Painting Heritage & Historic house interiors
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Are you looking for an expert interior painter in the lower north shore? Maybe I can help
Are you looking for an expert interior painter in the lower north shore? Maybe I can help
Painting heritage homes is a different task to painting a ‘modern’ house. Whether its Victorian, Federation, Art Deco or Mid Century, your painting experience will be different because those houses were built using VERY DIFFERENT MATERIALS each of which DEGRADES VERY DIFFERENTLY over time.
For this exercise I count houses built after 1960 as ‘modern’ and anything built before 1960 as ‘heritage’, mainly because of the exclusive us of Gyprock after that date.
PAINTING DIFFERENT SURFACES
Painters call painted surfaces SUBSTRATES but the word MATERIALS is better understood.
Painting modern walls and ceilings
Where a modern house will have Gyprock ceilings and walls in every room, the builders of a heritage house interior used all manner of materials for walls and ceilings.
Plaster board or GYPROCK was a huge game changer in faster and therefore cheaper construction. First introduced in the 1890’s, it became almost exclusively used in the 1960’s. Gyprock has the advantage of fast installation and a smooth surface, but the disadvantage of being very fragile and can totally collapse when wet.
Plaster board or GYPROCK was a huge game changer in faster and therefore cheaper construction. First introduced in the 1890’s, it became almost exclusively used in the 1960’s. Gyprock has the advantage of fast installation and a smooth surface, but the disadvantage of being very fragile and can totally collapse when wet.
Lead in Heritage homes
Heres what I know about lead paint. I am not an expert and people have used lead paint in all sorts of ways but in Australia until 1972, so it COULD be anywhere. But generally heres how it was SUPPOSED to be used.
Lead paint was used a lot as an EXTERIOR primer and for finished paint work. It resisted the elements, bugs and rust and gave a nice shiny appearance.
For INTERIORS lead paint was ‘mostly’ used for the interior trim or woodwork. ‘Sometimes’ it was used as a primer for other interior surfaces.
Lead paint is only really harmful when it is disturbed such as when it is sanded or to a lesser extent when it is chipped off a surface. Breathing lead DUST is the problem, especially for children.
Thats why I ONLY WET SAND trim.
Lead paint was used a lot as an EXTERIOR primer and for finished paint work. It resisted the elements, bugs and rust and gave a nice shiny appearance.
For INTERIORS lead paint was ‘mostly’ used for the interior trim or woodwork. ‘Sometimes’ it was used as a primer for other interior surfaces.
Lead paint is only really harmful when it is disturbed such as when it is sanded or to a lesser extent when it is chipped off a surface. Breathing lead DUST is the problem, especially for children.
Thats why I ONLY WET SAND trim.
Wet sanding in heritage homes
Wet sanding involves using an abrasive sponge that is wet and rinsed regularly. The ‘dust’ is captured in the water which is tipped down the toilet. Scraping off flaking trim paint is best done wearing a mask, with the flakes swept up and removed asap.
Possibly a much bigger cause of lead in a historic home is lead dust from petrol sitting in your attic. I once helped a mate do some emergency repairs to his Heritage roof space. I could taste a sweet taste on my lips - thats lead! He later hired specialists to vacuum the dust up and replace his insulation.
SO … when it comes to painting Heritage Home INTERIORS it is wise to be careful about lead but not paranoid: Alert but not Alarmed.
Possibly a much bigger cause of lead in a historic home is lead dust from petrol sitting in your attic. I once helped a mate do some emergency repairs to his Heritage roof space. I could taste a sweet taste on my lips - thats lead! He later hired specialists to vacuum the dust up and replace his insulation.
SO … when it comes to painting Heritage Home INTERIORS it is wise to be careful about lead but not paranoid: Alert but not Alarmed.
Painting Heritage Ceilings
Painting Plaster and Lath Ceilings
Plaster and lath is an ancient technique where wet plaster is spread over a ceiling made of thin wooden strips. The strips have gaps of about a centimetre. The wet plaster squishes through and around the gaps and when it dries grips tightly onto the wooden frame. This is called keying. The plaster has keyed to the timber slat.
Also the plaster is reinforced with horse hair - that’s right, from actual horses! Its like an old fashioned fibre glass mix.
Later, layers of un-reinforced plaster smooth the whole ceiling out and decorative pre-moulded decorations can be added after that.
Also the plaster is reinforced with horse hair - that’s right, from actual horses! Its like an old fashioned fibre glass mix.
