It’s only natural to want to personalise your home as soon as you move in. You can do this by adding your choice of furniture, carpets and curtains, and hanging pictures, shelves and mirrors. But please hold-off painting and adding wall coverings until your home has fully ‘settled in.’
Building materials are exposed to a lot of moisture throughout the construction of your home. Different materials dry out at different rates and expand, contract and stabilise before they finally settle into place.
The length of time it takes a house to dry out and fully settle in varies based on when it was built and the prevailing weather conditions. Typically, it will take around nine to twelve months. So, it is best to avoid painting and decorating for the first year
For the best finish, it is important to fill any cracks or nail pops in plasterwork and woodwork and make sure all surfaces are clean and free from condensation. You don’t need to be a dab hand at DIY. It’s all very simple; you’ll find everything you need to know right here.
The walls of your new home are covered with an initial coat of breathable emulsion to allow for the drying out process. Once they are completely dry you can paint over them with a good quality emulsion of your choice. Woodwork is suitable for a stain or gloss finish. For the best results lightly rub down and apply an undercoat before adding the finishing coat.