Now you’ve chosen your colour, having you’ve waded your way through inspiring photo’s, colour cards, sample pots, mood boards, etc. In your minds eye you can see the end result…

Now for the boring bit, you should remember that that the preparation of your surface to be painted can make all the difference to the end result. And depending on the state of the surface to be painted this can involve washing, sanding, filling, (sanding again) and priming. Here, we’re going to talk about primers and priming.

Many people ask what the difference between primer and undercoat is.  To put it simply a primer is the ‘glue’ that sticks to the surface and provides a “key” for the next layer of paint to stick to. Undercoats are solids. They can fill minor surface imperfections and give you an even foundation for your top coat. Undercoats are important if you are making a transition to a lighter or darker topcoat. Priming and undercoating used to be a two step process, but many manufactures now make primer/undercoats in one saving you time and money.

At Providence we sell a stain blocking primer and undercoat. It comes in white or we can tint it to a shade that will work with your top coat. Here are details and instructions (these are taken from the label on the tin) :

Stain blocking primer

Stain blocking primer is an interior and exterior primer, with stain blockers that can stop the tannins in resinous wood from bleeding. Two coats may be required.

Preparation

Surfaces should be clean, dry and free of dust and loose, flaking material. Previous coatings should be lightly sanded.  Holes, joints and surface defects should be filled and sanded. “Spot prime” resinous or knotty areas with stain blocking primer before applying  a second coat.  Prime ferrous metals with metal primer.

Application

Stir well before use. Apply with a synthetic brush or roller. Lay off in the direction of the grain. Dries in 1-2 hours dependent on temperature and humidity.  Allow to fully dry overnight before top coating.  Wash brushes and tools in warm soapy water. Coverage is 9 – 12 square metres per litre.  Store in a cool, dry, frost-free place.

It comes in 1 litre and 2.5 litre containers.

Tall Single Cupboard

Ordinal chest of drawers

Providence @ 73 Bridge Street, Cambridge
Mon – Fri 10:30 – 5:30pm, Sat 10 – 5:30 pm, Closed Sunday

Providence @ Burwash Manor, Barton
Mon – Fri 9:30 – 5pm, Sat 10 – 5pm, Sunday 11 – 4pm

What a surprise. 

F&B Brochure at Providence

They’re lovely. The clean and simple charcoal black and white cover leads you to a table of contents that clealy guides you to  information about product types, coverage and decorating tips. It is in a handy A5 size that is somehow intimate and inviting.

Farrow & Ball have changed their branding colours from traditional dark green (Carriage green) and beige (String or Cord) to charcoal gray = No 31 Railings and white = No 2001 Strong white.  The charcoal grey cover of the brochure reflects the beautiful Railings colour.

Railings is a colour that we know well.

Providence at Bridge Street

Six + months ago we used it to paint the exterior of our Cambridge shop.

Here’s a link to a Farrow & Ball product list.

Thanks for all the positive feedback we have had about  new venture in Bridge Street, and your continuing support at Burwash making 2011 such a successful year.

We are really excited about some new ideas for 2012 – watch this space.

Providence shop window at 73 Bridge St., for Christmas 2011

Happy Holidays to all, Wishing everyone the best for 2012.

Our shop at 73 Bridge Street re – opens on Wednesday, December 28, 2011, at 11 am.
We have a full stock of Farrow & Ball paint at Bridge St. for those who may be decorating during the holidays and we will be having a clearance sale.
Our Burwash Manor shop is closed until, January 3rd, 2012, when it re-opens at 9:30 am.

Ellie at our workshop with a pigeon hole cupboard

Our very own Ellie Jewel (in the pic above) worked on a project to convert a library bus into a mobile herbalist dispensary.  As Ellie tells it, you can wallpaper (Sanderson botanic please), fit kitchen dressers (painted in Buckskin shade I), cut down church pews (pitch pine) and fit solid oak tops (oiled in Osmo polyx oil) into ex library buses.

Vanessa Neville and Jude Greenan have founded “Of People and Plants”  with the goal of bringing herbalist medicine into the community. The converted library bus/herbal dispensary is the wheels that will will get them to their drop in clinics and community events.

Ellie and Nick - Of People and Plants bus

 It looks like Ellie and Nick might be posing with their screw guns. Have a look at the full transformation of the bus and look out for the bus some where near you.