Painting & decorating
Almost all the life in a paint job is in the preparation rather than the paint, which is also the part that is invisible once the job is done and the easiest place for a cheap quote to have removed cost. These answers cover what good preparation involves.
10 pages in this topic
Questions
- How long should an exterior repaint last?Around seven to ten years on a well-prepared rendered or weatherboard exterior in most of Australia. Failure inside about five years almost always means preparation was skipped rather than that the paint was poor.2 sources cited
- How many coats of paint should a painter apply?Two top coats over a properly prepared and primed surface is the standard. One coat is only acceptable as a refresh over the same colour in sound condition, and a quote that does not state the number of coats is not comparable to one that does.3 sources cited
- Is the paint in my old house likely to contain lead?Paint applied in Australian homes before 1970 commonly contains lead, and it remains a real hazard when disturbed by sanding, scraping or heat stripping.4 sources cited
- How do I tell a good painting quote from a cheap one?The difference is almost always preparation and coats, not paint. Ask each quote to state the preparation steps, the product by name and the number of coats, and the gap usually explains itself.4 sources cited
- Can you paint a metal or tile roof, and should you?Both can be coated, and it can genuinely extend the life of a sound roof and improve its appearance. It does nothing for a roof that has failed structurally or corroded through.4 sources cited
- Why does paint keep peeling in my bathroom or laundry?Peeling in a wet room is nearly always moisture rather than paint quality. Until ventilation is fixed, repainting is a maintenance cycle rather than a repair.4 sources cited
- How long does a timber deck last and what maintenance does it need?An exposed timber deck in Australia generally needs recoating every one to two years, and the coating interval is what determines whether the deck lasts a decade or three.3 sources cited
- What causes cracks in my render, and do they matter?Fine hairline cracking in render is usually cosmetic. Cracks that are wide, that step diagonally, or that continue through the masonry behind, point at structural movement and need assessment.4 sources cited
- Can I sand and recoat my timber floors, and how many times?Solid timber floors can usually be sanded several times over their life, limited by the thickness above the tongue. Engineered boards have a thin wear layer and can often be sanded only once, if at all.4 sources cited
- Do I need to seal my driveway or concrete?Sealing is optional maintenance rather than a requirement. It helps with staining and surface wear on decorative finishes, and it needs redoing on a cycle rather than once.4 sources cited