Decorating an older home can be extremely rewarding, but it is not always as simple as choosing a colour and applying a fresh coat of paint. Walls, ceilings and woodwork may have been painted, wallpapered, repaired and altered numerous times, and previous work can affect the quality of the next decorative finish.
Problems are not always immediately obvious. Hairline cracks, loose paint, staining, uneven plaster and ageing woodwork can become much more noticeable once decorating begins. Simply covering these areas with fresh paint may improve their appearance temporarily without addressing the reason behind the problem.
Taking time to assess existing surfaces can therefore make a considerable difference. With more than 25 years of experience, Phil Edwards Painting & Decorating Ltd understands the importance of looking beyond the colour of a wall and considering the condition of the surface underneath.
Why Older Homes Can Need More Preparation
In an established property, a wall could have decades of paint, wallpaper, filler and previous repairs beneath its current finish.
That does not necessarily mean there is anything wrong with it. However, years of decorating and everyday wear can create surfaces that require additional attention before another finish is applied.
Old paint might have started losing adhesion, while previous filling can leave variations across a wall. Removing wallpaper may reveal imperfections that were previously hidden, and alterations to a property can leave patches of newer and older plaster alongside one another.
Preparation should therefore reflect the actual condition of each surface rather than following exactly the same process in every property.
Check the Condition of Existing Plaster
Plaster provides the foundation for much of the decorating inside a home, making its condition important to the final appearance.
Older plaster is not necessarily poor plaster. Many established properties have walls and ceilings that remain perfectly suitable for decorating. However, previous repairs and general wear can leave uneven areas, small cracks or sections requiring additional attention.
Minor cosmetic imperfections can often be dealt with during normal decorating preparation through appropriate filling, sanding and priming.
Loose or significantly damaged plaster is different. Painting over an unstable surface is unlikely to provide a satisfactory long-term result. Where more substantial deterioration is apparent, the condition of the plaster may need addressing before decorating continues.
Don’t Assume Every Crack Simply Needs Filling
Cracks are common imperfections encountered when redecorating, but they should not all automatically be treated in the same way.
Fine cosmetic cracking may only require suitable preparation before painting. However, repeatedly filling the same crack without considering why it returns may not provide a lasting result.
A painter and decorator can assess imperfections from a decorating perspective, but decorating should not be used to disguise something requiring further investigation. Cracks that are substantial, repeatedly return, appear to be changing or otherwise cause concern may warrant advice from an appropriately qualified professional before cosmetic work proceeds.
The objective should always be to create a good decorative finish on a suitable surface rather than conceal a potentially unrelated problem beneath filler and paint.
Look for Damp or Persistent Moisture
Staining, bubbling paint, peeling coatings and recurring discolouration can sometimes indicate excess moisture.
Applying another coat of paint may hide a mark temporarily, but it will not resolve the cause if moisture continues to affect the surface.
There are numerous potential causes of damp and correctly diagnosing them falls outside the role of a painter and decorator. From a decorating perspective, the important point is recognising when a surface may not yet be suitable for painting.
The cause of persistent moisture should be properly investigated and addressed before redecorating. Homeowners can find further information through RICS guide to damp and mould.
Once the underlying problem has been dealt with and the surface is suitable for decorating, the affected area can be appropriately prepared and refinished.
Consider the Existing Layers of Paint
When looking at a painted wall, you generally only see its most recent finish. An older property may have several coatings underneath.
Those layers matter because a new finish relies on the stability of the surface beneath it.
If an existing coating is sound and firmly adhered, it may provide a suitable basis for further preparation and painting. Areas already flaking, peeling or poorly bonded need attention first.
Preparation might involve removing loose material, smoothing edges, sanding suitable surfaces and using an appropriate primer where necessary.
Extra care may also be required when the age or nature of an existing coating is uncertain. Rather than making assumptions about unfamiliar materials, an appropriate preparation method should be established before substantial sanding, scraping or removal takes place.
Inspect Doors, Skirting Boards and Woodwork
Walls and ceilings often receive most of the attention, but interior woodwork can have an equally significant impact on the finished room.
Doors, frames, skirting boards, window boards and staircases can accumulate numerous layers of coating. Everyday use may also leave chips, scratches and damaged edges.
Preparation depends on the existing condition. Sound paintwork may require cleaning and suitable abrasion before recoating, while damaged areas could require additional filling, sanding or priming.
Simply adding more paint over years of imperfections can make details increasingly heavy or uneven. Careful preparation allows a new finish to enhance existing joinery rather than merely add another visible layer.
What Could Be Hiding Behind Old Wallpaper?
Removing wallpaper can reveal a very different surface from the one you expected.
Once old coverings are stripped away, you might discover previous filling, uneven plaster, staining, small cracks or remnants of earlier wallpaper.
These discoveries do not automatically indicate a serious problem, but the exposed wall should be assessed before another decorative finish is applied. New wallpaper or paint is unlikely to disguise a poorly prepared underlying surface successfully.
Phil Edwards provides professional wallpapering services in Cambridge alongside painting and decorating, allowing the condition of the wall and the final covering to be considered as part of the same decorating project.
Be Careful When Disturbing Very Old Paint
When working on significantly older painted surfaces, you may not know exactly which products previous decorators used.
This becomes particularly important when substantial sanding, scraping or stripping is planned.
The Health and Safety Executive advises that some older buildings can contain lead-based paint. Anyone dealing with potentially affected surfaces should therefore understand the appropriate precautions before disturbing old coatings. Further information is available through the HSE guidance on lead and old paintwork.
This does not mean that every old painted surface is hazardous. It simply means the age and nature of existing coatings should be considered rather than automatically removing them without appropriate precautions.
Choosing the Right Finish
Once surfaces are sound and properly prepared, attention can turn to the final decorative coating.
There is no single paint that is automatically right for every older property. Product selection should consider the surface being painted, previous coatings, room conditions, expected wear and the appearance you want to achieve.
A busy hallway, for example, has different practical requirements from a bedroom, while painted woodwork requires different consideration from walls and ceilings.
Professional experience can be valuable here because paint should be selected for more than its colour. The preparation, primer where required and finishing product should work together appropriately for the particular surface.
Good Preparation Makes a Difference
Much of professional decorating is about what happens before the final colour is applied. This is particularly important when decorating an older home, where the condition of previous paintwork, plaster, repairs and other surfaces may not be immediately obvious.
Assessing walls, ceilings and woodwork allows potential problems to be identified early. Filling, sanding, priming and other appropriate preparation can then provide a better foundation for the decorative finish.
Older homes make this particularly important because previous work is not always immediately visible.
There are also practical steps homeowners can take before work begins. Our existing guide explains how to prepare your home for painting and decorating, including preparing rooms and planning around a decorating project.
This is separate from the professional assessment and preparation of the surfaces themselves, but both can contribute towards a smoother decorating project.
Professional Painting and Decorating in Fulbourn
Older and established properties can present unexpected decorating challenges, but every imperfection does not necessarily mean there is a major problem. What matters is assessing the condition of the existing surfaces and carrying out preparation appropriate to what is found.
Phil Edwards Painting & Decorating Ltd has more than 25 years of experience completing interior and exterior decorating projects across Cambridge and surrounding areas.
If you are planning to refresh an established property locally, our painter and decorator in Fulbourn service provides professional painting, decorating, wallpapering and surface preparation tailored to the individual property.
You can contact Phil Edwards Painting & Decorating Ltd to discuss your decorating requirements and arrange a free, no-obligation quotation.