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1
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There can come a time when our homes
start to look a bit scruffy.
2
00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,840
But redecorating can make all
the difference.
3
00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:18,080
And even if you aren't the most
handy at DIY...
4
00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,040
..lots of us have picked up a brush
or a roller to give it a go.
5
00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:30,560
As a nation, we spend £21 billion
on renovations every year.
6
00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:33,759
When you're sprucing up your home,
7
00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,279
you can't go far wrong than
wallpaper and a lick of paint.
8
00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,880
So I've come to a factory that's
been making them since 1967!
9
00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:47,919
I'm Gregg Wallace...
10
00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:49,119
Whoa!
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00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,079
..and tonight,
I'll be mixing it up with paint.
12
00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:53,479
Whoa!
13
00:00:53,480 --> 00:00:55,839
I reckon I could get five grand for
that in some galleries!
14
00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,879
And luxuriating in golden
wallpaper.
15
00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,040
Whoa! Look at that!
16
00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:04,359
I'm Cherry Healey...
17
00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:05,919
Yes!
18
00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,639
..and I'm unravelling the secret of
wallpaper hanging...
19
00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:11,759
Oh, I bet you're good at jigsaws.
20
00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:13,839
..and I'm having a blast...
21
00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,079
Avalanche! Woo-hoo!
22
00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:18,439
..mining the ingredients for paint.
23
00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:20,280
I kind of feel like we're on the
moon!
24
00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:23,319
And historian Ruth Goodman...
25
00:01:23,320 --> 00:01:25,199
Whoa!
26
00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,519
..reveals the secrets of painted
warships.
27
00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:31,320
Instead of seeing the ship they're
expecting, they're seeing a wreck.
28
00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,479
This factory makes up
to 200,000 litres of paint
29
00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,119
and 10,000 metres of wallpaper
30
00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:42,879
every single week.
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00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,399
And I'm going to reveal just
how they do it.
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00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:47,560
Welcome to Inside the Factory!
33
00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:14,279
This is the Farrow and Ball factory
in Dorset,
34
00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:18,400
where they make more than 270
different colours of paint.
35
00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:24,439
And their grand wallpaper
comes in over 1,500 designs
36
00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:26,559
and colour combinations...
37
00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,679
Scaling up traditional hand-crafted
techniques
38
00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:31,680
with cleverly engineered machines.
39
00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:38,399
Carefully produced by a close-knit
team of 177 local workers,
40
00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,559
the factory's wallpaper and paint
are designed to go together
41
00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:43,320
like strawberries and cream!
42
00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:48,839
I'm following production
of their two best sellers,
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00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:51,279
their Estate emulsion paint in pink,
44
00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:53,240
and their Lotus patterned wallpaper.
45
00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:57,720
And I'm starting with paint
making...
46
00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,959
..which begins under the Dorset
sunshine
47
00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:03,880
with a delivery at Intake...
48
00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,199
What a lovely day.
49
00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,960
..where production manager Simon
Downey is already busy unloading.
50
00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,679
Simon? Hi Gregg, how you doing?
Good to meet you.
51
00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,199
Is this good paint making weather?
This is good paint making weather.
52
00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:24,319
I just realised on the drive down,
you know,
53
00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:28,519
I have absolutely no idea at all how
you make a tin of paint.
54
00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,319
So what sort of paint are we going
to be making?
55
00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,399
So we're going to be making a
standard emulsion batch paint today.
56
00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,159
It's an emulsion, that's what
we're making?
57
00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,519
Yeah an emulsion is basically
a decorative paint,
58
00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,319
so it's the kind of paint you would
use on your walls, on your ceilings,
59
00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:43,679
and it's a very flat, sort of
chalky paint.
60
00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:45,279
OK, OK.
61
00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,879
You've got water, and then you
put in all your ingredients
62
00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,599
into that water and you want to make
sure that they're all held together,
63
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:52,319
so by the time you've got paint
at the end of it,
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00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:54,679
it's all going to work and nothing
is going to kind of fall out of it
65
00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,279
or float to the top. Perfectly
blended. Yes.
66
00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:59,080
Oh, it's going to be
interesting, this.
67
00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:06,479
A key ingredient for my emulsion
paint is calcium carbonate,
68
00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:08,560
better known as chalk!
69
00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,439
Oh, it's sticking,
it's not rubbing off.
70
00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,319
That's going to absorb into
the water,
71
00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:17,359
and then that will run
through your paint film then.
72
00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:20,239
What's particular about this paint?
What sort of finish do you get?
73
00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,039
So you're going to get a matt
smooth finish from it with
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00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,879
this kind of paint. A matt finish,
is that a duller finish?
75
00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:27,839
That is, yeah.
So why would we want that?
76
00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:30,079
The shinier it is, the more likely
you are to see blemishes
77
00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:31,239
and things on the wall,
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00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,479
and light's going to reflect off it
differently and unevenly.
79
00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:35,239
Whereas you've got a matt finish,
80
00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:37,959
it's quite flat, so light won't
reflect off it.
81
00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:39,119
Wow! OK.
82
00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,319
And is it the chalk in there that's
making your matt even more matt?
83
00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:43,440
Yeah, definitely. Yeah.
84
00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,720
As 21 pallets of chalk is unloaded,
my paint production begins.
85
00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,400
They get through 500 bags
of the stuff a week.
86
00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,439
Another important component is
china clay,
87
00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:08,799
which adds bulk to the paint,
88
00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,240
helping it hide blemishes
on your wall.
89
00:05:14,280 --> 00:05:18,640
This batch is from America - but
it's also mined closer to home.
90
00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,920
Cherry has been getting a bird's-eye
view of where it comes from.
91
00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:35,399
This extraordinary landscape
is in the south-west of England,
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00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:40,200
home to Britain's second biggest
mineral export, china clay.
93
00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:45,840
I've come to Headen Quarry in Devon,
to get a closer look.
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00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:48,599
Stretching a mile wide,
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00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:52,160
this is one of the biggest china
clay mines in Europe.
96
00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:57,759
Site Manager James Tupman has been
working these hills
97
00:05:57,760 --> 00:05:59,719
since he left school.
98
00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:01,359
Hi, James, lovely to meet you.
99
00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,839
Hi, Cherry. What an incredible
lunar landscape.
100
00:06:04,840 --> 00:06:06,479
I kind of feel like we're on
the moon.
101
00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:08,079
Yeah, it's definitely different.
102
00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,759
What exactly is china clay?
103
00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:13,479
China clay is granite
that has been weathered.
104
00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:17,479
So, millions of years ago,
lava came up underneath Dartmoor
105
00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:19,399
and created a big granite mass.
106
00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,519
So, this is a piece of weathered
granite.
107
00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:24,239
It's a soup of different minerals,
108
00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,520
and the white stuff is the
china clay.
109
00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:33,319
Like most cooled molten rock,
granite is a mix of minerals.
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00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,039
Minerals are naturally occurring
solids
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00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,239
with a known crystal structure.
112
00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:42,079
In this case, rainwater seeped
deep down into the earth,
113
00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,199
and reacted with the granite,
114
00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,920
creating a new mineral called
kaolinite.
115
00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:50,839
Traditionally used in Chinese
porcelain,
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00:06:50,840 --> 00:06:54,399
it became commonly known as
china clay.
117
00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:57,399
The clay makes up
just 15% of the granite,
118
00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:01,520
so this massive process is
to extract it from everything else.
119
00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:09,600
First, 75-tonne diggers claw
the rock out off the ground...
120
00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,239
..before it's driven to an area
of the quarry
121
00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:16,520
with a high-pressure water hose.
122
00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:21,119
What on earth?
123
00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:25,319
The hose is controlled from what
looks like a gamer's chair -
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00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,440
except this is no game!
125
00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:33,119
These controls here control
the high-pressure water hose.
126
00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,159
Oh, my God. Are you allowing me to
take control?
127
00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,639
Well, if you feel up to it,
you can have a go.
128
00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:42,239
So, what you want to do is you want
to wash the bottom of the pile.
129
00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,159
If you wash too high,
we choke the whole plant up,
130
00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:46,480
which we don't want to do.
131
00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,399
Ooh.
132
00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:54,160
God, it's really sensitive.
133
00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:56,959
Avalanche! Avalanche!
134
00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:58,720
Woo-hoo! Ooh, that was a big one.
135
00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:04,159
The pressure coming out of this
nozzle is around 200 PSI,
136
00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,519
which is the equivalent of being
400 foot below the ocean.
137
00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:09,680
I would not want to
stand in front of that hose.
138
00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,319
Why are you blast washing
this mound of rock?
139
00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:16,879
China clay is very fine,
140
00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,879
and the rock it's contained
within is very coarse.
141
00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:22,399
So, we're just washing that fine
china clay
142
00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,200
right out of the rock, with
a few of the other minerals.
143
00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:31,480
More than 100 litres of water are
fired from the cannon every second!
144
00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:38,039
It's onsite rainwater, and once it's
been blasted by the canons,
145
00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:43,359
it's pumped back up again, to be
re-used in a continuous cycle.
146
00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,799
In just one hour,
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00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:51,040
around 30 tonnes of china clay are
washed out of 200 tonnes of rock.
148
00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:54,599
It creates a white slurry,
149
00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,399
a mix of water and the lighter
materials,
150
00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:01,960
which flows half a mile down the
man-made slope into a pool.
151
00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,440
From here, the slurry is pumped into
the Headon Refinery...
152
00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:12,400
..where a sieve removes rocks
and vegetation.
153
00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:17,039
But the china clay remains within
the murky water,
154
00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:21,959
and to extract it, they must first
take out the smaller impurities,
155
00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,880
and that requires some more
complex machinery.
