trade paint manufacturers. Its predecessor BS 4800:1981 (published 1 January 1982, ISBN 0 580 12336 7) was itself withdrawn on 30 June 1989, so both editions the notes might mean are dead. A note telling a reader to specify a colour to BS 4800 should say the standard has been withdrawn and point to the manufacturer's own colour system or to BS 5252, and reviewers should treat any BS 4800 colour reference as legacy. Catalogue pages confirm numbers, titles, publication dates, withdrawal dates and classification.
- strong RN-445W51 cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
The accessibility code of practice that Approved Document M sits alongside. Paywalled, so only the catalogue page is public; it confirms BS 8300-2:2018, published 31 January 2018, status Current, and that it is part 2 of a two-part standard, with BS 8300-1:2018 (also published 31 January 2018, also Current) covering the external environment including parking, setting-down points, access routes and approaches to entrances. Part 2 covers external features affecting external access routes, and building interiors including entrances, reception facilities, horizontal and vertical movement and building facilities. Crucially for a home renovation note, the catalogue page states plainly that BS 8300-2 does NOT apply to individual dwellings; its residential scope is nursing, residential and care homes, student accommodation and the COMMON PARTS of blocks of flats. It also confirms the recommendations apply largely to new buildings but can be used to assess and improve existing ones, and that the extent to which they apply to listed and historic buildings is decided case by case.
Cited in Bathroom Storage Solutions, Choosing Paint Colours: A Practical Guide.
- good RN-74RGDK cited
British Blind and Shutter Association
States that since February 2014 all blinds sold in the UK must comply with child safety standards, meaning they must not contain cords or chains or, if they do, they must be fitted with safety devices. It explains the hazard: cords and chains used to raise or lower a blind or adjust slat angle can form a loop that is dangerous to babies and young children. It recommends choosing safe-by-design styles in any home where young children live or visit, and names the options available for every blind type: motorisation (mains, low voltage, battery or rechargeable, operated by handset, sensor or smart device), wand operation for vertical blinds where a wand fitted to the leading louvre replaces the cord and chain, and gear or crank operation, most commonly used on roller blinds. This is the citation for a blinds-versus-curtains note that touches on child safety.
Cited in Conservatory Blinds: Cost & Types.
- supplier figure RN-4M9NHI cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade)
Dulux Trade's product page for its solvent-based all-purpose primer, giving coverage per litre separately for wood, metal and plaster.
Cited in Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained.
- supplier figure RN-SN6DCI cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade)
The technical information on Dulux Trade's Diamond Eggshell page: a water-based eggshell, recoatable after 4–6 hours.
- supplier figure RN-LG6ZEX cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade)
The technical information on Dulux Trade's solvent-based Eggshell page: drying time 4–6 hours and recoatable after 16–24 hours.
- supplier figure RN-FCQWGK cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade)
The manufacturer's technical information for a solvent-based gloss, recoatable after 16 to 24 hours; it settles the topcoat recoat time.
Cited in How to Paint Woodwork & Skirting, Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained, Types of Paint: Emulsion, Eggshell, Satin & Gloss.
- supplier figure RN-CW7S86 cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade)
Dulux Trade's product page for its zinc phosphate primer for ferrous metal, giving coverage of up to 13 m² per litre.
Cited in Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained.
- supplier figure RN-O8GTJ3 cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade)
The manufacturer's page for a dedicated MDF primer undercoat; it confirms that purpose-made MDF primers exist for this substrate.
Cited in Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained.
- supplier figure RN-ABW2QL cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade)
Dulux Trade's product page for its water-based Quick Dry Undercoat, giving the technical data including coverage of up to 10 m² per litre.
Cited in Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained.
- supplier figure RN-ZFPQ92 cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade)
The manufacturer's application instructions for a water-based wood primer undercoat, which tell the user to treat knots with knotting solution before priming; it settles the preparation step.
Cited in How to Paint Woodwork & Skirting, Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained.
- supplier figure RN-QPV4MD cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade)
The manufacturer's product page for a standard trade undercoat, describing it as a high-opacity coat designed to go under a gloss topcoat; it settles the undercoat's role.
Cited in Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained.
- supplier figure RN-OB345G cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade)
Dulux Trade's product page for Vinyl Soft Sheen, which directs users to Diamond Eggshell where condensation is a problem in kitchens and bathrooms.
- supplier figure RN-3KMHXS cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux Trade)
The manufacturer's technical information for a solvent-based wood primer: touch dry in 4 to 6 hours but recoatable only after 16 to 24 hours; it settles the oil-based figure.