Later, layers of un-reinforced plaster smooth the whole ceiling out and decorative pre-moulded decorations can be added after that.
Ceiling Cracks
Plaster and lath can last for over a hundred years but eventually some keys break and cracks appear. But the good news it that all that horse hair usually hold everything in place. So the result might be badly cracked but still not falling from the sky.
Also there are DIFFERENT KINDS OF CRACKS. Very small cracks can be treated with glue. Bigger cracks might need a fibre glass tape and plaster repair and very bad cracks might need to be screwed down. More info on that here:
https://www.mosman-handyman.com.au/blog/who-can-fix-wall-cracks-in-mosman
Also there are DIFFERENT KINDS OF CRACKS. Very small cracks can be treated with glue. Bigger cracks might need a fibre glass tape and plaster repair and very bad cracks might need to be screwed down. More info on that here:
https://www.mosman-handyman.com.au/blog/who-can-fix-wall-cracks-in-mosman
Ceiling peeling
As well as cracks a plaster and lath ceiling could also be subject to roof or gutter leaks that wet areas for long or short periods. Luckily the horse hair nearly always holds everything together. After the roof has been fixed and the plaster dried, the (usually) thick layers of paint that have built up over the years can become unsound and start to peel.
This unsound paint needs to peeled off. Often what starts as a small visible peel will expand to whole sheets of old paint coming free from the ceiling. All the loose paint must be removed.
This leaves what I call ‘craters’ - visible differences in thickness between old secure paint and scraped clean raw plaster ceiling. Ideally the crater edges are glued to stop any further peeling, then the carters are ‘skimmed’ with a thin layer of new wet plaster.
This unsound paint needs to peeled off. Often what starts as a small visible peel will expand to whole sheets of old paint coming free from the ceiling. All the loose paint must be removed.
This leaves what I call ‘craters’ - visible differences in thickness between old secure paint and scraped clean raw plaster ceiling. Ideally the crater edges are glued to stop any further peeling, then the carters are ‘skimmed’ with a thin layer of new wet plaster.
Sealing a ceiling. (or priming it)
Then when all the cracks and peeling are repaired the repairs must be sealed/primed or the paint won’t stick to the repairs. I use “Zinsser Peel Stop”. Its essentially a kind of runny glue that soaks into the plaster and gives it a hard paintable surface when dry.
As an added benefit it also seeps into any tiny cracks that were too small to fill and 'binds' them.
ONLY NOW CAN THE CEILING BE PAINTED!!!
As an added benefit it also seeps into any tiny cracks that were too small to fill and 'binds' them.
ONLY NOW CAN THE CEILING BE PAINTED!!!
Heritage Ceiling paint colour
Dulux VIVID WHITE will give you the most light because its a pure white. You cant go wrong with vivid white.
Dulux WHISPER WHITE is a great alternative if you want the slightest touch of cream, which often seems appropriate in historic homes.
Dulux WHISPER WHITE is a great alternative if you want the slightest touch of cream, which often seems appropriate in historic homes.
Heritage Ceiling paint finish
Go FLAT every time. Heritage ceilings will always have imperfections, even after all this repair work, and flat (rather than low sheen, semi gloss or gloss) will hide them.
Painting a Heritage Ceiling with brush and roller
Heritage plaster ceilings usually have a lot of moulded detail. I find painting with a sheep’s wool roller (20mm nap) which holds lots of paint is a good way to start. The very long fibres get into most of the nooks and crannies. Then a regular paint brush finishes the job. And definitely give a second coat.
Looks great and lasts much longer
With this sort of proper preparation the results will look great and last a lot longer. The surface wont be 100% flat but that looks right for a hand plastered heritage home. (If you want 100% flat you can re sheet with Gyprock but this often looks a bit strange.)
Painting Heritage Metal Ceilings
Pressed metal (or pressed tin) ceilings were a popular alternative to plaster between 1880 and 1930. An ceiling could have low relief patterning across the entire surface.
But of course metal is a very different material to plaster. So degradation of the surface is quite different. There might be some movement but metal ceiling don’t really crack like plaster does.
Historic metal ceilings were instead subject to rust. Usually surface rust but sometimes rust so bad holes would appear.
As with all rust treatment, there are a few steps.
Not surprisingly, all this effort takes time and time is money, but it’s the only way to deal with a rusted pressed metal ceiling (apart from completely replacing it).
And its important to note that dealing with rusted metal ceilings is not a ‘usual’ painting problem. So you must find a painter who has done this work before and knows what’s involved.