156
00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,719
They're like giant, scary spiders.
157
00:09:29,720 --> 00:09:31,359
What is going on in here?
158
00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:35,279
So, what happens is the china clay
slurry gets fed into this
159
00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:39,359
system, and it works a little
bit like a cyclone vacuum cleaner,
160
00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:43,079
to really fire out those
particles that we don't want. Right.
161
00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,399
So those are bits like any quartz
that's left behind,
162
00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:48,040
and another mineral called mica.
163
00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:52,319
Mica and quartz are minerals
like china clay,
164
00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,240
but their particles are
much heavier.
165
00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:00,599
As the slurry is spun around at high
speed, they fall to the bottom,
166
00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:04,800
and are discarded through waste
pipes, along with any sand.
167
00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,639
Why do you need to take the mica
and the quartz and the sand out?
168
00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:16,239
What we're after is the really
fine china clay.
169
00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:19,799
The mica and the sand is quite
coarse, and your paint would almost
170
00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,640
have a sand texture on your wall,
which is not what you're after.
171
00:10:24,560 --> 00:10:28,639
The liquid that leaves these
machines is still 90% water
172
00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:31,040
and only 10% china clay.
173
00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:37,120
To be suitable for paint production,
that ratio must be almost reversed!
174
00:10:39,560 --> 00:10:40,800
Ooh, look at this!
175
00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:44,519
So, this is a massive press.
176
00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:46,879
The clay is pumped in under
high pressure.
177
00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,679
These filter cloths, they retain
the clay,
178
00:10:49,680 --> 00:10:53,439
and the water passes its way through
those cloths and is recycled.
179
00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:57,479
And then this whole machine squeezes
all of the water out.
180
00:10:57,480 --> 00:10:58,999
The clay stays behind,
181
00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,639
and we're left with something
a bit like a cake.
182
00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:03,879
So, you've got the clay left
and most of the water's gone.
183
00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:05,559
Well, how do you get it out the
machine?
184
00:11:05,560 --> 00:11:10,239
We need to open up each one of these
plates and drop out that cake.
185
00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:13,559
And what we do, is we use a little
bit of hand work.
186
00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:15,679
A stick? A stick.
187
00:11:15,680 --> 00:11:17,600
That is truly high-tech.
188
00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,000
Stand well back.
189
00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:25,880
Wait. I'm going in.
190
00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:28,639
All in one.
191
00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:29,680
Yeah!
192
00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:35,999
But before the clay can leave
the refinery,
193
00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:38,799
yet more water needs to be removed.
194
00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,919
So, it's extruded into pellets,
195
00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,159
and passed through a machine that
blasts it with hot air
196
00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:47,919
at 400 degrees Celsius,
197
00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:51,000
reducing the moisture content
to 14%.
198
00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:55,519
Every year, they produce hundreds
of thousands of tonnes
199
00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,080
of pure white china clay.
200
00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:01,839
Well, you've saved the best
till last -
201
00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:04,839
look at this magical winter
wonderland. Yeah, that's right.
202
00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,559
Is this the china that's now going
to go out into the world?
203
00:12:07,560 --> 00:12:09,719
So, this china clay is now finished
204
00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:12,279
and ready for dispatch or
further processing.
205
00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:14,319
And it's got that very white
finish now
206
00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,359
that you're looking for in the
paint.
207
00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:21,359
From here, the clay is sent to a
specialised processing plant,
208
00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:24,519
where it's baked into a powder,
209
00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,560
ready to be made into
emulsion paint.
210
00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,199
Nestled in the Dorset countryside,
211
00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,640
the factory is all set to
make my batch of paint.
212
00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:45,519
So, me and Simon are following 40
bags of china clay,
213
00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:47,920
along with 25 bags of chalk ...
214
00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:51,040
..to Mixing.
215
00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,559
Don't you think you could've painted
this a brighter colour?
216
00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:01,959
So, Gregg, this is one of our
manufacturing vessels
217
00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:04,279
where we make the matt
emulsion paint.
218
00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:07,599
Is it as simple as you are throwing
everything into that pot?
219
00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:10,839
I like to think of it
more like cooking.
220
00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:12,919
So this would be one of our recipes.
221
00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,079
What colour? It's going to be just
white.
222
00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,079
This is just the manufacture
of the base paint at this moment.
223
00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:19,919
There'll actually be no
colouring in it.
224
00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:22,399
But we will add colour to it later?
We will add colour to it later.
225
00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:24,960
What does it start with?
So, it always starts with water.
226
00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:30,599
Where does your water come from?
227
00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,199
We use mains water,
228
00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:34,599
but mains water has got little
kind of microbes in it.
229
00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,719
They're perfectly harmless,
but once you add them to paint,
230
00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:39,639
they can grow within the paint
231
00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:42,401
and they will start to eat some of
the key ingredients that are in it.
232
00:13:43,560 --> 00:13:47,159
1,000 litres of water is
added to the mixer -
233
00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,600
sterilised with a disinfectant.
234
00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:51,760
One moment.
235
00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,239
Am I right in thinking
the water out the tap
236
00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:58,319
is clean enough for us to drink...
Yes.
237
00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:00,679
..but not clean enough for you to
make paint? Exactly.
238
00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:02,599
What other liquid
ingredients go in there?
239
00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:04,479
So we're going to put a wetting
agent in there.
240
00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,719
How many litres have you
got of the wetting agent?
241
00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:09,199
About 75 to 100 litres.
242
00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,559
That's like a tablespoon
in our soup mix. Yeah.
243
00:14:11,560 --> 00:14:12,639
What does that do?
244
00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:15,239
That will make sure that the paint
stays wet when you're applying it,
245
00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:17,239
so it won't dry on the brush
or on the roller,
246
00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:18,999
and will also stay wet
within the tin.
247
00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,359
And this one, this is our
dispersant.
248
00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:23,279
The dispersant. How much of that's
going in?
249
00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:24,879
Twice that amount there is going in.
250
00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:27,319
And that obviously is
an enormous drum of honey.
251
00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,199
Wouldn't eat it. And that is going
to help all those powders
252
00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,679
and all those ingredients break out
into the paint,
253
00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:34,519
and make sure that it's evenly
distributed
254
00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:36,359
so we don't get lumps and bumps
everywhere.
255
00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:38,839
So that keeps the ingredients
blended together? Yeah.
256
00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:41,239
You want to make sure you can
keep it all together,
257
00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:44,119
and it's not going to separate,
either rise or sink to the bottom.
258
00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:47,399
Why, when I open tin of paint,
and there's like a clear liquid,
259
00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:49,039
like a head of a beer
on the top of it?
260
00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,319
Cheaper paints, you'll find
that there is a 30 to 40% solids
261
00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:54,999
within paint, and they're always
trying to drop back out again.
262
00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:58,439
In cookery terms, it's split.
Exactly that.
263
00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:00,119
The liquid's come to the top. Yeah.
264
00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:01,999
And that's why we then run around
the garden,
265
00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:03,679
looking for a stick to stir it
with. Yeah.
266
00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:05,759
And then we have to put
a stick on the lid of the paint
267
00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:07,479
because we can't put
it on the patio floor.
268
00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:09,960
And then you make a mess everywhere.
Yeah, that's it, isn't it?
269
00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:15,960
Start the mixer up.
Press that middle button.
270
00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:23,040
And then all we're going to
do... tip them in.
271
00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:26,239
I add the wetting agent chemical...
272
00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:27,919
Wahey!
273
00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:30,360
..which slows the evaporation
rate of water.
274
00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:36,079
And then the dispersant,
275
00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:39,760
which will help powder particles
mix evenly throughout the liquid.
276
00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:43,520
All done. Great.
277
00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,839
We use a sort of relatively soft
propeller
278
00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,159
that's going to incorporate all
those liquids gently.
279
00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:51,799
No heat under that. No.
280
00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,000
It's like a gentle stir. Yes.
281
00:15:56,480 --> 00:16:00,079
The paddles blend the liquids
together for ten minutes,
282
00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:02,720
at 100 rotations a minute.
283
00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:07,799
Now we've got our wet liquids in,
284
00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,399
we can then move on to the
dry powders.
285
00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,279
Over to the right here,
we've got the china clay,
286
00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:14,679
we've got the chalk,
287
00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:16,839
we've also got our titanium
dioxide as well.
288
00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:18,039
What is that?
289
00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:20,039
So this is titanium dioxide.
290
00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:21,959
It's going to turn things white.
291
00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:23,999
That's what its job is,
because it's the whitest
292
00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:26,199
and brightest of the pigments
that you can use.
293
00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,439
It goes into things like
paracetamol, sun cream,
294
00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:30,519
even toothpaste.
295
00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:31,959
Do you know where it comes from?
296
00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:36,199
So titanium dioxide is a naturally
occurring pigment.
297
00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:37,559
It's mined all around the world,
298
00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,559
but we get a very specific
grade from Holland.
299
00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:42,600
Dutch titanium.
It's Dutch titanium.
300
00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:45,800
It's Dutch Titanium.
301
00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,480
We both said it now, that makes it
double Dutch.
302
00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,759
Each 25 kilo bag of fine dry powder
303
00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:01,640
is carefully added into the
5,100-litre mixer.
304
00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:05,959
This brilliant white
creates the base paint
305
00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,640
for most of the coloured
emulsions made in the factory.
306
00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:17,199
A total of 55 bags
of titanium dioxide...
307
00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,359
40 bags of china clay,
308
00:17:20,360 --> 00:17:24,640
and 25 bags of chalk are added to
the mix over the course of an hour.
