Investing in top-quality equipment is the key to any business’s success. It not only saves time, it also quickly pays for itself.
Multiple award-winning painter and decorator Wayne de Wet from the UK is resolutely in favour of high-end working equipment.
He was first introduced to Mirka’s dust-free net sanding system at a trade show in London, in 2006. Since then he has used Mirka products daily in a multitude of sanding jobs – with no looking back.
Wayne de Wet is well known not only in his sector, he is also an active writer in various media, tests new equipment, helps fellow industry professionals choose high-quality equipment. His strive for perfection as a painter and decorator has also helped him win various prizes. In 2011 he was awarded Grand Winner Dulux Select Decorator of the year 2011.
“Converting to Mirka’s sanding system has not only made my job easier and more enjoyable, it also creates the perfect base for any painting work. If you ask any decorator around the world what is the worst part of decorating it is usually the preparation stage – that is the filling, sanding, and the cleaning part of the project, but with the dust-free sanding system even preparation work is a pleasure. I often look at myself and think I must be mad as I actually enjoy sanding now,” de Wet laughs.
De Wet is a specialist in hand-painted kitchens and furniture as well as demanding home decorating projects. In order to meet high quality standards he uses Mirka’s CEROS sander and dust extraction machine combined with Mirka’s of Abranet abrasives. He is also a big fan of Mirka’ Handy and other sanding blocks.
“I have used the CEROS sander for many years and the Handy since it has been available – to say I like them is an understatement. CEROS and Handy can be used for a multitude of sanding jobs and it really does make it much easier, saving time and so I have earned my investment back many times over.
“The system is so light and very easy to use. I use mine mostly for ceilings and walls and large flat areas, flush doors and skirting, it copes very easily with two pack filler, powder filler and much, much more. Recently I used the CEROS on a really heavy orange peel painted ceiling, the results were amazing and it was so easy to do.”
Using Mirka’s dust-free net sanding system gives a number of clear advantages over traditional sanding tools.
For instance, if you are involved in the redecoration of a house, the aggressive side to traditional sand paper can make your fingertips sometimes sore and bleed; or you might want to sand down a specific part of a job, but because of the traditional abrasives where dust is not extracted you may over sand causing damage to the surface.
“Even fat edges, caused by paint rolling around an edge and building up around a corner, can be handled easily with Mirka’s Abranet system,” de Wet notes.
With traditional sand paper you can try to rub this fat edge out, but you might end up rubbing the paint off all the way down the edge. With Abranet, you could pinpoint the areas that need to be sanded. The Abranet also cuts through dry paint runs and drips easily, making it less laborious and time-consuming to get a good base for painting.
As a sole trader, de Wet admits that it is even more important for him to invest in just the right tools, products, and equipment. “By investing in top-quality, highly effective systems you will save time and if you save time you will make more profit,” he says.
“Before I found the Mirka system, at the end of the day I would look like Father Christmas covered in dust. Now I’m not covered in dust – I might have a minuscule amount on me, but I’m not breathing it in, nor is it spreading uncontrollably in my customers’ homes. Therefore, cleaning up at the end of the day is also a massively easier job to do.”