Cited in How to Paint Woodwork & Skirting, Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained.
- supplier figure RN-RZ5KNU cited
AkzoNobel (Dulux)
Dulux's consumer guidance on painting new plaster: let it dry, then apply a watered-down emulsion mist coat that soaks in and seals the surface; it settles the dilution and the reason for a mist coat.
Cited in How to Fill Cracks Before Painting, Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained.
- supplier figure RN-LFE3H3 cited
Crown Paints
The manufacturer's data sheet for a solvent-based trade gloss, setting an 8°C minimum application temperature; it corrects the note's 5°C figure for oil-based paint.
Cited in Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained.
- supplier figure RN-VXCJZ3 cited
Dulux (AkzoNobel)
Dulux's product page for its Easycare Bathroom paint, a leading dedicated bathroom emulsion, gives its finish as soft sheen and describes a moisture-resistant, mould-resistant formulation.
Cited in Best Paint for Kitchens & Bathrooms.
- supplier figure RN-SF386L cited
Dulux (AkzoNobel)
The maker's product page for Dulux peel-and-stick colour samples, showing the A5 size and the £1.70 price per sample.
- supplier figure RN-4IVU75 cited
Dulux Decorator Centre
One document carrying the published coverage figure for the whole Dulux Trade range, which is what a paint quantity note needs instead of a retailer page. Every emulsion figure is qualified 'on sealed surfaces': Supermatt up to 18 m2 per litre (datasheet 410, pack sizes 5L and 10L, recoat 2 to 4 hours), Vinyl Matt up to 17 m2 per litre, Diamond Matt up to 17, Diamond Eggshell up to 16 m2 per litre, Evolve Matt up to 17. Trim products are lower and unqualified: Diamond Satinwood up to 12 m2 per litre (datasheet 1006, packs 1L, 2.5L, 5L, recoat 6 hours), Quick Dry Gloss up to 12 m2 per litre (datasheet 550, packs 1L, 2.5L, 5L, recoat 6 hours), Quick Dry Undercoat up to 10 m2 per litre. Colour Sampler is 250 ml covering up to 2 m2. It also prints the Supermatt thinning ratios: sealing new or bare surfaces add up to 1 part clean water to 3 parts paint, airless spray up to 1 part water to 5 parts paint, conventional spray up to 1 part water to 2.5 parts paint. Useful ceiling: any guide quoting more than 12 m2 per litre for a water-based gloss or satinwood is quoting more than the manufacturer does.
Cited in How Much Paint Do I Need?.
- supplier figure RN-B1TLQK cited
Dulux Trade (AkzoNobel)
The maker's product page for Dulux Trade Supermatt, including its application notes and the advice on buying tinted paint for colour consistency.
Cited in How Much Paint Do I Need?.
- supplier figure RN-4MUV6L cited
Graham & Brown
A UK wallpaper maker's guidance on pattern matches. It explains that a half-drop pattern repeats at the ceiling line on alternate strips.
- supplier figure RN-IDW5KF cited
Graham & Brown
A UK wallpaper maker's note on batch numbers. It says the batch number is on the roll label and mixed batches can differ in colour and pattern.
- supplier figure RN-LQJT0U cited
JELD-WEN UK
A JELD-WEN UK internal door product page listing its module sizes, which include the standard 1,981 × 762 mm leaf.
Cited in How Much Paint Do I Need?, How to Hang an Internal Door.
- supplier figure RN-ROZGRY cited
MEDITE SMARTPLY
The maker's product page for a leading UK moisture-resistant MDF board, stating it is made for humid interiors such as kitchens and bathrooms.
Cited in Wall Panelling & Feature Wall Ideas.
- supplier figure RN-M5V50Y cited
Screwfix
Screwfix product page for a 2.5 litre tin of Dulux standard matt emulsion, giving its price including VAT, as a benchmark for an ordinary wall paint.
Cited in Best Paint for Kitchens & Bathrooms.
- supplier figure RN-WT8GZR cited
Screwfix
Screwfix lists a 2.5-litre tin of Dulux Easycare Bathroom soft sheen at £19.99 inc VAT on offer, from a regular £24.99, inside the note's £15–£25 range.
Cited in Best Paint for Kitchens & Bathrooms.
- supplier figure RN-K3VE1Q cited
Screwfix
Screwfix product page for a 2.5 litre tin of Dulux Trade Quick-Dry Undercoat, priced at £40.99 including VAT, showing that trade-brand undercoat costs well above the note's typical range.
Cited in Primer, Undercoat & Topcoat Explained.