309
00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:30,719
The key to creating a consistent
paint is the high shear dispersion
310
00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:35,439
blade, which spins at 1,500
rotations a minute.
311
00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:39,360
That's three times faster
than your average helicopter blade!
312
00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:44,000
As it spins, a vortex is created.
313
00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:51,520
This sucks the liquid, along with
the powders, downwards.
314
00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:57,319
The fast-spinning blade forces
the liquid and powders
315
00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:59,159
to collide at high speed,
316
00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:02,080
reducing the particle size of the
powders...
317
00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:05,840
..and dispersing them evenly.
318
00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:12,439
The dispersant we added earlier
ensures the powders remain
319
00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:16,400
perfectly suspended in the liquid
and won't sink to the bottom.
320
00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:20,159
So Gregg, now we're going to add
a resin.
321
00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:22,079
That resin, it looks like that.
322
00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:25,839
In a 5,000-litre batch of paint,
how much resin we putting in?
323
00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:27,559
Well over 1,000 litres is going in.
324
00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:29,559
Whoa! As much as water? Yeah.
325
00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:31,719
What does the resin do for
your paint?
326
00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:33,519
So it binds it all together.
327
00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:38,239
So at the moment, our paint looks
like that, without the resin in it.
328
00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:40,079
And if you move it around,
329
00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,119
you can see that it's not being
held together.
330
00:18:42,120 --> 00:18:45,119
And this is finished paint,
with a resin in.
331
00:18:45,120 --> 00:18:47,959
And as you can see, all that
titanium, china clay,
332
00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,519
all the liquid, that is binding to
the side of the beaker there.
333
00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:53,999
Oh, yeah! And there is a distinct
difference between the two.
334
00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:55,919
There most certainly is, my friend.
335
00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,359
It sticks nicely to the side
because all the components
336
00:18:58,360 --> 00:18:59,920
within it are all staying together.
337
00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,599
Made from vinyl acetate
and ethylene,
338
00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:08,279
the resin is essentially the glue
that sticks everything together
339
00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:12,279
when the paint finally dries into
a thin film on your wall.
340
00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:14,680
It also makes it wipeable.
341
00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:19,999
After being thoroughly mixed for 30
minutes,
342
00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,999
the result is enough smooth
emulsion paint
343
00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:25,040
to fill more than 2,000 tins.
344
00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:29,399
But there's something missing...
345
00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:33,279
Lots of processes, lots of different
ingredients, it's still white.
346
00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:36,039
Can I go and add some colour? Yeah,
that's the next step.
347
00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:37,279
Down there? Downstairs.
348
00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,679
Thank you very much, sir. Thank
you. You're a fine fellow.
349
00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:41,040
Thank you. Thank you very much.
350
00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:48,479
Adding colour to my white base paint
will finally bring it to life.
351
00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:50,119
But during World War I,
352
00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:52,919
bright paint did more than
motivate a makeover.
353
00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:55,479
It may have saved lives.
354
00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:57,120
LOUD EXPLOSIONS
355
00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,959
The First World War was not just a
war about trenches
356
00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,039
and land armies.
357
00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,320
Much of it was played out at sea.
358
00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:12,439
And off Britain's coasts,
359
00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,560
there was a predator lurking beneath
the waves.
360
00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:19,240
U-boats.
361
00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:25,759
In February 1917, after three years
of stalemate,
362
00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:30,039
Germany launched a naval strategy
to destroy shipments to Britain
363
00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:33,520
of vital food and military
supplies from her allies.
364
00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:36,039
In just three months,
365
00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:40,880
German submarines sank more than 500
merchant ships.
366
00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:47,640
The British Navy had to
retaliate,
367
00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:52,120
and it did so with one of the
strangest ideas in military history.
368
00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:58,159
Here, dry docked in Portsmouth,
is the last remaining
369
00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:01,039
British First World War ship...
370
00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:04,240
..that is still painted
in "dazzle camouflage".
371
00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:09,239
Matthew Sheldon is executive
director
372
00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,520
of the National Museum of the
Royal Navy.
373
00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,479
Matthew, hello! Hello, Ruth.
It's lovely to see you.
374
00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:16,679
Nice to see you.
375
00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,679
So why on earth has this ship got
such a dazzling paintwork?
376
00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,079
Well, it was applied to ships
from about 1917,
377
00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:28,159
to try and dazzle German U-boat
commanders
378
00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,039
who were looking through their
periscopes
379
00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:33,559
and trying to target these ships
with their deadly torpedoes.
380
00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:35,359
It sounds really strange,
doesn't it?
381
00:21:35,360 --> 00:21:37,279
I mean, you imagine you want
ships to hide at sea,
382
00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:39,959
you'd want to paint them sea
coloured. Yeah, they did do that.
383
00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:43,839
You're used to things being painted
grey, and that's really camouflage.
384
00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,239
This was not camouflage.
385
00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:49,039
We knew we couldn't hide ships
completely from U-boats,
386
00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:53,039
so what we were trying to do was
to confuse that person
387
00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:56,599
looking through the periscope,
planning the bearing and the speed
388
00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:58,839
of the torpedo they were going
to fire,
389
00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,600
and try and confuse them, literally
dazzle their minds.
390
00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:08,559
These extraordinary ships employed
visual strategies
391
00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:09,840
to trick the eye...
392
00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:16,039
..including the shimmering
effect of chequerboard patterns,
393
00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:19,359
as used on the famous liner
the Mauritania,
394
00:22:19,360 --> 00:22:21,840
commissioned to carry US
troops to Europe.
395
00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:27,359
We've now got curved lines affecting
the hull,
396
00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:31,359
and it becomes harder to understand
the exact shape of that
397
00:22:31,360 --> 00:22:32,879
in different sea conditions.
398
00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,559
Yeah, that seems to sort of move
all on its own, doesn't it?
399
00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:37,919
It moves, yeah, and the thing
that really mattered was
400
00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:39,799
if you alter the perspective,
401
00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,919
the person firing can't tell how
far the ship away is,
402
00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,599
or perhaps that it's, you can't tell
which direction it's going.
403
00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:50,000
Yeah. So you'd aim wrong,
you'd aim front or back. Absolutely.
404
00:22:51,360 --> 00:22:54,959
So where did the idea for dazzle
camouflage come from?
405
00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:57,679
I'm meeting Camilla Wilkinson,
a senior lecturer
406
00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:01,879
at the University of Westminster,
who's researching dazzle painting,
407
00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:06,159
the camouflage scheme which was
invented by her grandfather.
408
00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:08,799
Hello. Hello, how do you do?
409
00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:11,999
So tell me, who was your
grandfather?
410
00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,639
So, my grandfather,
Norman Wilkinson, was an artist.
411
00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:19,239
He'd really wanted to be
an artist from a very young age
412
00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:24,039
and really from his early youth was
drawing and painting ships.
413
00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:28,359
From 1900 onwards, he was working
for the Illustrated London News.
414
00:23:28,360 --> 00:23:30,639
Really illustrating the arms race
415
00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:32,680
that was building up to the
First World War.
416
00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:35,799
With the outbreak of war,
417
00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:39,559
and while drawing the growing
number of stricken ships,
418
00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:44,000
Wilkinson was struck by the scale
of the tragedy unfolding at sea.
419
00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:47,959
And when he later signed
up for the Navy,
420
00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:51,839
his deep visual understanding of
ships and shipwrecks
421
00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:53,639
allowed him to address the problem
422
00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:57,520
of how to protect Britain's fleet in
a whole new way.
423
00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:03,599
This is the sketch that he first
took to the Admiralty,
424
00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:07,079
and you can see here the silhouette
of a sinking ship
425
00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:10,839
laid over the elevation of a ship.
426
00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:12,119
Oh, yes, definitely.
427
00:24:12,120 --> 00:24:14,279
As if it had broken in half there
and there's the bow
428
00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,199
sticking up out of the sea.
That's right, yes.
429
00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:17,839
So when the periscope comes up,
430
00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:19,679
instead of seeing the ship
they're expecting,
431
00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:20,959
they're seeing a wreck.
432
00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:22,679
Well, yes, I mean, initially,
433
00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:25,439
I think then when it actually came
to the designs,
434
00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:27,279
the designs became more abstract,
435
00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:29,960
and he was actually using the
visual distortion.
436
00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:34,639
The Admiralty gambled on Wilkinson's
designs,
437
00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:39,399
commissioning the first dazzle
paint job in May 1917.
438
00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:42,999
For the British officers witnessing
the ships for the first time,
439
00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,040
it was a mind-bending experience.
440
00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,239
I've got one of the accounts
from the seamen's reports
441
00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:54,479
that were made after the dazzle
ships were painted.
442
00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,279
"So remarkable was this optical
illusion
443
00:24:57,280 --> 00:24:58,919
"that I sent for all my officers
444
00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:02,039
"and asked for their opinion as to
the course of the ship.
445
00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:04,599
"Not one officer agreed with
the others."
446
00:25:04,600 --> 00:25:06,039
So, it had actually worked,
447
00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:09,239
it had confused a set of experienced
naval officers... That's right.
448
00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:12,119
..to such a degree they couldn't
even agree amongst themselves
449
00:25:12,120 --> 00:25:14,119
where the blinking ship was going.
450
00:25:14,120 --> 00:25:16,080
Yeah, I think that happened
quite often.
451
00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:21,799
Norman and his team, known as the
Royal Navy's "dazzle section",
452
00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,120
tested their designs on intricate
models...
453
00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:27,280
..before painting them
on the real thing.
454
00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:34,919
More than 4,000 ships - both naval
and merchant vessels -
455
00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:38,279
were eventually painted with
dazzle camouflage,
456
00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:42,040
in an ever-changing array
of patterns.