I’ve seen too many homes where the owner or past painters just painted straight over the rust … and the rust popped back through within a matter of weeks or months, continuing merrily on it’s corrosive way.
Some heritage homes have had the old rusty metal replaced with Aluminium reproductions. This is great stuff because it never rusts but still has the period patterns we love so much. Aluminium pressed metal ceilings need a good oil based primer before the ceiling paint is applied.
Whether you have Aluminium or traditional steel pressed ceilings, after they have been repaired or primed final painting is the same. Again, a long nap roller is best. This will get into most of the fairly shallow details. Following up with a brush finishes the job. Again, two coats please.
But of course metal is a very different material to plaster. So degradation of the surface is quite different. There might be some movement but metal ceiling don’t really crack like plaster does.
Historic metal ceilings were instead subject to rust. Usually surface rust but sometimes rust so bad holes would appear.
As with all rust treatment, there are a few steps.
- REMOVE as much surface rust as possible, with a motorised or hand held brass wire brush. This is dirty hard work and thats why a lot of home owners or cheap painters don’t do it. Also, its easy to be too heavy handed and go right through the metal.
- Apply RUST CONVERTER. Rust Converter is strong chemical designed to neutralise rust and seal it up preventing moisture getting.
- Apply a RUST INHIBITING PRIMER. An oil based primer with addition rust inhibitors to again seal up the old rust and keep future moisture out.
- Then, and only then, does the regular (water based) ceiling paint go on.
Not surprisingly, all this effort takes time and time is money, but it’s the only way to deal with a rusted pressed metal ceiling (apart from completely replacing it).
And its important to note that dealing with rusted metal ceilings is not a ‘usual’ painting problem. So you must find a painter who has done this work before and knows what’s involved.
I’ve seen too many homes where the owner or past painters just painted straight over the rust … and the rust popped back through within a matter of weeks or months, continuing merrily on it’s corrosive way.
Some heritage homes have had the old rusty metal replaced with Aluminium reproductions. This is great stuff because it never rusts but still has the period patterns we love so much. Aluminium pressed metal ceilings need a good oil based primer before the ceiling paint is applied.
Whether you have Aluminium or traditional steel pressed ceilings, after they have been repaired or primed final painting is the same. Again, a long nap roller is best. This will get into most of the fairly shallow details. Following up with a brush finishes the job. Again, two coats please.
Painting Heritage Timber Ceilings
Heritage timber ceilings are fairly rare, usually found in quite old houses/workers cottages.
And by timber we mean multiple boards lined up usually with a groove or detail between each board. Otherwise known as tongue and groove or T&G.
Painting Heritage timber ceilings has (you guessed it) different problems because its a different material.
If any moisture has leaked through rot may be an issue. After a carpenter has taken care of replacing any rotten boards the next problem is movement. Tongue and Groove boards are DESIGNED to move around a tint bit. This stops bowing, cupping and cracking of the timber. But movement is the enemy of the painter.
So there are two options.
And by timber we mean multiple boards lined up usually with a groove or detail between each board. Otherwise known as tongue and groove or T&G.
Painting Heritage timber ceilings has (you guessed it) different problems because its a different material.
If any moisture has leaked through rot may be an issue. After a carpenter has taken care of replacing any rotten boards the next problem is movement. Tongue and Groove boards are DESIGNED to move around a tint bit. This stops bowing, cupping and cracking of the timber. But movement is the enemy of the painter.
So there are two options.
- VARNISHED/DARK COLOURED CEILING - If the T&G ceiling is varnished or a dark colour, KEEP THAT COLOUR! Sand and redcoat in varnish or that dark colour. This will hide the inevitable movement.
- LIGHT COLOURED TIMBER CEILING - Fill each groove with Shelley’s No More Gaps. This product dries ‘rubbery’ and is quite flexible. It has limits but for painting a timber ceiling it works well. BUT this takes absolutely ages! And its hard on your arms.
Painting Heritage Trim
PAINTING HERITAGE DOORS, WINDOWS, SKIRTING AND PICTURE RAILS.
Painting the trim of a heritage house is time consuming but satisfying. When I say trim, I mean all the wooden bits of a room.
LEAD - I only WET sand trim in heritage houses to minimise possible lead dust. This is discussed in more detail above.
OIL OR WATER?
An essential question with painting old trim is, “Was this surface painted with oil or water based paint?” All heritage woodwork was originally painted with oil based paint because that was the only choice. But over the years many of these surfaces were (hopefully primed) and then painted with more modern water based (aka Acrylic) paint.
