Lancaster · Surface Preparation
Lancaster's housing stock — the Georgian terraces around Castle Hill, the Victorian semis off Bowerham, the converted mill apartments on the Lune — has one thing in common. Almost none of the walls are blank canvases. Layers of paint, generations of repair and shifting old plaster all hide beneath the most recent coat, and a beautiful finish depends on dealing with them properly.
Our first job on any Lancaster property is to understand what is in front of us. We test for distemper, check for hairline cracking, look for shadow lines from previous wallpaper, and probe any soft or hollow areas with a fingertip. The findings shape the spec — there is no point quoting a number of coats before you know what is under them.
We fill cracks with the right product for the substrate: flexible acrylic on movement cracks, lightweight fillers on shallow defects, two-part for anything structural. Each fill is sanded back flush, dust-extracted and spot-primed so the patch behaves identically to the surrounding wall once the topcoat goes on.
Older Lancaster plaster often presents as chalky or thirsty. A stabilising primer or mist coat at the correct dilution binds the surface and gives the finishing paint something consistent to grip. Skip it and you get patchy sheen, flashing and roller texture that no amount of topcoat will hide.
We work with dust-extracted sanders, drop-cloths over every surface, and zip-up containment where needed. A clean site is a faster site — and your home stays liveable while we're in it.
Related service
See how we deliver surface preparation across Cumbria and Lancashire.
From this project
Frequently asked
Most of the labour on a quality decorating project is preparation, not paint. It is what determines whether the finish lasts two years or fifteen.
Yes — we're comfortable with the materials and methods that listed and conservation work calls for, and we'll liaise with your architect or conservation officer as needed.
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A Final Thought
Honest advice, careful preparation and beautiful results across Cumbria and Lancashire.