457
00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,199
What did people at the time think
about it?
458
00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:50,679
In the press, it was seen as quite
a sort of light spot in the war.
459
00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,520
It was seen as something
quite different.
460
00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,839
Dazzle camouflage may have
brightened up the war effort,
461
00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:00,280
but it was no joke.
462
00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:05,800
The statistics on how well it
worked in practice are unclear...
463
00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,999
..but for the men crossing
perilous seas,
464
00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:13,040
the psychological effect was
immense.
465
00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:20,119
There was a point where the
Admiralty actually questioned
466
00:26:20,120 --> 00:26:22,839
whether they would continue
painting the ships.
467
00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:25,959
One of the key reasons for deciding
to continue
468
00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:29,599
was that it really boosted
the morale of the merchant seamen.
469
00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:31,919
They felt they were protected.
470
00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:34,479
I can really see why people
stuck with it.
471
00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:39,199
I mean, it's clever, and it's a
genuine attempt
472
00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,719
to support the war effort,
473
00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,559
to bring more food, to bring more
ammunition,
474
00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:47,479
to save ships, and, of course, to
save lives.
475
00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:50,279
That's right. That's exactly right.
476
00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:53,159
And more than 100 years on from the
Armistice,
477
00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:55,599
looking at this magnificent ship,
478
00:26:55,600 --> 00:26:59,039
it's clear that Norman Wilkinson's
dazzling idea
479
00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:02,920
still stands as one of the
boldest in the history of warfare.
480
00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:15,000
At the factory in Dorset, they make
nearly 300 dazzling paints,
481
00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:17,760
with colours ranging from
Red Earth...
482
00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:20,000
..to Teresa's Green.
483
00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,999
But after five hours and 17 minutes
of loading and mixing,
484
00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:28,199
my interior emulsion is still in
desperate need
485
00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:29,600
of a splash of colour.
486
00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:35,880
So, my white base paint is pumped
to the Pigment area...
487
00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:40,879
..where I'm meeting Nate Land.
488
00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:42,039
Hey.
489
00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:44,519
Nate? Hello, sir. Hello, Gregg.
490
00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:46,559
How do we get it under way? Right.
491
00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:48,039
We simply hit the continue button.
492
00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:51,479
We'll have 900 litres of
the base dispensed into that pot.
493
00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:54,160
I'll do it. And that should start
right up.
494
00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:57,879
Whoa!
495
00:27:57,880 --> 00:27:59,240
Does that splash?
496
00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:03,440
No, you should be all right.
497
00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:08,519
Very impressive
but still very, very white.
498
00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,800
We're going to make a colour
called Sulking Room Pink.
499
00:28:13,120 --> 00:28:14,919
Say that again. Sulking Room Pink.
500
00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:16,679
Sulking Room Pink! Yes.
501
00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:18,279
Who comes up with these names, Nate?
502
00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:21,359
Well, this one was actually
created by our colour curator, Joa.
503
00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:22,919
It comes from boudoirs.
504
00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:24,839
But boudoir is like a bedroom,
right?
505
00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:27,199
No, boudoir comes from the French
word bouder,
506
00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:28,559
which means to sulk.
507
00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:30,040
HE EXCLAIMS IN SURPRISE
508
00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:38,479
For its moody makeover,
Nate manoeuvres the 1,200 kilos
509
00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:42,439
of white base paint,
enough for 360 tins,
510
00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:44,360
to the pigment adding station.
511
00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:48,719
I've got a selection of colourants
here that are going to go into this.
512
00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,119
You haven't just got a pot of pink.
No!
513
00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:53,799
We need to mix a mix from a fair few
different colourants
514
00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:55,359
to get the pink that we require.
515
00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:56,919
There's very different tones
of pink.
516
00:28:56,920 --> 00:28:59,400
You want to get your own colour
palette, right? Exactly.
517
00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:04,999
My pink is made by adding a precise
amount of three colours,
518
00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:08,479
starting with small measures dished
out by the computer,
519
00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:10,280
down to the millilitre.
520
00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:13,759
At the moment, we've got some
violet,
521
00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:15,999
we've got a little bit of
red and a little bit of black.
522
00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:17,919
I can't tell you exactly what
they are made from,
523
00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:21,119
but I can tell you they're a mixture
of chemicals, minerals and oxides.
524
00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:25,119
Now, I was expecting the factory's
secret recipe to involve
525
00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:28,759
mixing red to the white
to make pink - but black??!
526
00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:30,399
It's not quite enough red
or black there,
527
00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:32,159
so we need to put another two
litres of black,
528
00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:34,439
another four litres of red.
We're going to do that by hand,
529
00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:36,800
would you like to give me a hand
with that? I would love to.
530
00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:42,040
We pour out the larger quantities
from pre-measured one litre pots.
531
00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:46,839
Right, so we've got some
Brickmaker's Red here.
532
00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:49,039
We've got some Strong Black there.
533
00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:52,079
And like I say, we've got
a bit of violet as well, going in.
534
00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:54,599
So get all that in there,
lovely jubbly.
535
00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:55,719
Mate!
536
00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:57,999
Looks like Jackson Pollock.
537
00:29:58,000 --> 00:29:59,439
Whoa!
538
00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:01,599
Come on! Get 'em in there.
539
00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:02,839
That's beautiful. All right.
540
00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:06,039
Now we need to get every last morsel
out, so with our spatulas...
541
00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:08,479
..just get the last bits out.
542
00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:10,039
Wahey!
543
00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:11,240
This is fun!
544
00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:14,919
Whoa! Whoa!
545
00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:17,919
Ha! Ha-ho!
546
00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:20,399
I reckon I could get five
grand for that in some galleries.
547
00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:21,719
A bit of modern art for you, Gregg
548
00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:22,840
That is really smart.
549
00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:27,479
Oh, yes.
550
00:30:27,480 --> 00:30:28,999
Wow!
551
00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:30,760
Man, that's trippy.
552
00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:35,239
Look at this.
553
00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:36,880
This is fantastic.
554
00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:42,759
With every turn, so you get
a different colour profile...
555
00:30:42,760 --> 00:30:44,639
..and a different pattern.
556
00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:46,120
This is amazing!
557
00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:49,399
Look, look, look.
I'm getting salmon.
558
00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:51,399
I'm not really getting sulky
boudoir,
559
00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:53,399
but I'm definitely getting salmon.
560
00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:54,559
Whoa.
561
00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:57,319
That is fabulous.
562
00:30:57,320 --> 00:30:58,440
Yes!
563
00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:03,559
I could stay here for ages, mixing
psychedelic colours,
564
00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:07,840
but to get it fully blended, Nate
insists I close and set the mixer.
565
00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,039
If you'd like to hit the start
button, Gregg.
566
00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:13,320
MACHINE WHIRRS INTO LIFE
567
00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:17,719
Now, what we're looking for is
a nice vortex in the middle.
568
00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:19,999
We don't want to be pulling in too
much air,
569
00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:21,079
but we want to make sure
570
00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:22,999
we're pulling all the paint in
from the side.
571
00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:25,440
So we turn it at 800 per minute.
572
00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:28,440
You can see all this colour
developing now.
573
00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:33,519
It mixes thoroughly for 20 minutes,
574
00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:35,600
destroying my modern art!
575
00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:41,719
But I suppose traditional
DIYers don't want
576
00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:44,200
pockets of unexpected colour
in their pots!
577
00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,439
That definitely looks like the
colour we're after,
578
00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:50,839
so we've definitely done it right.
579
00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:52,519
That's not lairy at all, is it?
580
00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:54,399
No, that's how it's meant to look.
581
00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:57,119
I was expecting a really shiny,
bright pink,
582
00:31:57,120 --> 00:31:59,679
but that's not, it's quite subtle.
Yeah.
583
00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:01,439
I really like that.
584
00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:02,799
Yeah, I think it's a nice pink,
585
00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:04,639
it's got a little
bit of a dark tinge to it.
586
00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:06,319
We sell it to paint on
people's walls,
587
00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:08,039
but it's also what we use to put on
the wallpaper
588
00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:10,079
that you'll be making later.
Brilliant. Well, look,
589
00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:13,479
I really hope my wallpaper making
is as lovely as that.
590
00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:15,960
Thanks for your help.
Thank you, Nate. Take care.
591
00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:22,559
With my pink paint perfectly mixed,
592
00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:26,399
my next stop is the factory's busy
wallpaper department,
593
00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:31,040
where they make over 10,000 metres
of colourful prints every week.
594
00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:37,599
I grew up in a house with big
flowery wallpaper,
595
00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:39,959
and I haven't seen anything like
that for years.
596
00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:42,839
But now wallpaper is making
a big comeback,
597
00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:46,839
so when did we first start
papering over the cracks?
598
00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:50,040
Ruth has been stripping back
the history.
599
00:32:54,840 --> 00:32:58,279
Since the Middle Ages,
the wealthy and the powerful
600
00:32:58,280 --> 00:33:02,999
covered their walls with tapestries
or with silks like this.
601
00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:06,840
But when did we start sticking
paper to our walls?
602
00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:13,719
I'm in the beautiful Lake District,
603
00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:16,480
to unfurl the story with Allyson
McDermott...
604
00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:21,039
..who is one of Britain's foremost
makers, restorers,
605
00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:23,080
and historians of wallpaper.
606
00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:27,239
Allyson, hello! Hello!
607
00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:28,959
This looks intriguing.
608
00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:32,479
So, how far back does wallpaper go?
609
00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:36,279
I mean, it's quite difficult because
when is a wallpaper a wallpaper?