Here are 3 tests for oil or water.
1. The test is to rub Actone (also known as Nail Polish remover) with a rag on the paintwork. If the paint rubs off and marks the rag its probably water based.
2. Having softened with Acetone I find scratching the paint off with my finger nail a good sign that its water based.
3. Dry sand an inconspicuous part. If the paint comes off as a fine powder its probably oil. If its like shredded cheese it most likely water based.
So, if you’ve discovered your door is oil based, or you’re just not sure, or the whole house has a random mixture of both … a primer is needed.
Actually a primer is essential. Painting water based paint over an oil based surface WILL FAIL.
An oil based primer is best because it sticks the best and ironically water based paint CAN go over oil based PRIMER.
Heres a link to all the kinds of primers you can use.
https://www.mosman-handyman.com.au/blog/category/primer
Of course this all assumes you WANT to paint water based/Acrylic paint on your trim. Some people prefer to use traditional oil based paint (which CAN go over water based surfaces without priming).
The pros and cons are covered here:
https://www.mosman-handyman.com.au/blog/oil-based-or-water-based-paints
SANDING HERITAGE TRIM
The next job is to sand all the trim surfaces. As described above wet sanding is a much safer technique than quicker and much dustier dry sanding. Wet sanding is a much safer way of dealing with potential lead. But there is no need to sand down to the timber . A simple scuffing of the old surface iplus the right primer if needed) is all that is needed for the new paint to hold.
MOVEMENT/FILLING HERITAGE TRIM - All wood moves, but an addition problem is that Heritage woodwork is made of many pieces of wood - all moving around on their own. And paint can only take so much movement. Sellers No More Gaps comes to the rescue again! It fills the gaps perfectly and has the flexibility that wood demands. Make sure all the gaps are filled before painting because paint is not a filler.
MASKING?
It depends.
Where the skirting meets the floor - DEFINITELY! I use purple Scotch Delicate Surface for timber floors. Check it doesn’t pull up old floor varnish first.
If you have carpet I find the cheapest masking tape (that cream coloured stuff) is the stickiest and works the best on carpet. *NOTE This is the ONLY time I’ll suggest the cheapest option!
For other edges like around door handles etc. I prefer not to use masking tape, but had a very good helper who used it all the time for door handles etc.
Wherever you use masking tape make sure to run a stanley knife along the edge of the dry paint before lifting the tape. Otherwise you’ll pull up bits of your nice new paint film.
PAINTING HERITAGE TRIM
The trick (that I’m still learning) is to apply enough paint but not too much. Because the trim on Heritage Homes is so detailed it can often create little vertical rivers that paint loves to run down. You need to go back 2 or 3 times to check that if recently painted trim has a dribble or run, you can wipe it smooth before it dries.
As a rule I start in the middle of a door or window and work outwards. And 2 or even 3 coats is essential.
Painting the trim of a heritage house is time consuming but satisfying. When I say trim, I mean all the wooden bits of a room.
LEAD - I only WET sand trim in heritage houses to minimise possible lead dust. This is discussed in more detail above.
OIL OR WATER?
An essential question with painting old trim is, “Was this surface painted with oil or water based paint?” All heritage woodwork was originally painted with oil based paint because that was the only choice. But over the years many of these surfaces were (hopefully primed) and then painted with more modern water based (aka Acrylic) paint.
Here are 3 tests for oil or water.
1. The test is to rub Actone (also known as Nail Polish remover) with a rag on the paintwork. If the paint rubs off and marks the rag its probably water based.
2. Having softened with Acetone I find scratching the paint off with my finger nail a good sign that its water based.
3. Dry sand an inconspicuous part. If the paint comes off as a fine powder its probably oil. If its like shredded cheese it most likely water based.
So, if you’ve discovered your door is oil based, or you’re just not sure, or the whole house has a random mixture of both … a primer is needed.
Actually a primer is essential. Painting water based paint over an oil based surface WILL FAIL.
An oil based primer is best because it sticks the best and ironically water based paint CAN go over oil based PRIMER.
Heres a link to all the kinds of primers you can use.
https://www.mosman-handyman.com.au/blog/category/primer
Of course this all assumes you WANT to paint water based/Acrylic paint on your trim. Some people prefer to use traditional oil based paint (which CAN go over water based surfaces without priming).
