Top tips for a tradesmen on painting a hallway

Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just starting out, it’s always handy to pick up as many tips as possible to add value to your service. It’s a competitive trade, and it is important that you leave your customers singing your praises to family, friends and any visitors in their home.  

Here are our top tips for painting a hallway.

Measuring up the area

Quoting for a job can be difficult and getting it right is a crucial step to consistently having work in your diary.

It can be particularly challenging to measure up a hallway job as it includes the upper landing and stairs area which are often hard to reach. Getting this right first time allows you to become more efficient and profitable, allowing you to provide an accurate quote, including the cost of the materials.  

You will need to start by measuring and calculating the square footage of the hall, minus the areas you won’t be painting with emulsion. You will need to calculate the required gloss separately for the doors and skirting. Once you have all the calculations down, you can put together a quote for the job.  

Materials to factor in when quoting:

• The paint of choice

• New brushes (if required)

• New rollers with an extension pole and trays (you’re going to need this to access high and hard to reach areas)

• Painters tape

• Plastic sheeting

• Professional Ultra Lightweight Filler and scraper (check the condition of the walls to see if this is required)

• Crown Trade FastFlow Quick Dry Primer (you may need to use a primer if you’re going over a dark colour or if you need to fill numerous cracks and holes).  

• Crown Trade Fastflow Quick Dry Gloss

Top tip: It’s not always wise to opt for the cheapest option if you want to leave a lasting impression.

Customers will lean on you for advice

You’re the professional and the customer may want some professional advice on the best paints. Whilst they will have a colour in mind for their hallway, there are some added value snippets of knowledge you can share with them.

As the hallway is a high traffic area and the first glimpse of somebody’s home visitors will see, you will need to advise them on paint options accordingly. A perfect solution would be a more durable matt paint such as the Crown Scrubbable Range, 20 times more durable than the standard matt emulsion. There are over 1,400 colour variations so you’re able to advise this range with the confidence that we will stock your customers desired colour.   

 

Preparation is key

You have won the job, congrats! It’s time to deliver outstanding service.

As you have measured the area during the quoting stage, you should have all the information you need to get the correct amount of materials beforehand. The last thing you want is to be running out to one of our Decorating Centre’s mid-job.

Here’s a quick run-down of steps to take during the preparation stage:

• Don’t forget a large ladder to reach high up area on the upper landing

• Remove any hall furniture, pictures and ornaments that could get damaged  

• Cover the floor, bannister and any other area you don’t want to catch with paint with plastic sheeting (you may want to remove the handrail to be safe so bring a screwdriver or drill along)

• Tape up the skirting boards, edges of doors and all light switches/ plug sockets

• Fill in any cracks and holes with your Crown Trade FastFlow Quick Dry Primer.

The job

You’re likely to know all about this stage but here are some tips to help the job go more smoothly.

Paint the edges first - this may seem like a no-brainer, but it's important to paint the edges, corners and areas around door frames first.

 

 

Avoid cleaning your brush or roller during every break - sealing your brush and rollers in a plastic bag will stop them drying out, and they will be good to go after every break.

Cut the masking tape loose - do not pull the masking tape off before the paint has fully dried out. This can remove whole chunks of dried paint, and you’ll have to repaint the area. Good practice is to wait 24 hours and then cut the masking tape with a sharp knife before removing from the wall whilst pulling up from a 45-degree angle.

Glosswork - once the walls have dried you can get started on the glossing. As you have just freshly painted the rest of the room, you will need to wipe the skirting boards/ doors down with a soft damp cloth to wipe away any dust. Carefully apply painter tape to the wall you have just painted for protection before you start glossing (ensure it is completely dry).

Top tip:  Use Crown Trade Fastflow Quick Dry Gloss to cut the drying time down, so the hallway is not out of action for too long. Cheaper brands can be a bit thicker and do not flow as well.

Clean up & recommendations

Once everything has completely dried, and you have finished touching up any visible blemishes, carefully move all the furniture back into the room, and put the picture back in the wall.  

Remember to ask your customer to leave feedback on your website or social media platforms to help you win any future jobs.

Ready to get started? Click here to find your nearest Crown Decorating Centre.