610
00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:38,879
Is it anything that is stuck
to a wall...
611
00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:40,639
Made of paper. ..made of paper.
612
00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:42,399
So how old is this then?
613
00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:44,719
That's late 17th century.
614
00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:48,759
A lot of the early papers dating
from the 16th and 17th century
615
00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:50,119
were multipurpose,
616
00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:54,039
and they were using them
to line boxes and shelves
617
00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:56,839
and case instruments - and walls.
618
00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:00,720
So, it's sort of like an all-purpose
decorative scheme. Yeah.
619
00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:05,319
These early experiments in wallpaper
got a boost
620
00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:07,600
by changing ideas around hygiene.
621
00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:12,359
Instead of wood, from the 17th
century coal began to be
622
00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:16,679
burned in homes, which left a sticky
black residue,
623
00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:18,999
that collected dirt on the fabrics
624
00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:21,359
that adorned the homes of
the wealthy.
625
00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:25,680
Wallpaper was seen as a
much more hygienic alternative.
626
00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:32,239
Every wallpaper made in Britain
was 21 inches wide.
627
00:34:32,240 --> 00:34:36,359
That was the size of the moulds that
were available for making the paper.
628
00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:38,599
Oh! Because they're incredibly
heavy.
629
00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:42,599
Hardwood frame, filled with water
and paper pulp.
630
00:34:42,600 --> 00:34:45,839
So, the size you could make had to
be something
631
00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:47,800
that a person could hold? Exactly.
632
00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:52,719
The wallpaper was made in moulds
633
00:34:52,720 --> 00:34:55,519
from a pulp of linen
and cotton rags,
634
00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:57,480
which dried into paper.
635
00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:03,599
It was then transformed
into elaborate designs.
636
00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:08,479
But one of the most fashionable to
have in the home was flock.
637
00:35:08,480 --> 00:35:12,879
The textured flock resembled the
textile wall hangings,
638
00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:15,559
and was made from real wool fibres,
639
00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:18,160
giving it a luxurious feel.
640
00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,599
That is flock? That is flock.
641
00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:25,039
Chopped-up wool fibres. Yeah.
642
00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:28,319
In the 18th century, they were
chopped by hand, using a guillotine.
643
00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:30,559
There must have been
loads of wool about at that time.
644
00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:33,080
Well, there was because it was
such an important industry.
645
00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:38,079
Before the flock could be applied,
designs were printed,
646
00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:41,759
using hand carved wooden blocks
dipped in paint.
647
00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:43,320
Into the bed.
648
00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:47,280
Put this on by hand.
649
00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:55,079
This is oil and resin-based
because it retains its stickiness.
650
00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:58,319
OK. So this is close to oil paint.
Yeah.
651
00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:00,640
Now do I just lift this off?
Yeah. OK.
652
00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:07,200
Whoa! Whoa!
653
00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:12,999
While the thick paint was
still sticky,
654
00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:16,359
it was a race against time for early
wallpaper makers
655
00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:21,280
to apply the flock, with the aid of
a contraption called a flock box.
656
00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:25,559
So this is all still wet, isn't it?
657
00:36:25,560 --> 00:36:29,639
It is. You've got about a half
an hour window.
658
00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:30,680
Right.
659
00:36:32,440 --> 00:36:35,519
It's a bit like doing a glitter
card at school, isn't it?
660
00:36:35,520 --> 00:36:38,079
You put the glue on, then you shake
the glitter on. Exactly.
661
00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:40,479
Absolutely exactly like that.
662
00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:42,079
OK. Right.
663
00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:43,200
Now this...
664
00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,920
Very gently knock
it from underneath. Oh!
665
00:36:49,960 --> 00:36:53,399
It just helps the flock sort
of settle.
666
00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:55,679
You get a much more even coverage.
667
00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:57,999
In just a matter of minutes...
668
00:36:58,000 --> 00:36:59,999
It's off.
669
00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:02,199
Oh, wow!
670
00:37:02,200 --> 00:37:03,839
That's brilliant, isn't it?
671
00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,479
Doesn't that look amazing?
672
00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:09,080
The simple paper is transformed.
673
00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:11,679
I can see why it was popular.
674
00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:13,839
I mean, who was buying this stuff?
675
00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:18,199
Well, small-scale flocks
were for sort of merchants' houses.
676
00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:20,559
But we exported them throughout
Europe.
677
00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:24,799
I mean, Madame de Pompadour,
who was the lover of Louis XV,
678
00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:27,599
used it in her private apartments in
Versailles, allegedly.
679
00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:30,679
You know, if it's good enough for
the Palace of Versailles,
680
00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:32,439
it's good enough for me.
681
00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:34,120
Absolutely. Looks great.
682
00:37:42,640 --> 00:37:46,039
At the factory, after six hours
and 32 minutes,
683
00:37:46,040 --> 00:37:49,360
I've made my dark pink
emulsion paint.
684
00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:55,639
It's ready to be put into tins.
685
00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:59,039
But some of it is heading to
another building on site,
686
00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:01,640
so I can make traditional wallpaper.
687
00:38:08,040 --> 00:38:12,479
The factory produces 49
different wallpapers,
688
00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:15,560
with new patterns added every
few years.
689
00:38:17,320 --> 00:38:20,559
Their most popular
orders are historical designs,
690
00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:24,599
painted on machines that use tried
and tested techniques
691
00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:26,640
like roller and block printing.
692
00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:33,799
I'm on my way to hang out with
wallpaper machine operator
693
00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:35,120
John Bailey.
694
00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:40,719
Hi, Gregg. Hello, my friend.
695
00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:43,159
Looking here at all these rolls.
Yeah.
696
00:38:43,160 --> 00:38:44,479
Where does it come from?
697
00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:46,919
Northern England and Italy.
698
00:38:46,920 --> 00:38:49,679
It's produced up in those factories
and brought down to here.
699
00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:52,759
This is 140g per square metre,
700
00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:55,519
so it's a lot heavier
than your normal A4 paper.
701
00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:57,239
It's woven paper as well.
702
00:38:57,240 --> 00:39:00,679
What does that mean, John?
Basically, woven is the texture,
703
00:39:00,680 --> 00:39:01,999
so it's got a weave to it.
704
00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:05,720
So when you apply the wallpaper
paste, it's more absorbable.
705
00:39:07,160 --> 00:39:11,479
Unlike many modern wallpapers with
a mix of synthetic fibres,
706
00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:16,519
here they use 100% natural
paper from traditional wood pulp,
707
00:39:16,520 --> 00:39:19,399
supplied in jumbo rolls.
708
00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:23,159
So, we're looking at 3,600
metres of paper here.
709
00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:26,759
You can get around about 360 rolls
of wallpaper.
710
00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:29,639
That'd get your lounge done,
wouldn't it! Definitely.
711
00:39:29,640 --> 00:39:33,759
Instead of simply printing
a design on paper using modern inks,
712
00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:39,480
they colour it using 130 litres
of the factory's own emulsion paint.
713
00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:42,999
If you have a look in this
barrel... That's my paint!
714
00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:45,519
That's your paint. That's your
Sulk Room Pink.
715
00:39:45,520 --> 00:39:47,119
Over here is your paint trough.
716
00:39:47,120 --> 00:39:49,039
If you switch this pump on,
717
00:39:49,040 --> 00:39:52,039
it'll start pumping up
paint into our trough here.
718
00:39:52,040 --> 00:39:53,159
There it is.
719
00:39:53,160 --> 00:39:55,999
You are filling up a small paddling
pool with pink paint.
720
00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:57,040
That's it.
721
00:39:59,880 --> 00:40:01,239
Let's get the paper moving.
722
00:40:01,240 --> 00:40:03,719
So just push that button that says
"main motor".
723
00:40:03,720 --> 00:40:04,880
MACHINE WHIRRS SOFTLY
724
00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:08,640
There we are.
725
00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:12,119
So, what's happening here,
726
00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:14,439
we've got the paint going onto
the cylinder
727
00:40:14,440 --> 00:40:17,040
The cylinder's then applying that
paint onto the paper.
728
00:40:18,640 --> 00:40:20,679
Let me get this right.
729
00:40:20,680 --> 00:40:23,519
We've got a trough full of
pink paint. Yep.
730
00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:25,879
That paint is going onto
this roller.
731
00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:29,399
The paper is going over the roller,
picking up the pink paint.
732
00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:31,799
Is this the way all paper is
coloured?
733
00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:35,359
No, this is the way we do it,
and it's the traditional way,
734
00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:36,799
and we believe it's better.
735
00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:38,759
You get a better depth,
better texture.
736
00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:40,760
We use paint. We don't use ink.
737
00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:45,039
Cheaper ink is a thin dissolved
solution of dyes
738
00:40:45,040 --> 00:40:47,360
that can be sprayed and penetrate
the paper.
739
00:40:48,480 --> 00:40:50,919
But paint is thicker, and doesn't
dissolve,
740
00:40:50,920 --> 00:40:54,760
so it sits on top of the surface,
building up a textured layer.
741
00:40:58,080 --> 00:41:00,239
So the next point, we've got an
air knife.
742
00:41:00,240 --> 00:41:03,319
It's like the hand dryers
you get in the bathrooms.
743
00:41:03,320 --> 00:41:07,280
The air knife is blowing a thin line
of air, taking the excess paint off.
744
00:41:09,520 --> 00:41:13,600
And now that's going over here,
where the brush is smoothing it out.
745
00:41:14,920 --> 00:41:16,599
Why do you have a brush?
746
00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:20,039
It massages the paint into
the paper.
747
00:41:20,040 --> 00:41:23,360
It creates a brushed finish,
so it makes it look hand-painted.
