commercial decorating

Prepping for Paint: Everything You Need to Know

From time to time, you’ll need to deploy a lick of paint in your business. Whether it’s for aesthetic or practical reasons – or both – a coating of paint is often needed to provide the finishing touch to machinery, buildings, vehicles and a host of other things. Yet, this

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Dulux Academy Launched by AzkoNobel

AzkoNobel has announced the launch of the very first UK-based academy for industry professionals in the painting, decorating and architecture industries, the Dulux Academy. Set to provide over 4,000 industry professionals with the opportunity to pursue further training and development with new practices, methodologies and also through professional advice on

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Dulux Trade Contract Partnership: Quality Service & Sustainability

Within the painting and commercial decorating industry, there is a complex concoction of issues, both with regard to the industry’s image and the difficulties that those who maintain or construct buildings face in finding reputable, quality painting contractors for their projects. This is where the Dulux Trade Contract Partnership Scheme

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Latest Issue
Issue 325 : Feb 2025

commercial decorating

Prepping for Paint: Everything You Need to Know

From time to time, you’ll need to deploy a lick of paint in your business. Whether it’s for aesthetic or practical reasons – or both – a coating of paint is often needed to provide the finishing touch to machinery, buildings, vehicles and a host of other things. Yet, this isn’t as simple as painting at home. You can’t just pop to the local DIY store and pick up a tin and get cracking. Industrial paint work has to be carefully planned and executed to have the desired effect. Specifically, you need to think about cleaning, preparing your surface, picking the paint that will do the job for you and the method of application. Cleaning A dirty surface is one that is not fit for painting. Dirt, grease, dust or mould cannot just be painted over. This will simply store up a problem that could leave you in trouble down the line. Take the time to have a thorough clean of any surface – with particular attention to grease or mould – or your efforts will be undermined before they begin. Take a look at this video on YouTube to see some industrial grease removal in action and see what the process entails. Surface preparing Cleaning is only the start; a surface also needs thorough preparation. You might well want to remove the previous layer of paint or strip away any rust, for example, to return it to its original state. Such tasks can be carried out in controlled conditions in a blast cabinet. Without this, the paint that you apply might well not grip to the surface. Some paints carry a guarantee with them to last a certain length of time if they are applied after the right level of surface preparation. Choosing the right paint There are lots of factors that need to be considered when it comes to selecting the right paint for your job. First, you need to consider the surface – some paints are more suited to metal, plastic, wood, etc. Then you need to consider the environment that the surface will be exposed to. Specialist paint can handle exposure to the elements when positioned outdoors or the sorts of extreme temperatures that can occur in an industrial setting. Then, it’s time to consider aesthetics. Is your surface customer-facing? Does it need to display your branding? If this is the case then, clearly, the way that it looks matters too. How to apply the paint There’s more than one way to apply your chosen paint. This will depend on the paint and the surface in question, but it’s important to be aware of the different methods and their relative strengths. As this blog demonstrates, there are principally five different ways to get this done: sprays, rollers, dip coating, brushing or airless spraying. Take some time to research which of these is the most appropriate to your circumstances. Once you’re cleaned, prepared, painted and armed with the right paint and method of application you’re good to go.

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Dulux Academy Launched by AzkoNobel

AzkoNobel has announced the launch of the very first UK-based academy for industry professionals in the painting, decorating and architecture industries, the Dulux Academy. Set to provide over 4,000 industry professionals with the opportunity to pursue further training and development with new practices, methodologies and also through professional advice on the application of paints and coverings. Not built solely for those performing at the top of the industry, or solely those working their way upwards, the academy will exist to support the professional development of individuals at all levels of the career cycle, equipping them with the skills to build, run and promote a successful business. To support this further, as well as key industry skills, courses will also be provided from a marketing perspective, giving people the tools to put their best foot forward. Also looking to maximise the benefit that the academy will bring to the sector, it has also been decided that the academy will also provide training for those looking to break into the painting and decorating industry, providing a clear training path into the industry and reducing barriers to entry. Given the present state of skill shortages in the wider industry, the news is naturally well received, providing much-needed support for would-be painters and decorators, as well as providing access to a stream of high-quality industry professionals. Then looking to partner with existing colleges across the UK, the Dulux Academy will also see to the provision of circa 350 workplace opportunities for performing students. This will be further supported through the communication of knowledge on the latest products, methodologies and design technologies to teachers at such institutions, who will then be communicating the same, cutting edge knowledge to their students. Priti Patel, Minister of State for Employment formally signalled the opening of the venue at the official opening ceremony, and passed comment, saying: “With its fantastic new training academy and City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate, employers like Dulux are leading the way. We are committed to working hand-in-hand with industry to boost the number of apprenticeships our economy needs.”

