Before painting sandstone or harled walls
Identify stone, render, repairs and existing coatings before cleaning or specification.
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The Aethos journal
Read the surface before choosing the finish.
Practical guidance for homes in St Andrews and along the east coast: what to inspect, which shortcuts to avoid, when painting should pause and what belongs in a written specification.
Coastal exteriors
Inspect exposure, water paths and substrate compatibility before deciding that another coat is the answer.
Read the guide
Salt exposure and exterior paint
Understand how deposits, repeated wetting and vulnerable details change maintenance.
Maintaining timber sash windows
Protect moving joinery without hiding decay or painting the mechanism shut.
Caring for exterior paint on the east coast
Build an inspection cycle around actual exposure rather than a generic lifespan.
Period properties
Old buildings need decisions grounded in the substrate and coating history, not age alone.
Breathable paint for old Scottish houses
The complete guide: five systems compared, how each fails, cost per square metre and a three panel test to run before committing a wall.
Painting old plaster in a period home
Assess cracks, friable areas, historic layers and moisture before making the wall uniform.
Before decorating a character property
Plan around plaster, cornices, sash windows and historic woodwork.
Modern paint or breathable paint?
Choose modern paint, mineral paint or limewash to suit the wall and its existing coatings.
Recurring failures
Treat stains, blistering and peeling as evidence. Paint should not be asked to solve an active building defect.
Why paint keeps peeling
Trace the failed layer and check moisture, contamination and compatibility.
Damp or condensation before painting?
Record patterns, know when decoration should pause and when specialist diagnosis is needed.
Planning the work
A useful brief accounts for suitability, protection, access and how the household will use the space.
Decorating while life goes on
Plan room sequence, access, protection and curing in an occupied home.
Is kitchen repainting right for you?
Assess cabinet material, condition and existing finish before committing.
From question to scope