748
00:41:26,720 --> 00:41:29,959
The brushed paint forms
a quarter of a millimetre-thick
749
00:41:29,960 --> 00:41:31,320
layer on the paper.
750
00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:35,599
After its blow dry and massage,
751
00:41:35,600 --> 00:41:40,079
this pampered pink wallpaper enjoys
a hot stone heat treatment,
752
00:41:40,080 --> 00:41:43,039
passing under heated ceramic tiles
for one minute
753
00:41:43,040 --> 00:41:44,839
at 80 degrees Celsius.
754
00:41:44,840 --> 00:41:47,800
Enough time to dry the paint
without burning the paper.
755
00:41:50,280 --> 00:41:51,360
There we are!
756
00:41:52,320 --> 00:41:54,040
We've got pink.
757
00:41:56,400 --> 00:42:00,000
So now my big roll of blush is
ready for its design.
758
00:42:01,920 --> 00:42:03,960
We've got it. Thank you.
759
00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:08,679
And for that, me and my paper are
heading
760
00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:10,600
to the pattern printing machine.
761
00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:15,799
Hello, Simon. Good to see you again.
And you mate.
762
00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:19,079
I'm guessing this is going to put
a pattern onto our paper. Yeah.
763
00:42:19,080 --> 00:42:21,399
Obviously, we've got
our background colour now,
764
00:42:21,400 --> 00:42:24,519
and what we're going to do is print
on top of it, using this block.
765
00:42:24,520 --> 00:42:27,439
Where do you get these blocks?
Has someone got to make them? Yeah.
766
00:42:27,440 --> 00:42:29,239
So these are made specially
for us.
767
00:42:29,240 --> 00:42:31,239
So what we do is we order a blank,
768
00:42:31,240 --> 00:42:33,359
which is basically the right
circumference,
769
00:42:33,360 --> 00:42:36,079
and then we send them a digital
design of what we want to make,
770
00:42:36,080 --> 00:42:38,199
and then they will actually machine
that out for us.
771
00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:39,279
What's it made out of?
772
00:42:39,280 --> 00:42:41,359
It's a wood and polymer resin mix,
773
00:42:41,360 --> 00:42:43,839
so it can't be too hard,
because then it'll be too fragile.
774
00:42:43,840 --> 00:42:46,279
It can't be too soft because then it
won't print properly.
775
00:42:46,280 --> 00:42:47,439
So we put the block in.
776
00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:49,199
Is there a name for this pattern?
777
00:42:49,200 --> 00:42:51,879
So this is Lotus, from a 19th
century pattern.
778
00:42:51,880 --> 00:42:53,919
What colour are we going to
put on this block?
779
00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:56,039
So this is going to have a gold
metallic print on top of it.
780
00:42:56,040 --> 00:42:57,480
Wow! Yeah.
781
00:43:00,120 --> 00:43:04,279
This shiny metallic gloss is
made from a paste containing real
782
00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:08,599
flakes of bronze, that bind together
with resin, making it tougher
783
00:43:08,600 --> 00:43:11,920
and stickier than the matt
emulsion paint.
784
00:43:17,480 --> 00:43:19,360
So that roller's now absorbed
that gold paint.
785
00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:22,839
A bit nervous. I like my pink.
786
00:43:22,840 --> 00:43:25,399
I'm a bit nervous of gold
on top of it.
787
00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:27,199
Now we've got the gold onto the
roller bar.
788
00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:29,039
Whoa, look at that!
789
00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:31,120
You've got your print going on to
the paper. Mate!
790
00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:36,479
That isn't just wallpaper.
791
00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:39,040
That is one hell of a statement.
Isn't it just?
792
00:43:41,840 --> 00:43:45,799
So, what you can see now, that
roller has picked up the paint,
793
00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:47,879
and is now going across the surface
of the block.
794
00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:50,879
So that will continually apply the
design to the paper with no gaps.
795
00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:53,199
So the sponge picks up the paint?
Exactly.
796
00:43:53,200 --> 00:43:56,599
The sponge puts it onto your roller,
797
00:43:56,600 --> 00:43:58,800
and the roller prints
it on the paper? Exactly.
798
00:43:59,760 --> 00:44:02,960
The roller turns at ten
centimetres a second...
799
00:44:04,320 --> 00:44:08,319
..and is monitored to ensure
there's continuous contact,
800
00:44:08,320 --> 00:44:10,760
creating a perfect print.
801
00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:17,959
Who is going to have pink
and gold wallpaper in their house?
802
00:44:17,960 --> 00:44:20,199
A lot of the paper that we do is
designed for feature walls.
803
00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:23,480
So it's quite an impactful image,
but it's quite small.
804
00:44:25,160 --> 00:44:28,839
Listen, that's not necessarily the
colour scheme that I would choose,
805
00:44:28,840 --> 00:44:32,239
but it is striking and I am
impressed by the process.
806
00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:33,519
Brilliant, yeah.
807
00:44:33,520 --> 00:44:37,239
The design, printed on top
of brushed paint, pays homage
808
00:44:37,240 --> 00:44:41,560
to the Arts and Crafts movement,
creating a handcrafted effect.
809
00:44:43,000 --> 00:44:44,999
Nothing out of a computer,
810
00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:48,919
that is paint and pattern paint on
paint. Absolutely, yeah.
811
00:44:48,920 --> 00:44:50,960
Everything we do is the most
traditional method.
812
00:44:51,960 --> 00:44:55,039
So whether it be roller printing,
block printing or drags
813
00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:57,720
and stripes, it's all very historic,
very traditional manufacturing.
814
00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:04,800
The historic gold design is
dried at 80 degrees Celsius.
815
00:45:07,720 --> 00:45:09,599
So, this is our glaze station.
816
00:45:09,600 --> 00:45:11,719
This is where we apply
the top glaze.
817
00:45:11,720 --> 00:45:14,199
It's a clear glaze made out of resin
and water,
818
00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:16,719
that's going to give it
a level of protection.
819
00:45:16,720 --> 00:45:19,679
It'll clean up if you get
sauce on it, stuff like that.
820
00:45:19,680 --> 00:45:24,679
Rotating foam pads ensure the
printed wallpaper is evenly coated
821
00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:27,319
with a thin film of the resin.
822
00:45:27,320 --> 00:45:30,360
Just enough of a barrier
for flying sauces!
823
00:45:32,280 --> 00:45:33,439
Is that another oven?
824
00:45:33,440 --> 00:45:35,239
So, yeah, this will go through
another oven,
825
00:45:35,240 --> 00:45:36,399
heated to 80 degrees again.
826
00:45:36,400 --> 00:45:38,039
It will then come out dry,
827
00:45:38,040 --> 00:45:40,919
and as you can see, we've got
much more of a matt finish.
828
00:45:40,920 --> 00:45:42,119
Very lovely.
829
00:45:42,120 --> 00:45:44,399
I like the rolls and the
ripple effect.
830
00:45:44,400 --> 00:45:46,040
I do. I do.
831
00:45:51,240 --> 00:45:52,919
So, Gregg, this is our final part.
832
00:45:52,920 --> 00:45:54,919
This is where we're actually going
to take the rolls
833
00:45:54,920 --> 00:45:56,720
and roll them up into 10 metre
lengths.
834
00:45:58,040 --> 00:45:59,479
We're trimming them at this point.
835
00:45:59,480 --> 00:46:01,999
So what we're going to do, is we're
going to cut a little bit
836
00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:04,319
of each side off, roughly about
half an inch.
837
00:46:04,320 --> 00:46:07,039
The key thing here is that we're
going to make sure we've lined it up
838
00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:09,800
correctly, so we are taking off
exactly the right amount each side.
839
00:46:12,120 --> 00:46:16,399
Close checks are vital here, to
ensure the trims on each side
840
00:46:16,400 --> 00:46:20,920
will result in the correct repeat
pattern when the wallpaper is hung.
841
00:46:23,200 --> 00:46:25,879
And this is our final quality
control stage.
842
00:46:25,880 --> 00:46:28,759
So what we can do here, is take
a sample of it,
843
00:46:28,760 --> 00:46:32,159
take it to our hang boards, line
it up and make sure it's all right.
844
00:46:32,160 --> 00:46:34,320
So, here's one if you'd like
to check it.
845
00:46:35,760 --> 00:46:37,960
That feels like an honour.
846
00:46:39,720 --> 00:46:43,759
With the accuracy of the roller
and the precision of the trim,
847
00:46:43,760 --> 00:46:46,039
the sheets should fit perfectly
together
848
00:46:46,040 --> 00:46:50,320
to create a large intricately
weaving Lotus pattern.
849
00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:53,519
So we've got to make sure that the
pattern's aligned,
850
00:46:53,520 --> 00:46:55,320
got to make sure that the repeat's
in place.
851
00:46:57,080 --> 00:47:01,399
Hey, how do you guarantee that
that's going to happen?
852
00:47:01,400 --> 00:47:03,119
So, the mechanics of the line
853
00:47:03,120 --> 00:47:05,359
and the guy setting it up
and the guys trimming it
854
00:47:05,360 --> 00:47:08,239
are the three key elements to make
sure it all lines up correctly.
855
00:47:08,240 --> 00:47:11,919
You can clearly feel the two
separate layers. Yep.
856
00:47:11,920 --> 00:47:13,759
And this is one of the
differences you get
857
00:47:13,760 --> 00:47:16,799
with using paint on paper,
as opposed to inks.
858
00:47:16,800 --> 00:47:19,519
So are you comfortable now that
we've got it? Yep.
859
00:47:19,520 --> 00:47:21,239
So we're lined up nicely.
