Repair Care Review – by a Decorator

Updated Jun 22, 2024 | Posted Jul 4, 2017 | Business, Product Advice | 3 comments

I to be honest had never seen or heard of this product until I had joined the ‘decorators forum UK’.

I tell you, joining that forum burns money! But all of it hugely beneficial to improving our standard of work and ease of practice with the new decorating tools I’ve been buying.

 

How Good is Repair Care?

 

Repair Care is one of those products. I kept seeing the amazing results other decorators were achieving on the forum. We at college had only been taught with 2 part filler, which is brittle, isn’t flexible and will fail in a fairly disappointing amount of time…. Long enough for the cheque to clear maybe, but not long enough to be proud of the product you are using.

Repair care appeared to be a bit of a game changer, with its flexibility and the fact it didn’t absorb any moisture. So how has it been in the UK for I think they mentioned 30 years and it isn’t being taught in colleges? How did it take a facebook forum for me to learn about its amazing qualities?

But I’m pleased I have found it!

It may be more expensive than some other products but its success rate is higher, its ease of use is extraordinary. A filler than doesn’t slump? One that can be carved into shape to match existing profile. A product a decorator can use without any skill of carpentry but equal results once painted.

The cost is easily passed to a customer once they see its capabilities. And once you have completed the course the addition of being able to include a 10 year guarantee is a huge bonus which will offer confidence in the product.

There will always be the customers that want that quick fix and we as self-employed skilled tradesman will have the privilege of deciding ‘how much do we need that job’
I will only be quoting Repair-care moving forward.

As with all things, I only really found out how much I needed this product and its course, after starting on a 2 week project to prepare and stain 22 windows and some doors. They were in a good standard of repair…. So I thought.

until it became apparent they had been repaired to sell the property. They were the worst windows I had worked on during my 2 year career as a decorator. The glaziers on site at the same time told the client ‘repair was not an option.’ A joiner was called to site and said ‘repair is not an option’.

I as the considered lower skilled worker on site, said. ‘I can fix these’ to the huge dismay of the joiner and disbelief of the glazier who told me I was out of my league. Being female I am sure aided this opinion of disbelief lol!

But I was confident and that’s all you need in this product. Confidence in yourself. 2 of These windows may have been rotten threw with areas where you could physically put part of your hand into the inside of the house.

I spoke to the rep who was amazing, Frank got me booked on the next available course. He talked me through how to apply the product that I to date had never used.
and then when I had a slight panic on site when everyone was saying it was impossible, he came to site to give me a brief but hugely beneficial training session. All before I was one of their trained contractors.

The customer put huge faith in me to restore his windows fully aware I couldn’t offer the guarantee. He was so pleased with the results he decided not to replace his back door (Quoted at £2500) but he would prefer a repair. Obviously the cost hugely swayed this decision. I also go booked to repaint all the windows internally in November.

Advertisement

Repairing these windows put be in a good position to attend the course this week, I had already used the product with success. Something they may not advocate but I do see the slight reversal as beneficial as now I was armed with questions for Frank.

The course started with a series of slides and details how the product worked. A brief history of Frank who had been with the company for 18 years and so many slides of successful repairs they just interested me even more. Memories of jobs I’d undertaken with difficulty, memories of jobs I had declined and recommended joiners and now at the end of this course I knew that I had the skill set to undertake these.

The practical parts of the day were brilliant and mixed with more theory and information, managing to keep us interested. We worked on our own quarter of a window casement. So in the future when I attended a site and wanted to try and sell this product I would have a physical piece of window I could show them. All which I had destroyed and repaired. What better advertisement for a product than my own work? This isn’t a small piece either!

I had already played with the tools that Frank had brought along as I had purchased these for my own job, but still Frank showed a better method in using them to there advantage and to ensure that the substrate was left in the best state for repair care to have something solid to adhere to. The angles and depth are obviously hugely important. We were also shown how to deal with the occasions the die grinder would slip onto good wood. It does happen!

We trialed the 1 hour, 4 hour and 16 hour product. I am now confident in which one to choose for job. And it isn’t all just about how long I feel I may need to apply the product, the depth of the repair will dictate this decision on some jobs.
Its such a casual approach to the training, it only adds to your confidence using the product. Its so versatile in its application that there really is no stress with its use. Its price tag obviously puts a little fear in you much like hanging an expensive paper. But if your unsure of quantity you can just mix some and keep mixing and adding some more. But gauging quantity seems to come as second nature the more you use it.

Advertisement

I had already used this product so part of the day I really enjoyed was being introduced to there alternative to putty. Its amazing! Slightly different in its application but it does seem to be a skill easily learned. Once you have got your head around the fact if itnt caulk which we are all so used to!

The exciting thing about it, is it doesn’t ever crack… so it will never fail. Water will not seep down the back and slowly start to rot the window below the glass anymore. I will be again using this moving forward. The tool they use to spread this was only £6 I think and once in stock at Dulux I will be purchasing as it seemed to make it so easy!
It can also be used like a chaulk, perfect for those panelled doors that no matter what you do they do crack in between these panels again and again.

I was curious before using the product if we could get equal results and ease of use without the repair care specified knives. And yes you can get a equally as good finish, but I do have to admit the rightangle edge to there blades does just make it that much quicker. I have brought the large 6inch knife for future repairs.

So ultimately I completely recommend this product, I recommend the course and I recommend completely moving away from 2 part filler as a method of repair for external use.
I am incredibly proud of my job, it took me a while to be accepted as a female decorator. Ive had to work incredibly hard to demonstrate my skill and prove myself in what is still a fairly male dominated industry. But the photos of those repairs got shared 3800 is 2 days, I am no longer considered to be any different but have carved a place for myself locally and in an industry where skill and finish is paramount. All off something that you can learn in a day at a cost that can be re-earned on your first job.

The work off the back off this training will only increase the more I push it.

 

Final Thoughts

 

I hope you enjoyed my Repair Care review. I’ve tried to be honest, and it really is a fantastic product. It’s so easy to work with, and the fact it comes with a guarantee makes it worthwhile. A cheaper alternative would be Oxera, which is also fantastic.

Review written by Rachel Bates – Professional Painter and Decorator

Updated Jun 22, 2024 | Posted Jul 4, 2017 | 3 comments

About the Author

About the Author

Mike Cupit has been in the decorating industry since 2002 and has mostly worked as a Trade Decorator in the domestic sector (peoples’ homes). Self-proclaimed “product geek”, Mike has a passion for paint and decorating tools. Mike now spends most of his time testing paint products and tools, comparing them to similar products on the market, and blogging about the industry in general.

Related articles

Painting Pebble Dash – A Full Guide

Painting Pebble Dash – A Full Guide

Painting pebble dash isn’t rocket science, but it can be hard work. As a Professional Decorator, it’s something I have done hundreds of times in the past. In this blog, I’m going to explain how to paint it. I’ll cover everything (pardon the pun), including the...

3 Comments

  1. Roy Forrest

    That’s a fantastic review. Thank yu.

    Reply
  2. Edward

    How does it compare to polyurethane & resin superwood – Toupret?

    Reply
    • Mike Cupit

      I could only tell you what I’ve read elsewhere unfortunately. If quality is your main priority then the general consensus is that Repair Care is the very best. apparently there are cheaper alternatives

      Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *