Decorating Advice - Undercoat/Primer

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I am interested in emulsioning the walls with Farrow & Ball paint, however they suggest using a primer/undercoat to put on the walls before emulsioning. Is this really necessary? http://www.farrow-ball.com
I would really like to know if anyone has had any experiences with using primer/undercoats before as I am a little nervous about applying them to the walls.
 
There is matt crown paint on the walls at the moment. The Farrow & Ball paint is relatively expensive but was more worried about it reacting to the Crown paint that is on the walls at the moment?
 
Theres no need for primers or undercoats on a previously painted wall, particularly a matt finish. Just make sure the surface is free of dust, grease etc. And tbh, farrow and ball is no better than a good brand such as dulux or crown. Your only paying for the name. Ive used it for a few clients at work and didnt see what the fuss was, same go's for other so called "designer" paints such as benneton and laura ashley. Way overpriced for what they are.
 
I'm assuming you've gone round and filled in all the little dents with polyfilla ?

Painting on top of that always seems to bleed through a little, so I go over those with a thin grey or white.
 
Any holes that youve filled, i touch them in first with the colour to be used. Then while your cutting in the ceiling, corners, skirting and doors etc. This gives it a chance to dry before rolling the first coat on.
 
^^
I just find that makes a blob of paint ?

a pretty thin blob to be fair but I tend to look for flaws, cheapo white seems thinner than proper paint
 
If the filler has been allowed to dry properly, and sanded flush with the wall and dusted down. Flashing over it is fine prior to coating the full wall. Most times at work therell be two of us to a room, one cutting along the ceiling, (the slow part) the other guy will do the corners and woodwork and spot paint any repaird bits, prior to rolling.
 
F&B paint is odd stuff, have you used it before as the finish is pretty chalky and marks easily - most decorators you speak to hate the stuff and advise that you chose the F&B colour you like and then get a Crown or Dulux scan and mix to the colour!

As for the undercoat, i usually always put some white matt on as a base coat to cover any filler etc and then the colour.
 
Ive used it a number of times. Its a bit thicker than other brands, so you end up having to thin it more to get it to spread better. I also reccomend that people get the desired colour mixed by dulux, crown etc. It does have a prety poor finish, and marks too easily. Depending on the condition of walls, we'll base coat. In new builds we use thinned down leyland super leytex, very good stuff on new plaster. If its a previously painted house where the walls are in a bad state, (or have a very dark colour) well also base coat theese white or magnolia.

Below is a video clip of a house we completed a few months ago.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00nc0ry
 
I wouldn't bother with priming or anything if you've got paint on the walls already! If you're nervous as said above just do a little tester! Nooo problemo!
 
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