FILLERS Frequently Asked Questions
	What's the best way to fill the larger, ragged holes that you always seem to get when you remove screws from the wall? As these types of holes are often quite deep, ordinary fillers would take too long to dry thoroughly. So, use Polyfilla Ready to Use Filler Large Cracks, which will pack out the cavity. When the filler is thoroughly dry, give the repair a light sanding with fine sandpaper, and then wipe off any dust before decorating. What can I do about hairline cracks in my ceiling? It's impossible to cover them up with paint. Regular paint rarely conceal cracks, it is more likely to make them more obvious. The best method is to use a product such as Polyfilla Ready to Use Filler Skim Coat, which is ideal for covering fine cracks in a broad area. When sanding down old paintwork before painting, what grade of sandpaper should I use? It depends how bad the old paintwork is. Good paintwork needs only a rub over with fine sandpaper to remove any small lumps and bumps and to key the surface for the new paint. Surfaces that are badly chipped or covered in old paint runs need more drastic action. First use a coarse grade of sandpaper to remove big lumps and runs, and then use a fine grade to remove the deep scoring made by the coarse sandpaper. Finally, remember to wipe off all sanded surfaces to remove dust and particles that will spoil all your efforts. Use Polyprep Sugar Soap (available in powder or liquid concentrate) - a strong cleaner that degreases and provides a good surface for new paint to adhere to. What should I do to prepare a wall for painting or wallpapering? First, remove all picture pins and fill any nicks or dents with one of the Polyfilla range of fillers. For large jobs, try economical Polyfilla Multipurpose Interior Powder Filler. Alternatively, use one of the Polyfilla Ready to Use Fillers (there are 5 to choose from depending on the surface imperfection). Always use a flexible filling blade to apply the filler and allow to dry. Once dry, sand back to obtain a smooth flush surface. Finally, remove all dust and particles by washing down the walls with Polyprep Sugar Soap, starting at the bottom and work your way up to avoid streaks. Mask round light switches and other fittings with masking tape. Remember to use a dustsheet on the floor to catch any stray paint splashes or drips. How do you disguise where a picture rail used to be? When you remove the rail, it will probably leave holes where the nails or screw used to be. Fill these with lightweight filler such as Polycell No Sanding Polyfilla. You may find there's an indentation where the picture rail used to be. Use Polyfilla Ready to Use Filler Skim Coat to even up the surface. The skirting, doorframes and doors have several chipped and flaking coats of paint on them - how do you make them presentable? The first job is to sand them with a coarse grade of sandpaper to get off the worst of the lumps and bumps, followed by a medium grade sandpaper. Next, the imperfections can be filled with Polyfilla Ready to Use Filler Interior Timber. Lastly, the filled surfaces should be given a final light sanding with fine grade sandpaper. Wipe clean and paint. For exterior requirements, use Polyfilla Woodflex. How do I fill gaps between my window wooden frames and inside wall? You're dealing with two different materials here, plaster and wood. To allow for differential movement between them, use Polyfilla Gap Sealant, wiping off any excess with a damp cloth. Can I lengthen the working time of Polyfilla Powder Fillers? You can maximise working time by ensuring that all tools and mixing containers are clean, as traces of old filler shorten working time. Can I add water to a Polyfilla Ready to Use Filler to make it flow more smoothly? No, this will decrease the filling ability of each product. If the product seems too firm, manipulate the tube with your hands before use - this will soften it up. I used Polyfilla Putty on a window frame and have noticed some wrinkling on the surface. Is something wrong with the product? No. When this product is used on metal window frames exposed to heat, some surface wrinkling can occur. This will not affect the performance of the putty in any way. I painted over the areas where I used Polyfilla Gap Sealant and now cracks have appeared. Why has this happened? If the gap sealant was not cured sufficiently before it was painted over, cracks can occur as the gap sealant shrinks. To prevent this, allow 48 hours drying when you are filling large gaps or painting with oil-based paints. Also, some water based undercoats and flat paints shrink during drying, and as POLYFILLA* GAP SEALANT is flexible it won't stop cracks appearing in the shrinking paint on its surface. Test the paint on a small section of sealant, and if this is a problem you can reduce cracking by allowing the sealant to cure thoroughly or by first coating it with a vinyl/acrylic semi-gloss or oil-based undercoat. Why should I use a specialised filler under gloss paints? Gloss paints show up every flaw and bump on surfaces. Therefore, a specialised filler that ensures an extremely smooth, hard, "glass-like" finish is preferred for the ultimate flawless, flat surface. Polyfilla Ready to Use Filler Mirror Finish is the ideal filler under gloss paints. It gives perfect gloss retention so you won't notice a 'dull' spot under the paint. You should also apply an undercoat before the final coat of paint for the best results. I want a filler that matches the colour of the timber I am repairing. What should I use? The best result is to custom tint/stain a filler to match your timber, rather than buy a pre-tinted colour filler. This allows you the flexibility to adjust to the shade you require, rather than having the colour dictated by the manufacturer. For interior timbers, use Polyfilla Ready to Use Filler Interior Timber. If you require a wood filler that can be exposed to the great outdoors, use Polyfilla Woodflex, which flexes with the natural movement of wood. Note: When tinting /staining, the final colour is not achieved until a clear finish is applied. It is worth testing first on an off-cut, or inconspicuous area, to see if the correct colour match is achieved. How do I repair cracks and holes in cement render? Use Polyfilla Exterior Powder Filler. It is especially suited to repairing cracks and holes in both interior and exterior masonry based surfaces. It can be used to repair cement render, cement, bricks, stone and other masonry surfaces. It is waterproof and resistant to temperature and humidity changes when set.
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