Painting Heritage Homes in Canberra
If you are considering painting the interior or exterior of your heritage house in Canberra, it’s important not only to consider the colour scheme but also the style and type of paint that was used originally. While lead-based enamels on windows and trim, and powdered distemper paints like Kalsomine on walls are no longer used, there are modern alternatives that outperform those original finishes whilst keeping and protecting the typical Canberra heritage look and feel.
Original enamels tended to chalk up and become brittle, causing flaking and problems due to their lead content. Careful preparation of the surfaces prior to painting, combined with the right paint products will keep the heritage value of your home, while meeting the challenges of the next 80 years.
The importance of proper preparation
We recommend the following preparation and painting techniques for older homes in heritage areas such as Ainslie, Reid and Campbell:
- Washing any exterior surface with high-pressure water to remove the delaminating top coat;
- Sanding timber surfaces with a vacuum-connected sanding machine (we use Festool) to catch any harmful dust; and
- Specifying modern paints that have been modified to overcome problems such as loss of sheen, hairline cracking, chalking and flaking. For exteriors, we use Dulux Metal shield Premium UV Resistant enamel topcoat or Dulux Acratex Elastomeric membranes for masonry protection. Dulux and Porter’s Paints offer an excellent range of premium paint options for interior work.
Choosing your heritage colours
While preparing the surfaces correctly is just as important as using the correct paint, don’t underestimate the value of investing in a professional painter to help you choose the right colours. With the huge variety of shades and textures available today, the right colour (or perhaps even the right wallpaper) can make all the difference to your painting and decorating project. We use and recommend Journey Home Interiors for all our Canberra painting projects.
Seek professional help for painting
At Fusion Painting, we have completed a range of exterior and interior projects in Reid, Ainslie and Campbell. We are proud sponsors of the Reid Residents’ Association. With over 20 years experience in the painting and decorating industry, we are happy to provide advice on how to tackle your project. Please feel free to contact us on 0417 685 211 or by email at info@fusionpainting.com.au
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