What is in the Selleys paint and wallpaper range, and what do you need first?

This category is about preparation, not about paint. Selleys does not sell the paint or the wallpaper — it sells what you use before and between: the strippers that take the old coating off, the cleaner that gets the surface ready, and the primers and pastes that hang the new covering.

The point Selleys makes at the top of this category is the one worth taking seriously. When you are painting or hanging wallpaper, finding the right colour, pattern or paint type is not the whole job — you also need to properly prepare the surface. Sometimes that means nothing more than cleaning with Selleys Original Sugar Soap. Other times it means stripping, cleaning and then priming, which is more than a sugar soap solution can do.

How to choose: work out which stage you are at

Stage one — is there an old coating to remove?

If the surface carries old paint or varnish, that comes off first. Two strippers cover the work, and the difference between them is where you are allowed to use them:

• Selleys Kwik Strip Smart is safe for interior use and can also be used on exterior surfaces. Use it whenever you need to remove water and oil-based coatings, including varnish.
• Selleys Kwik Strip works quickly to remove water based PVAs and acrylics, enamels, lacquers, shellac or varnish from most surfaces. Its thicker consistency makes it ideally suited to vertical surfaces — where a runnier stripper simply slides off before it has worked. But note the limitation: Kwik Strip is only meant for exterior use.

That restriction is not a preference. If the job is indoors, Kwik Strip Smart is the product; if it is outdoors and vertical, Kwik Strip's consistency is the advantage.

Stage one, variant — is it graffiti?

Defaced walls do not always have to be painted over. Selleys Muck-Off Graffiti Remover works on interior and exterior surfaces, and removes graffiti from a wide range of surfaces.

Stage two — removing old wall coverings

With Selleys Wallpaper Peel/Stripper you can achieve similar results removing wall coverings such as paper, vinyl and foils. Some mixing is required but, like the paint strippers, it acts quickly once you have saturated the wall covering.

Stage three — priming and hanging

Once the old wall covering is off, prepare the wall before hanging new wallpaper, vinyl or foils. Selleys Wallpaper Size & Wall Primer makes it easier for the covering to adhere later using Selleys Wallpaper Paste. It also makes the covering easier to work with, giving you a little time to match patterns properly — which is the difference between a wall that lines up and one that does not. The added fungicide helps prevent mould growing between the wall and the paper.

The products in this category

• Paint removal — the paint strippers and graffiti remover.
  • Kwik Strip — quick removal of water based PVAs and acrylics, enamels, lacquers, shellac and varnish from most surfaces. Thicker consistency for vertical surfaces. Exterior use only.
  • Muck-Off Graffiti Remover — high-strength graffiti removal, for interior and exterior surfaces.
• Wallpaper — the wallpaper adhesives, primer and stripper.

Selleys Kwik Strip Smart, Wallpaper Peel/Stripper, Wallpaper Size & Wall Primer and Wallpaper Paste are named in this category's own text but do not have published product pages in the current catalogue.

Common questions about Selleys paint and wallpaper products

Do I always need to strip before painting?

No. Sometimes preparation means only cleaning the surface with Selleys Original Sugar Soap. Stripping, cleaning and priming is for when a sugar soap solution is not enough.

Which paint stripper can I use indoors?

Kwik Strip Smart, which is safe for interior use and can also be used on exterior surfaces. Kwik Strip is only meant for exterior use.

Which stripper works on a vertical wall?

Kwik Strip has a thicker consistency that makes it ideally suited for vertical surfaces — but only outdoors.

What coatings does Kwik Strip remove?

Water based PVAs and acrylics, enamels, lacquers, shellac and varnish, from most surfaces.

What removes varnish?

Both products are described as removing varnish — Kwik Strip Smart for water and oil-based coatings including varnish, and Kwik Strip for varnish among the coatings it lists.

Can I remove graffiti without repainting?

Yes. Muck-Off Graffiti Remover works on interior and exterior surfaces and removes graffiti from a wide range of surfaces.

How do I get old wallpaper off?

Selleys Wallpaper Peel/Stripper removes wall coverings including paper, vinyl and foils. It needs mixing, and acts quickly once the covering is saturated.

Do I need to prime a wall before wallpapering?

Selleys Wallpaper Size & Wall Primer makes it easier for the covering to adhere and easier to position, and its added fungicide helps prevent mould growing between the wall and the paper.

What stops mould growing behind wallpaper?

The fungicide added to Selleys Wallpaper Size & Wall Primer.

What should I clean the wall with before painting?

Selleys Original Sugar Soap, which Selleys names for cleaning surfaces prior to painting and wallpapering.