Dustsheets and polythene sheeting are commonly used materials for protecting surfaces during painting and decorating. Dustsheets come in a high quality material and are used to cover furniture, while polythene sheeting is used to cover floors and protect items that cannot be removed, such as windows. Special care must be taken to properly cover and protect light fixtures, electronics, furniture, floors, and other items from splashes of paint and dust during painting projects.

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Painting and Decorating NVQ and Technical Certificate Level 2, 2nd Edition
Dustsheets of the highest quality
should be used wherever
possible as cheap alternatives do
not always provide adequate
protection.
What are the two materials
dustsheets are usually made of?
Dustsheets

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Painting and Decorating NVQ and Technical Certificate Level 2, 2nd Edition
• Protect everything that can be covered by dust or splashes of
paint.
• Drape the furniture and cover the floors.
Where would you usually use polythene sheeting?
Covering up

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Painting and Decorating NVQ and Technical Certificate Level 2, 2nd Edition
These include: TV, TV stand,
pelmets, curtains, carpets, rugs,
fireplaces, clocks, mirrors,
sockets, wall lights.
What items can you think of that
would need special protection?
Common items to protect

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Painting and Decorating NVQ and Technical Certificate Level 2, 2nd Edition
Window coverings
Curtains, pelmets and roller
blinds should ideally be
removed to another room.
How could you protect the
windows themselves?

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Painting and Decorating NVQ and Technical Certificate Level 2, 2nd Edition
• Protect all light shades and
fittings.
• If plastic is used, make sure
it is removed at the end of
the working day as it can
cause a fire hazard when
lights are turned on.
• Protect again the next day.
What are the three types of
masking tape?
Light fittings

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Painting and Decorating NVQ and Technical Certificate Level 2, 2nd Edition
Remove vent covers, door
handles and radiators.
How can you protect these items
if you cannot remove them?
What to remove

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Painting and Decorating NVQ and Technical Certificate Level 2, 2nd Edition
All furniture and radiators should
also be removed if possible.
Remember to use correct manual
handling techniques at all times!
What is the correct way to lift
heavy items of furniture?
Take care!

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Painting and Decorating NVQ and Technical Certificate Level 2, 2nd Edition
Always make sure that any
vehicles near your area of work
are protected. Polythene is the
best method of protection if
vehicles cannot be removed.
What would be the greatest risks
to vehicles near your site?
Protecting vehicles

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Painting and Decorating NVQ and Technical Certificate Level 2, 2nd Edition
• Floors, including wood floors
and carpet, can be protected
with polythene sheeting and
masking tape, which keeps
the polythene in place.
• You can lay down polythene
before laying dustsheets,
to prevent any dust coming
into contact with the floor.
• Protect floors when painting/decorating or washing down
in preparation to paint.
Protecting floors

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Painting and Decorating NVQ and Technical Certificate Level 2, 2nd Edition
• Tenting in is used when an
item or an area needs to be
cordoned off.
• It is useful when spray
painting is being carried out.
• To ‘tent in’ you need to use
scaffolding and polythene
sheeting.
• The scaffold is erected around
the item/area then polythene
sheeting is fixed around the
scaffold, using duct tape.
Tenting in