Does Painting a Historic Interior Require Special Treatment?

18 Jun 2020 Painting Services

If you own a historic home in the Vancouver area and are thinking about doing some updates, it is important to find out if painting a historic interior requires special treatment. At Dunbar Painting, they know that historic interiors should only ever be painted by professionals who understand how to refresh the space without damaging the home’s character. That is why they offer a range of interior painting services for historic homes.

Preparation for Painting a Historic Interior

Before painting the interior of a historic house, a professional painter will take the time to properly prepare the areas being painted by:

Cleaning Surfaces

Since older homes tend to have oil paint on the trim and doors which can attract grease and grime, a professional painter will use a chemical degreaser to clean all previously painted woodwork, walls, and ceilings in the house’s kitchen and bathrooms. In the event that the oil paint makes the trim and walls appear shiny, the areas will also be scuff sanded to help dull the sheen and make it easier for the new paint to adhere to the surface.

Repairing Walls & Plaster

If the walls and plaster in the home are damaged, a professional company will ensure that they are repaired using proper techniques. A professional who works on historic homes will know that lathe and plaster walls need to be repaired in a way that is slightly different from repairing drywall, even though it uses similar methods.

Repairing Doors & Trim

In the event that the home’s trim and doors have big gaps between pieces or between the wall and the trim, a professional will caulk the area to seal the gaps for a nice finish. Doors and trim that are damaged will also be repaired, using Bondo for large areas of damage and Dynapatch for small areas of damage. If sections of the trim are missing altogether, a carpenter will be brought in to source similar looking pieces or to recreate the pieces for installation.

Painting a Historic Interior

Once the interior of the historic home has been cleaned and repaired, a professional will then apply top-of-the-line paints, such as Benjamin Moore products like Advance for the trim and Aura for the walls. Using high-quality paints will provide the best chance of adhesion, ensuring that the paint lasts for years to come.

If you would like to learn more about whether or not painting a historic interior requires special treatment, or if you are interested in their interior painting services, please contact Dunbar Painting at 604-788-3382 or by filling out a contact form on their website.