860
00:47:21,240 --> 00:47:23,319
It all looks nice and
even - it's flat.
861
00:47:23,320 --> 00:47:25,919
There's no sheen imbalance on it
whatsoever.
862
00:47:25,920 --> 00:47:28,999
The print looks good, so we can make
the order ready for shipping.
863
00:47:29,000 --> 00:47:31,079
Isn't that wonderful? OK.
864
00:47:31,080 --> 00:47:33,800
How much is that a roll?
That's £170 a roll.
865
00:47:34,760 --> 00:47:36,639
It doesn't come cheap, your
expertise, mate.
866
00:47:36,640 --> 00:47:38,080
It does not, no, it doesn't.
867
00:47:46,120 --> 00:47:48,919
Although many of us have probably
had a go at painting,
868
00:47:48,920 --> 00:47:52,639
not everyone's got the confidence
to hang their own wallpaper.
869
00:47:52,640 --> 00:47:55,960
Cherry's been getting the lowdown on
the perfect drop.
870
00:47:58,440 --> 00:48:01,639
It seems like wallpaper is all
the rage right now,
871
00:48:01,640 --> 00:48:03,559
and I'm feeling inspired.
872
00:48:03,560 --> 00:48:05,599
I have actually tried wallpapering
once before,
873
00:48:05,600 --> 00:48:08,199
and it didn't really go very well.
874
00:48:08,200 --> 00:48:11,399
So, to master the how-tos of hanging
a roll,
875
00:48:11,400 --> 00:48:14,239
I'm at the DIY School in Stockport,
876
00:48:14,240 --> 00:48:17,439
where tradespeople
and budding DIYers like me
877
00:48:17,440 --> 00:48:19,559
can brush up on their skills,
878
00:48:19,560 --> 00:48:22,839
with the help of decorating guru
Kat Corbett.
879
00:48:22,840 --> 00:48:25,199
Hi, Kat. Ah, hello.
880
00:48:25,200 --> 00:48:26,799
Lovely to meet you. You too.
881
00:48:26,800 --> 00:48:27,999
So, I need your help.
882
00:48:28,000 --> 00:48:31,639
Many years ago, I tried to wallpaper
and it was a complete disaster.
883
00:48:31,640 --> 00:48:34,199
At one point my hand went
through the wallpaper. Yep.
884
00:48:34,200 --> 00:48:38,159
When it finally was up, it looked
terrible and was all baggy.
885
00:48:38,160 --> 00:48:39,880
This is something we do hear
a lot of.
886
00:48:41,000 --> 00:48:44,839
So, time for Kat to impart
some of her top tips.
887
00:48:44,840 --> 00:48:47,440
And it all starts with
the choice of paper.
888
00:48:49,440 --> 00:48:51,919
You've got your woven paper
and your non-woven paper.
889
00:48:51,920 --> 00:48:53,279
They're your basics.
890
00:48:53,280 --> 00:48:55,959
The woven papers, which are your
traditional papers,
891
00:48:55,960 --> 00:48:58,039
they are plant based, cellulose
fibres.
892
00:48:58,040 --> 00:49:01,479
Right. Now we've got the
non-woven papers,
893
00:49:01,480 --> 00:49:03,279
which have got the plastics in
there,
894
00:49:03,280 --> 00:49:04,760
which helps it hold its shape.
895
00:49:05,680 --> 00:49:11,559
Unlike Gregg's woven paper, 30% of
this paper is acrylic plastic,
896
00:49:11,560 --> 00:49:15,200
which makes it a bit easier
for a learner like me to handle.
897
00:49:16,480 --> 00:49:20,919
But first we need to prep our wall,
because the wallpaper paste
898
00:49:20,920 --> 00:49:24,479
will behave differently
depending on the type of surface.
899
00:49:24,480 --> 00:49:28,080
You can see how, simply by flicking
water at the wall.
900
00:49:31,280 --> 00:49:33,159
The fresh plaster's gone darker.
Yeah.
901
00:49:33,160 --> 00:49:36,519
That means that the water is
absorbed into the surface. Yeah.
902
00:49:36,520 --> 00:49:39,399
If you put a single layer of
paste on this,
903
00:49:39,400 --> 00:49:42,839
your paste would be absorbed in
these areas, not absorbed in this.
904
00:49:42,840 --> 00:49:43,999
And then what would happen?
905
00:49:44,000 --> 00:49:47,040
Your paper would be attached here
and not here.
906
00:49:48,400 --> 00:49:50,239
To prevent patchy plaster,
907
00:49:50,240 --> 00:49:54,160
we need to first apply
a watered-down wallpaper paste.
908
00:49:55,240 --> 00:49:56,999
Roll it on and leave it to dry.
909
00:49:57,000 --> 00:50:00,159
During that drying process,
it will be absorbed into the wall,
910
00:50:00,160 --> 00:50:02,080
and seal the surface for us.
911
00:50:03,920 --> 00:50:08,079
After sealing, Kat recommends
students apply a lining paper,
912
00:50:08,080 --> 00:50:11,040
to provide a super-smooth surface.
913
00:50:12,400 --> 00:50:14,079
Can I have a go at that? Yeah.
914
00:50:14,080 --> 00:50:16,600
So you want to go to that way,
sideways.
915
00:50:17,960 --> 00:50:20,000
That's to get all the bubbles out.
916
00:50:21,440 --> 00:50:23,079
Yeah, perfect.
917
00:50:23,080 --> 00:50:27,199
And once you're ready to start
hanging the wallpaper itself,
918
00:50:27,200 --> 00:50:31,599
there are some simple measurements
you can make for perfect placement.
919
00:50:31,600 --> 00:50:35,039
What I absolutely recommend from the
start is finding
920
00:50:35,040 --> 00:50:37,679
the centre of your wall.
Why is that?
921
00:50:37,680 --> 00:50:41,479
Because your eye will always pick
up on the middle first.
922
00:50:41,480 --> 00:50:44,719
So if you end up with a seam
right in the middle of your wall,
923
00:50:44,720 --> 00:50:48,880
your eyes will see that before
they see the overall impact. I see.
924
00:50:50,240 --> 00:50:53,279
We measure out half
the width of the wallpaper
925
00:50:53,280 --> 00:50:55,959
on either side of the centre line.
926
00:50:55,960 --> 00:50:59,759
Standard wallpaper
is 53 centimetres wide.
927
00:50:59,760 --> 00:51:04,159
Use a spirit level to draw
a line from ceiling to floor,
928
00:51:04,160 --> 00:51:07,919
marking out the edges of your first
piece of wallpaper.
929
00:51:07,920 --> 00:51:11,879
And the benefit of modern acrylic
paper is that you can paste
930
00:51:11,880 --> 00:51:15,000
the wall directly, not the
wallpaper.
931
00:51:16,160 --> 00:51:19,359
And you're going to do
the very top edge.
932
00:51:19,360 --> 00:51:22,879
I'm going to swap you
the brush for the roller. OK.
933
00:51:22,880 --> 00:51:25,119
And you're going to work
all your way down,
934
00:51:25,120 --> 00:51:26,999
overlapping that line -
that's it, lovely.
935
00:51:27,000 --> 00:51:30,039
You want it slightly wider than
the paper is going to be. OK.
936
00:51:30,040 --> 00:51:32,959
So, we overlap on the seams
for the papers.
937
00:51:32,960 --> 00:51:36,919
We want it thick enough
so you could write your name.
938
00:51:36,920 --> 00:51:40,679
What exactly is wallpaper paste?
It doesn't feel very sticky.
939
00:51:40,680 --> 00:51:44,440
No, as it dries, that's when they
really take action and keep hold.
940
00:51:45,440 --> 00:51:48,279
The paste works by soaking up water
941
00:51:48,280 --> 00:51:51,639
and retaining it for longer
than regular glue.
942
00:51:51,640 --> 00:51:56,279
This means a slow bonding speed,
and more time to dry,
943
00:51:56,280 --> 00:51:59,319
giving you wiggle room to get your
wallpaper up
944
00:51:59,320 --> 00:52:00,840
and make any adjustments.
945
00:52:01,920 --> 00:52:04,439
I'm going to get right up to the
top with my paper.
946
00:52:04,440 --> 00:52:06,439
I'm going to drop that down to you.
947
00:52:06,440 --> 00:52:08,920
I want you to just make sure it
doesn't hit the wall.
948
00:52:10,200 --> 00:52:13,239
All I'm doing is lining up
the edge of my paper...
949
00:52:13,240 --> 00:52:15,759
With that line you drew.
..with that line.
950
00:52:15,760 --> 00:52:20,359
OK. So with your brush or your
smoother, whichever one you prefer,
951
00:52:20,360 --> 00:52:25,760
any bubbles that are stuck under
there, you are moving down and out.
952
00:52:27,480 --> 00:52:29,679
Once you've smoothed out
the bubbles,
953
00:52:29,680 --> 00:52:35,079
Kat recommends using a sharp craft
knife to trim around the ceiling,
954
00:52:35,080 --> 00:52:40,080
the floor, and obstacles
like a window frame or fireplace.
955
00:52:41,120 --> 00:52:43,200
So, I'm going to find the pattern.
956
00:52:44,320 --> 00:52:47,040
OK, there's my pattern.
Well done.
957
00:52:48,280 --> 00:52:50,000
Oh, I bet you're good at jigsaws.
958
00:52:51,320 --> 00:52:54,279
As the water in the paste
slowly evaporates,
959
00:52:54,280 --> 00:52:56,759
it leaves behind an adhesive,
960
00:52:56,760 --> 00:53:00,719
which bonds to both the wall
and the wallpaper,
961
00:53:00,720 --> 00:53:02,359
locking them together.
