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Modern paints and improvements in the design and manufacture of decorating tools have certainly made the task of painting less arduous than it was in the days of traditional oil based paints and distemper, and have also made it easier for the amateur decorator to get professional looking results. One major shift in paint technology is the trend away from using solvent based varnishes and paints for wood, and towards water based products which do not give off harmful vapors as they dry. Water based finishes are not as durable as solvent-based ones, but are no longer as far behind them in performance terms as they once were, and they have other advantages such as faster drying times, virtually no smell and easier cleaning of brushes, rollers and pads.

The term wall coverings is used to describe the whole range of decorative materials sold in roll form and designed to be stuck to wall and ceiling surface with a strippable adhesive. The range includes an enormous variety of designs, patterns and color ways. Most are made entirely from paper, or have a plastic or cloth layer bonded to a paper backing so that they can be hung in the same way as all paper types. There are various types of paint, varnish and stain on the market. I am going to say about various types of paint, varnish and stain on the market, how to prepare surfaces for redecoration, how to apply the new paint finish –especially to the more awkward surfaces such as windows and paneled doors – and how to create a range of special paint effects as dramatic alternatives to wall coverings in the following passages.