Painting art deco and heritage buildings

Resene Popular Paint Systems –
Concrete, plasters and cement-based substrates: training notes

This web page is an edited version of the Resene Best System Selling training notes provided to Resene staff and is provided to enable you to gain a greater understanding of the substrates and paint systems you may encounter in your decorating project. It is impossible to cover all decorating scenarios in a single document, so if you are in doubt about any aspect of your project please contact Resene for assistance.

Table of contents (concrete, plasters, cement-based substrates)

Select the substrate you will be painting from the list below to view how to prepare and finish the surface.

Preparation flowcharts

Topcoat systems flowcharts

How to paint Art Deco and heritage buildings

Note: Refer to the PDF flowchart for a visual of the steps below:

Refer to appropriate preparation chart
Wash down to remove surface contaminants
Is waterproofing an issue?
1. If No:
  1. Apply 2 coats of Resene AquaShield
  2. Alternatively apply 2-3 coats of Resene Lumbersider
  3. Alternatively apply 2-3 coats of Resene Sonyx 101
2. If Yes:
  1. Apply 2 coats of Resene X-200

Art Deco and heritage buildings

Things to consider

What are you painting?
What condition is it in?
What sort of look or finish are you looking for?
Is waterproofing an issue?
What colour or colours do you have in mind?
Will you be undertaking the work yourself?

Notes:

1. Most homes of this vintage will be previously painted with the coating either in poor condition or sound.

2. Many old buildings were coated in limewash, which is both friable (poorly bound) and weak. While inevitably they have been repainted over the years problems often arise when waterblasting. The coating is so weak that the painter will quite literally need to blast the whole lot off – something to be avoided. That’s why Resene generally recommend thorough washing. If the paint is very badly flaking, then complete removal and priming with Resene Sureseal may be the only option.

3. Resene X-200 is a finish in itself and generally doesn’t require overcoating, with the following exceptions:

i) When you want to highlight features on the building, this may be easily done by overcoating with Resene Sonyx 101 or Resene Lumbersider.

ii) When the colour isn’t available in Resene X-200. If the building leaks or has the potential to then coat it in Resene X-200 first – usually in a shade that will require only one topcoat of Resene Sonyx 101 or Resene Lumbersider to achieve coverage.

iii) When you are painting a leaky building but want the look or finish of products like Resene AquaShield or Resene Sandtex, use Resene X-200 first then follow with your preferred specialist coating.

3a. If Resene X-200 is used it must be applied without an extension pole so the paint is forced into cracks and voids – something you cannot do with an extension pole due to the angle of pressure when an extension handle it used.

4. The best look for these buildings is Resene AquaShield – it is both in keeping with the style of the era and performs exceedingly well.

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