The pros and cons are covered here:
https://www.mosman-handyman.com.au/blog/oil-based-or-water-based-paints
SANDING HERITAGE TRIM
The next job is to sand all the trim surfaces. As described above wet sanding is a much safer technique than quicker and much dustier dry sanding. Wet sanding is a much safer way of dealing with potential lead. But there is no need to sand down to the timber . A simple scuffing of the old surface iplus the right primer if needed) is all that is needed for the new paint to hold.
MOVEMENT/FILLING HERITAGE TRIM - All wood moves, but an addition problem is that Heritage woodwork is made of many pieces of wood - all moving around on their own. And paint can only take so much movement. Sellers No More Gaps comes to the rescue again! It fills the gaps perfectly and has the flexibility that wood demands. Make sure all the gaps are filled before painting because paint is not a filler.
MASKING?
It depends.
Where the skirting meets the floor - DEFINITELY! I use purple Scotch Delicate Surface for timber floors. Check it doesn’t pull up old floor varnish first.
If you have carpet I find the cheapest masking tape (that cream coloured stuff) is the stickiest and works the best on carpet. *NOTE This is the ONLY time I’ll suggest the cheapest option!
For other edges like around door handles etc. I prefer not to use masking tape, but had a very good helper who used it all the time for door handles etc.
Wherever you use masking tape make sure to run a stanley knife along the edge of the dry paint before lifting the tape. Otherwise you’ll pull up bits of your nice new paint film.
PAINTING HERITAGE TRIM
The trick (that I’m still learning) is to apply enough paint but not too much. Because the trim on Heritage Homes is so detailed it can often create little vertical rivers that paint loves to run down. You need to go back 2 or 3 times to check that if recently painted trim has a dribble or run, you can wipe it smooth before it dries.
As a rule I start in the middle of a door or window and work outwards. And 2 or even 3 coats is essential.
Painting Heritage Walls
In Australia, the materials/substrate in heritage walls are nearly always PLASTER over some sort of masonry (stone or brick). There are some other wall materials and they are covered below.
PAINTING PLASTER WALLS
Plaster walls start as stone or brick onto which several layers of plaster are applied, starting with thick coarse plaster and ending with a fine smooth plaster. Sometimes the earlier layers have a chopped reinforcing fibre but not always.
WALL CRACKS
The cracks that appear in walls are nearly always due to ground movement. So a house built on solid sandstone will have far fewer cracks than a house built on clay.
These cracks need to be filled before painting, with the proviso that no repair will beat a moving house if it wants to move!
For very small cracks, using glue can suffice. However, larger cracks may require fiberglass tape and plaster repairs. (Severe cracks will need to be examined by an engineer. The whole building may need support.) For more detailed information, visit this link.
PAINTING PLASTER WALLS
Plaster walls start as stone or brick onto which several layers of plaster are applied, starting with thick coarse plaster and ending with a fine smooth plaster. Sometimes the earlier layers have a chopped reinforcing fibre but not always.
WALL CRACKS
The cracks that appear in walls are nearly always due to ground movement. So a house built on solid sandstone will have far fewer cracks than a house built on clay.
These cracks need to be filled before painting, with the proviso that no repair will beat a moving house if it wants to move!
For very small cracks, using glue can suffice. However, larger cracks may require fiberglass tape and plaster repairs. (Severe cracks will need to be examined by an engineer. The whole building may need support.) For more detailed information, visit this link.
Peeling Walls
Unstable peeling paint is often just a sign of age but it must be removed. All loose paint must be scraped off, leaving what I call 'craters'—noticeable differences in thickness between the old, secure paint and the freshly exposed plaster. Ideally, the edges of these craters should be glued to prevent further peeling. Then, the craters are skimmed with a thin layer of new wet plaster.
Also a very common area for cracking is where the wall meets the ceiling cornice. Because these are concave cracks (rather than cracks in a fat surface) Selleys No More Gaps is the perfect flexible solution.
SEALING/PRIMING
Once all the cracks and peeling areas have been repaired, the repairs must be sealed or primed. Otherwise, the paint will not adhere properly to the repaired areas.
ONLY NOW CAN THE WALLS BE PAINTED!!!
Also a very common area for cracking is where the wall meets the ceiling cornice. Because these are concave cracks (rather than cracks in a fat surface) Selleys No More Gaps is the perfect flexible solution.
SEALING/PRIMING
Once all the cracks and peeling areas have been repaired, the repairs must be sealed or primed. Otherwise, the paint will not adhere properly to the repaired areas.
ONLY NOW CAN THE WALLS BE PAINTED!!!