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Dulux Trade Contract Partnership: Quality Service & Sustainability

Within the painting and commercial decorating industry, there is a complex concoction of issues, both with regard to the industry’s image and the difficulties that those who maintain or construct buildings face in finding reputable, quality painting contractors for their projects. This is where the Dulux Trade Contract Partnership Scheme comes in; a scheme that is not solely looking to champion the best commercial decorators, but looking to reshape the very image of the wider sector itself. Historically regarded as a skilled trade, commercial decorating is an integral part of any project development, both for new build and refurbishment. It offers the opportunity to entirely transform the interior of a building into an environment that enhances people’s lives. In recent years however, the sheer potential of this role has unfortunately been overlooked, as a result of the global recession, with cost-cutting prioritising over quality workmanship for the majority of projects. On this note, the Contract Partnership scheme is working hard to change this image and is targeting three core concepts capable of realigning the position of commercial decorating within the construction industry itself: the availability of quality workmanship, the inspiration of trust and reliance in commercial decorators playing a key role in construction projects, and the provision of a clear line of support offered to commercial decorators who are committed to elevating the reputation of the industry. Now boasting a network of some 250 approved decorators, the Contract Partnership scheme exists out of a combined need for Dulux Trade to champion the best of the best in the wider industry and drive forward the efficient use of high quality products. As such, the network is considered to be quite exclusive, with strict assessment procedures and requirements for commercial decorators to enter the scheme. While this may be quite a daunting concept for tradesmen, this exclusivity means that only quality approved contractors are able to enter the scheme and provides reassurance to the client that they are working with the highest quality tradesmen in the UK. The assessment and application process and auditing may be thorough but it gives contractors who get through the scheme an advantage, giving them a real USP with clients. Illustrating the driving ambition behind the Contract Partnership scheme as a way of highlighting excellence within the industry, Duncan Lochhead, Commercial Marketing Manager, explains: “We want to be championing the very best contractors who are working to drive continual improvements in the industry. Our aim is to encourage customers not to settle for poor workmanship, but to insist on quality commercial decorators. We can then, hopefully improve the focus on quality for all those operating in the market including those already in the partnership. This improvement is rewarded with incentives for members.” With its technical specification team consistently out in the field, providing support services for many of the UK’s leading asset managers and contractors, the Contract Partnership scheme is at the sharp end of the industry with a direct feed into the market and is therefore well placed to reflect the needs and wants of the modern-day building owner and contractor. The field resource significantly helps Dulux Trade understand the capabilities and professionalism displayed by commercial decorators across all projects. By not only recommending commercial decorators, but also monitoring the progress of individual projects, the Contract Partnership scheme is increasingly taking a central role in the sourcing and management of commercial decorating contracts across a wide range of projects. As a concerned stakeholder in the commercial decorating sector, the Contract Partnership scheme is integral to the future prosperity of the decorating industry, driving standards up and value into the wider construction industry itself – a responsibility which the scheme takes very seriously. As Lochhead further suggests: “We have a keen sense of responsibility towards all projects that we’re involved with. We follow projects through to completion to be sure that decoration goes well. We get a feel, on an ongoing basis, of who is delivering quality in the marketplace and then invite them to go through the assessment process. Rarely does a contractor pass the audit first time without improvement recommendations, but we provide help and support so they can make those improvements and reach the standards required to pass the audit.” The Contract Partnership scheme also improves the accessibility of such contractors through its web portal, an enhanced search-based website where some procurement processes can be undertaken on the website itself. This, in effect, offers something of a one-stop-shop service and is the first step to inspire clients to use highly skilled contractors to realise their ambitions of bringing colour into their projects. The website is a simple, reliable procurement solution for building owners and asset managers. This simple and efficient method of procurement, combined with the expertise and reliability of decorators on the scheme, is also confirmation of the Contract Partnership’s aspiration to encourage trust within the industry. Through the partnership, it is hoped that leading specifiers will be able to rest easy, knowing that they can rely on Contract Partnership commercial decorators to not only support the client’s vision of a building, but to bring innovative creations to the table which can completely and utterly transform environments. Explaining the importance of this trust and the potential for transformation, Lochhead details: “Our commitment and strategic ambition is to not only promote quality in the marketplace but also to. In doing so, we give clients the confidence to create an amazing transformation rather than a bland recoat in magnolia. You can make a huge difference to the users of a building through their visual experience of it; you can improve learning outcomes for education, healing outcomes in hospitals, productivity in office environments and more. Having skilled commercial decorators as part of their team gives specifiers confidence that they can deliver an amazing transformation.”

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