962
00:53:02,360 --> 00:53:07,399
I now know the theory - time to try
wallpaper hanging in practice!
963
00:53:07,400 --> 00:53:09,959
Is it there? Is it there?
964
00:53:09,960 --> 00:53:11,039
Yes.
965
00:53:11,040 --> 00:53:13,639
I'm sorry, but I'm really good
at that!
966
00:53:13,640 --> 00:53:16,759
Is that perfect? Yeah, well done!
Yeah, yeah!
967
00:53:16,760 --> 00:53:18,240
I'm really proud of myself!
968
00:53:21,440 --> 00:53:22,839
Well done.
969
00:53:22,840 --> 00:53:27,159
I can't actually believe this,
but I really enjoyed that.
970
00:53:27,160 --> 00:53:29,199
I'm a total wallpaper convert.
971
00:53:29,200 --> 00:53:32,679
Well done. You've been an absolute
joy to "hang" out with.
972
00:53:32,680 --> 00:53:33,919
THEY LAUGH
973
00:53:33,920 --> 00:53:35,119
Thank you so much, Kat.
974
00:53:35,120 --> 00:53:36,160
Thank you very much.
975
00:53:45,480 --> 00:53:48,199
Back at the traditional wallpaper
and paint factory,
976
00:53:48,200 --> 00:53:50,959
the lovely team here have helped
me prepare
977
00:53:50,960 --> 00:53:53,800
my water based interior
emulsion paint...
978
00:53:55,360 --> 00:54:00,000
..mixed to make a 900 litre
batch of Sulking Room Pink.
979
00:54:01,800 --> 00:54:03,199
To get it ready for filling,
980
00:54:03,200 --> 00:54:06,680
the paint is pumped into a hopper
above the conveyor line.
981
00:54:08,560 --> 00:54:12,039
Then it's squirted into
two-and-a-half-litre pots
982
00:54:12,040 --> 00:54:14,239
every three-and-a-half seconds.
983
00:54:14,240 --> 00:54:19,440
The nozzle uses 220 jets to get
an even, dripless flow.
984
00:54:23,400 --> 00:54:24,839
In just 20 minutes,
985
00:54:24,840 --> 00:54:30,000
360 tins of my paint are ready
for storage at Dispatch...
986
00:54:34,760 --> 00:54:38,039
..where warehouse manager Jo
Karpiuk has asked me
987
00:54:38,040 --> 00:54:41,600
to bring a box of eight rolls of my
pink and gold wallpaper.
988
00:54:43,080 --> 00:54:44,759
Jo? Hi, yeah.
989
00:54:44,760 --> 00:54:46,279
Wallpaper - where shall I put it?
990
00:54:46,280 --> 00:54:48,079
Could you just set it down here
for me, please.
991
00:54:48,080 --> 00:54:49,639
Certainly. Certainly.
992
00:54:49,640 --> 00:54:53,599
Hello, Jo. Jo, how many tins of
paint you have in here, do you know?
993
00:54:53,600 --> 00:54:57,599
It's usually about 460,000 litres
of paint that we store in here.
994
00:54:57,600 --> 00:54:59,359
Wow! Wow!
995
00:54:59,360 --> 00:55:02,239
That's enough paint in this
one warehouse
996
00:55:02,240 --> 00:55:06,079
to fill more than 5,700 bathtubs!
997
00:55:06,080 --> 00:55:08,840
If you wanted to fill a bathtub
with paint, that is!
998
00:55:09,920 --> 00:55:11,199
I'm impressed, Jo.
999
00:55:11,200 --> 00:55:12,759
Hundreds of different shades here.
1000
00:55:12,760 --> 00:55:15,039
How many tins of paint are you
sending out of here each day?
1001
00:55:15,040 --> 00:55:17,199
Around 10,000 tins a day.
1002
00:55:17,200 --> 00:55:19,839
And wallpaper? 450 rolls a day.
1003
00:55:19,840 --> 00:55:21,679
Really? Yeah.
1004
00:55:21,680 --> 00:55:25,239
But despite some big orders to shops
and superstores,
1005
00:55:25,240 --> 00:55:30,919
the factory also offers a more
bespoke service direct to DIYers.
1006
00:55:30,920 --> 00:55:33,879
Has anybody ordered my pink paint?
1007
00:55:33,880 --> 00:55:38,159
Yes. Actually, I am holding an order
right here for two tins of paint
1008
00:55:38,160 --> 00:55:39,719
and some wallpaper.
1009
00:55:39,720 --> 00:55:41,919
Where is it? It's just behind you.
1010
00:55:41,920 --> 00:55:43,040
Of course it is.
1011
00:55:44,720 --> 00:55:46,079
Is this a good seller, this?
1012
00:55:46,080 --> 00:55:47,559
It's one of our most popular ones.
1013
00:55:47,560 --> 00:55:49,079
Really? Yeah.
1014
00:55:49,080 --> 00:55:51,959
Are you going to charge extra
because I helped make it?
1015
00:55:51,960 --> 00:55:54,559
No, we're going to charge less!
1016
00:55:54,560 --> 00:55:58,279
Did the person who ordered my paint,
did they order the wallpaper?
1017
00:55:58,280 --> 00:55:59,639
Yes, they have. Brilliant.
1018
00:55:59,640 --> 00:56:02,519
They're going to have a living room
that looks like a strawberry sundae.
1019
00:56:02,520 --> 00:56:03,999
Oh, yeah!
1020
00:56:04,000 --> 00:56:08,199
My tins of paint are sent down the
line for packing into boxes,
1021
00:56:08,200 --> 00:56:09,400
ready for shipping.
1022
00:56:11,200 --> 00:56:14,119
So this pallet is a pallet
of individual orders
1023
00:56:14,120 --> 00:56:15,599
What do we do with this pallet now?
1024
00:56:15,600 --> 00:56:18,279
So we're just waiting for the order
you just picked
1025
00:56:18,280 --> 00:56:19,759
to be placed on a pallet.
1026
00:56:19,760 --> 00:56:21,839
Hey, thank you very much.
1027
00:56:21,840 --> 00:56:24,039
Look at that. That completes that
beautifully.
1028
00:56:24,040 --> 00:56:25,359
And what you going to do now?
1029
00:56:25,360 --> 00:56:27,039
So we're going to wrap
the pallet now,
1030
00:56:27,040 --> 00:56:29,439
so it's all safe and stable.
1031
00:56:29,440 --> 00:56:33,079
Although this pallet contains 36
individual orders,
1032
00:56:33,080 --> 00:56:34,679
they're still wrapped together
1033
00:56:34,680 --> 00:56:37,240
to avoid an en route paint spill
disaster.
1034
00:56:38,960 --> 00:56:41,120
No-one wants a Sulking Pink van!
1035
00:56:44,320 --> 00:56:47,240
Right. So that's wrapped and
labelled. It can go on the van now.
1036
00:56:51,280 --> 00:56:52,639
Oi, oi!
1037
00:56:52,640 --> 00:56:53,839
You all right, mate?
1038
00:56:53,840 --> 00:56:55,680
Be careful, special load that is,
I done that.
1039
00:56:58,720 --> 00:57:00,199
That's my order on there.
1040
00:57:00,200 --> 00:57:04,279
Somebody's got a really nice pink
surprise coming.
1041
00:57:04,280 --> 00:57:05,719
End of my journey.
1042
00:57:05,720 --> 00:57:08,239
Interesting and most certainly
very colourful.
1043
00:57:08,240 --> 00:57:10,000
Thank you, Jo. Thank you so much,
Gregg.
1044
00:57:15,480 --> 00:57:17,999
Watching my little order
leave feels...
1045
00:57:18,000 --> 00:57:19,200
.."emulsional"!
1046
00:57:20,480 --> 00:57:24,000
15 hours and 42 minutes after
the start of production...
1047
00:57:25,360 --> 00:57:29,040
..my pink paint and patterned wall
paper is heading to London...
1048
00:57:30,440 --> 00:57:33,600
..while other deliveries
decorate all over the UK...
1049
00:57:34,920 --> 00:57:36,680
..and as far afield as Canada...
1050
00:57:37,600 --> 00:57:39,519
..Japan...
1051
00:57:39,520 --> 00:57:40,560
..and Greenland!
1052
00:57:43,200 --> 00:57:44,679
I've enjoyed my time here.
1053
00:57:44,680 --> 00:57:47,799
This is a big company with
a small company feel,
1054
00:57:47,800 --> 00:57:50,879
and it's full of very
passionate people.
1055
00:57:50,880 --> 00:57:54,679
But mixing up a big
vat of coloured paint...
1056
00:57:54,680 --> 00:57:55,919
Get 'em in there.
1057
00:57:55,920 --> 00:57:57,679
Whoa! Whoa!
1058
00:57:57,680 --> 00:58:01,119
..was one of the loveliest things
I've ever, ever done.
1059
00:58:01,120 --> 00:58:05,479
And now I'd like to think there's
a really classy boudoir somewhere,
1060
00:58:05,480 --> 00:58:08,080
all done up in Sulking
Room Pink.
1061
00:58:11,280 --> 00:58:16,239
The factory has come a long way
from its first early assembly lines.
1062
00:58:16,240 --> 00:58:18,920
But how did we get from there
to here?
1063
00:58:20,400 --> 00:58:23,599
Explore the history and future of
the factory
1064
00:58:23,600 --> 00:58:25,839
on an interactive timeline.
1065
00:58:25,840 --> 00:58:30,439
Go to...
1066
00:58:30,440 --> 00:58:33,200
and follow the links to the
Open University.
142516
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