Heritage wall paint colour
This is the really fun part of painting a heritage or historic home. Anything goes. I’ve seen black, dark blue walls, bright yellow walls, purple walls and of course muted greys and creams.
The reason almost any coloured wall can work is that in a heritage house the wall is FRAMED by TRIM - skirting boards windows, door frames and picture rails. So white trim could neatly frame black walls … or cream walls. It nearly always works!
And as I tell my clients, once all the prep work and wall crack repairs are done, changing your mind about a wall colour is not a massive cost. Complete one room and see how you like it before embarking on the rest of the house.
The reason almost any coloured wall can work is that in a heritage house the wall is FRAMED by TRIM - skirting boards windows, door frames and picture rails. So white trim could neatly frame black walls … or cream walls. It nearly always works!
And as I tell my clients, once all the prep work and wall crack repairs are done, changing your mind about a wall colour is not a massive cost. Complete one room and see how you like it before embarking on the rest of the house.
Heritage wall paint finish
Low Sheen is the way to go. I prefer Dulux Wash and Wear. This finish (or shininess) looks good and allows you to wipe marks and dust off easily. Just be aware that Low Sheen is a tiny bit shiny so some imperfections will still be visible, especially long hallways when the sun shines along them.
The alternative finish is Flat which looks brilliant but marks very easily. Even wiping with a damp cloth can leave a permanent mark.
The alternative finish is Flat which looks brilliant but marks very easily. Even wiping with a damp cloth can leave a permanent mark.
Painting a Heritage wall with brush and roller
Now is the time to ‘fill in the middle’. The ceiling is painted. the trim is painted. Both have a rough, slight overlap onto the wall, so its straight line time!
To achieve the best results, I use a cutting brush to paint around all the trim and along the ceiling cornice effectively creating a picture frame of wall colour.
Then I use a sheep’s wool roller (this time 10mm nap). This still holds a generous amount of paint and is far better than cheaper acrylic roller covers. The long fibers give a great consistent coverage that cheaper rollers just cant match. Be sure to apply a second coat for the best coverage.
To achieve the best results, I use a cutting brush to paint around all the trim and along the ceiling cornice effectively creating a picture frame of wall colour.
Then I use a sheep’s wool roller (this time 10mm nap). This still holds a generous amount of paint and is far better than cheaper acrylic roller covers. The long fibers give a great consistent coverage that cheaper rollers just cant match. Be sure to apply a second coat for the best coverage.
Looks great and takes a beating
With proper preparation, your results will not only look fantastic but also last much longer. The surface won't be perfectly flat, which is ideal for a hand-plastered heritage home. If a perfectly flat surface is desired, you can re-sheet with Gyprock, although this can sometimes look out of place in a heritage setting.
50% preparation. 50% colouration.
If you've made it this far you'll see that the BIG difference when it comes to painting heritage homes is the PREPARATION needed. (Thats how you get wildly different quotes: the cheap guys just leave out the preparation part. Easy! Of course it starts to fall off in a few months.)
Painting Heritage Houses is what I do every day and I love the fact that preparing/fixing/strengthening the surfaces/substrates is a huge part of the job. Then the fiddly-ness of moulded ceilings or detailed wooded trim really tests my painting skills.
There is so much more involved in painting a historical home than in painting a modern (post 1960) one. It just requires a bit (a lot?) of patience to get the surfaces ready for the brilliant paint skin, then a bit more patience applying paint to all those shapes!
But when the preparation and application are done properly you can look forward to many years of colourful, or calm, enjoyment of your beautiful heritage home.
Painting Heritage Houses is what I do every day and I love the fact that preparing/fixing/strengthening the surfaces/substrates is a huge part of the job. Then the fiddly-ness of moulded ceilings or detailed wooded trim really tests my painting skills.
There is so much more involved in painting a historical home than in painting a modern (post 1960) one. It just requires a bit (a lot?) of patience to get the surfaces ready for the brilliant paint skin, then a bit more patience applying paint to all those shapes!
But when the preparation and application are done properly you can look forward to many years of colourful, or calm, enjoyment of your beautiful heritage home.
Who am I to be telling you all this?
Hi, I’m Tony Richardson, a professional house painter. I specialise in painting interiors of heritage homes. The only houses I’ve ever owned have been eccentric old places, full of quirks and demands (although i could do with out the leaky roofs!) When it comes to painting heritage homes, you never stop learning. Its fun but its NEVER FAST.
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Are you looking for an expert interior painter in the lower north shore? Maybe I can help.
Are you looking for an expert interior painter in the lower north shore? Maybe I can help.
