Exterior Painting Christchurch 

Plaster cladding is everywhere in Christchurch, especially on newer homes. But here's something most homeowners don't realise - your plaster cladding needs repainting every 10 years to keep the waterproofing system working properly. We learned about this the hard way when a homeowner in Halswell called us in 2019. Their 12-year-old plaster home was leaking water into the walls because the paint had broken down.

Manufacturers like Resene are really clear about this: exterior plaster cladding painting isn't just about looking good, it's about protection. The paint is actually part of your home's waterproofing system. When that paint starts failing after 10 years, water can get behind the plaster and cause serious damage. We've seen homes in Riccarton and Redcliffs were ignoring the 10-year repaint cycle led to tens of thousands in repair costs.

The 10-year cycle exists because paint deteriorates from UV exposure, weather, and normal wear. Even the best quality paint from Resene or Dulux breaks down over time. Once the paint film starts cracking or chalking, water finds its way in. Homes near Hagley Park get different weather exposure than houses in Redcliffs, so sometimes we recommend repainting sooner if your home gets hammered by weather.

Exterior plaster cladding painting needs proper prep work to reset that 10-year clock. We always check for cracks first, seal them up, then apply a quality primer. The paint we use for plaster has to be flexible because plaster expands and contracts with temperature changes. Using the right products means your home stays protected for the full 10 years, not just 5 or 6.

Everyone drives past your garage door but nobody thinks about painting it until it looks terrible. We painted a garage door in Somerfield last month that was so faded you couldn't tell what color it used to be.

Garage door painting depends on the material. Metal doors need different paint than wooden ones. Rust is the enemy with metal doors, especially in areas close to the coast like Southshore or Waimairi Beach. We treat any rust spots, prime them properly, then apply paint designed for metal surfaces.

Wooden garage doors are becoming rare but there still pretty common in older Christchurch suburbs like Opawa and Beckenham. Wood expands and contracts with moisture, so we use flexible paint that moves with the wood. Otherwise, you get cracking along the panels.

Here's a tip we give everyone: if your garage door faces north, it gets hammered by sun. That UV damage fades paint faster. We recommend lighter colours for north-facing doors because they reflect heat better and last longer.

Before we paint anything, we pressure wash it. This step makes the biggest difference between a paint job that lasts five years and one that lasts fifteen.

Pressure washing removes dirt, mold, mildew, and loose paint. Christchurch homes collect a lot of grime, especially on south-facing walls that never get sun. Houses in Bromley near the wastewater treatment plant get extra dirty from dust and industrial fallout.

But here's the thing about pressure washing - you can damage your house if you don't know what your doing. Too much pressure on weatherboard can gouge the wood. Too much pressure on plaster can crack it. We've seen DIY pressure washing disasters where people blasted holes right through their cladding.

We use different pressure settings for different surfaces. Brick can handle high pressure. Weatherboard needs lower pressure. And we always wash from top to bottom so dirty water doesn't streak down clean areas.

The house needs to dry completely before painting. In winter, that might take three or four days. In summer, maybe one day. We check the wood moisture content with a meter because painting damp wood is asking for trouble.

Your deck takes a beating from sun, rain, and foot traffic. Without proper staining, the wood dries out, cracks, and turns grey. We see neglected decks all over Christchurch that could have been saved with regular maintenance.

Deck staining protects the wood and brings out its natural beauty. The first step is cleaning the deck thoroughly. We pressure wash it (carefully!), let it dry, then sand any rough spots. Splinters are no fun for bare feet.

There's two types of stain: transparent and solid. Transparent stain lets the wood grain show through. Solid stain is more like paint and gives better UV protection. For decks that get full sun, like those facing north in Casebrook or Bishopdale, we recommend solid stain.

The weather matters a lot for deck staining. We need a few dry days in a row so the stain can soak in and cure properly. Trying to stain a deck in winter is risky because morning dew can ruin the finish.

Here's something most people don't know: decks need re-staining every 2-3 years. Its not a one-time thing. Regular maintenance keeps your deck looking good and extends its life by decades.

Bungalows are special. These classic Christchurch homes have character and charm that deserves respect. We've painted dozens of bungalows in St Martins, Sydenham, and Richmond, and each one is unique.

Bungalow painting means dealing with lots of detail work. The eaves, the porch posts, the window frames - everything needs attention. Many bungalows have decorative timber work that makes them beautiful but time-consuming to paint.

The original bungalows were built 80-100 years ago. The wood is usually rimu or matai - native timber that lasts forever if you look after it. But old paint needs proper stripping and prep work. We've found five or six layers of paint on some bungalows.

Colours are important for bungalows. Traditional schemes use two or three colours to highlight architectural details. A bungalow in Edgeware that we painted used cream for walls, dark green for trim, and burgundy for the door. It looked stunning.

Exterior painting Christchurch bungalows requires patience and skill. Rush the job and you lose all that beautiful detail work. Take your time and the result is a home that turns heads.

Cedar cladding has this beautiful natural look that lots of Christchurch homeowners love. We see cedar homes all through Cashmere, Fendalton, and up in the Port Hills. But here's what nobody tells you when you choose cedar - it needs more maintenance than pretty much any other cladding material.

Cedar cladding maintenance is different from painting. Cedar actually performs better when you let it breathe, which means using stains or oils instead of paint. We've worked on cedar homes that were painted over, and it usually ends badly. The paint traps moisture inside the wood, and cedar starts rotting from the inside out.

The maintenance cycle for cedar depends on the finish you choose. Clear oil finishes need reapplication every 1-2 years because they break down quickly under UV exposure. Semi-transparent stains last 3-4 years. Solid stains might get you 5-6 years. A cedar home in Governors Bay that faces north will need maintenance sooner than one tucked away facing south in Lyttelton.

Here's the reality about cedar - if you ignore maintenance, the wood goes silver-grey. Some people like that weathered look, but underneath that grey surface the cedar is drying out and checking (getting small cracks). Those cracks let water in, and then you've got problems leading to the replacement of rotted cedar boards where owners just let it go too long.

The best approach for cedar cladding maintenance is staying on schedule. Clean it every year, check for damage, and reapply your chosen finish before the old one fails completely. Its more work than plaster or weatherboard, but when cedar is maintained properly it looks amazing and can last 50+ years. Skip the maintenance and you might be replacing boards after just 15 years.