Sharon - NVQ Questions

Sharon Beaumont's Questions

Sharon says she is stuck on some questions set by the NVQ, here they are.

Question 1.  State why old paint flakes. 

ANSWER

Paint flakes from a surface for many reasons here are a couple - Preparation, the correct preparation has not been carried out. If a surface is powdery or dusty and it is not cleaned off the dust will lie between the surface and the paint and when dry the dry film will lift from the surface, its the same with dirt or grease.  So - Because of incorrect preparation.

If the surface is absorbent such as wood and moisture is allowed to get in and under the paint film then it will lift off the paint. This is quite common where the joints in an exterior window frame open up due to the timber being unseasoned and the rain gets in. The rain water is absorbed but then wants to dry out and in doing so pushes the paint off the surface.  So -Because the substrate is damp.

Question 2.  State the main points to be considered when abrading metals.

ANSWER

Toughie. And a little bit ambiguous, sounds like a typical City and Guilds question. I am thinking, when abrading bare metal, not previously painted. Here we go. Its no good using glass paper, not hard wearing enough, you must use emery cloth or emery paper. This is used either dry - wear a dust mask - or with white spirit as a lubricant - wear gloves or barrier cream. Do not prep metal in a damp atmosphere, it will rust very quickly after it has been abraded. In all cases apply primer coat immediately after preparation. So - 1. Abrade dry.  2. Prime immediately after abrading. 3. Wear a dust mask.

Question 3.   State any 3 safety considerations before starting work.

ANSWER

1. Always carry out a Risk Assessment and continue to do so. 

2. Always ware the correct PPE. 

3. Always have and use the correct scaffold. 

4. Check all scaffold before use.

Question 4.   The procedure for treating mould to walls.

Mould grows on a damp surface, the cause of the damp, whether it be penetrating or condensation, must be fixed.

The surface must be washed with a fungicide solution to kill the mould and sterilize the area. Then remove all heavy deposits of mould growth by scrapping, if you are stripping wallpaper then add fungicide solution to the water. After preparation the wall is washed down with a fresh fungicide solution to remove all tracers of mould, paste or dirt. A last wash of fungicide solution is then left on the surface to dry and the wall is checked after a week.