Sometimes known as "caulk", or painters mate filler is a sealant that is generally used to fill gaps and cracks in corners of walls ceilings. Skirting and door frames being prepared for painting or wallpapering. Ready mixed fillers (such as aims,easyfill etc) are the best choice for novices, although you can save money by mixing the filler yourself I use ready mix jointing compound which I find rubs down to a very smooth finish,. Linseed oil putty is usually preferable for filling wooden and metal frames and windows. But normal 2 part wood filler will do and it comes in all different colours to match your wood. I find the no need to sand down filler very hard to work with so I avoid it.

• Sandpaper is an example of a abrasive, used for rubbing down surfaces to prepare them for painting. Abrasives are rated according to their level of "roughness". Rougher sandpaper should be used in the first instance, with finer sandpaper employed at a later stage in order to finish the surface. I find a good quality 120grade is best for most jobs as you can adjust the pressure when you’re rubbing down for a smoother finish.
• Sandpaper ratings are the lower the rating the rougher it is, so a 80 grade is rougher than a 120 grade.
• Primers are very important in the preparation of bare wood and metal for painting so a good quality primer and undercoat is advised. If you are looking to paint on galvanized metal, you will need to use a special zinc primer to prevent subsequent coats flaking off.
• Sealers are employed for preservation and waterproofing purposes, and to prevent additional problems that might affect subsequent coats of paint.
• Applying an undercoat is the most important step in the whole painting process. The undercoat provides the base for the finish coat. As such, it is advisable to apply two or three layers of undercoat in order to achieve the best possible finish. Most new wood comes pre coated so all you will need is a undercoat
• The finish coat is the top layer of paint on a wall or other surface, although two coats of the finish paint are usually recommended. The most popular finishes include matt, eggshell, gloss and semi-gloss.
• Emulsion paints are generally used only on ceilings and walls. They are water-based
• Thinners are employed to reduce the viscosity of paint or other decorating fluid. Usually made from water and turpentine (for use with emulsions) or white spirit (when designed for solvent-based paints), they also come in handy for cleaning paint brushes, rollers and other decorating equipment after use.

Tools and materials for painting walls and ceilings

1 Dust sheets

2 Protective plastic sheeting to cover valuables and electricals

3 Roller tray or a scuttle (square roller bucket)

4 Paint kettle (small bucket so you can poor a small amount of paint in so you don’t have to carry the tin around while cutting in.

5 A good quality 100% pure bristle paint brush will only cost a few pounds each and will make a lot of difference, and if you buy one with longer bristles it makes it easier for cutting in as you will have more control, for novice decorators I would say use a 2 inch brush or what ever you feel most comfortable with. I use a ¾ inch

5 Roller, roller tray, and a extension pole this is so you don’t have to stretch while painting a ceiling and wall it also gives you good evenness when rolling on the paint.

6 Sand paper, filler, caulk

7 old clothes and hard work