An old centre with rules of its own
Much of the centre falls within a heritage protection zone, which restricts façade colours, tile types and window frames. Working here means finding out what is and is not allowed before the first hammer blow.
Painting and Decorating in Loulé
In Loulé we paint on both sides of the town: flats and houses in the newer parts, which is ordinary painting done well, and the old buildings of the historic centre, where there are façade colour rules to respect and old walls that must not be sealed with plastic paint.
We get there the same day · Free site visit and quote
Loulé, as seen by the people who work there
Loulé is our base. It is the town where our office is, where the equipment is kept, and where we know the streets well enough to know where a scaffolding van can park without getting in anybody's way.
The town grows between the old quarter at its centre and the newer housing on the edges, with the barrocal — the limestone hill country — rising to the north and the plain dropping away towards the coast. Two worlds sit side by side here: flats and houses from the eighties and nineties in the newer parts, and old buildings with thick walls, barrel tiles and worked parapets in the historic centre.
In Loulé we get everything: from the landlord who needs a flat repainted between tenants to the full refurbishment of a family home in the centre.
What we find in Loulé
Narrow streets with difficult access
No lorry fits down the streets of the centre and there is no room for a cherry picker. A lot of what we do there involves carrying material up by hand and putting up narrow façade scaffolding.
Rising damp in older houses
Stone masonry walls built without a damp-proof course draw moisture up from the ground. Painting over it without dealing with the source gives you blisters within months.
Painting and Decorating: what we do
- Protecting what stays — Furniture, floors, frames and glass protected before we start. The house does not become unusable.
- Treating cracks and damp — Opening and repairing cracks, treating mould and correcting the cause where there is water ingress — painting over it only hides it.
- Substrate preparation — Sanding, removal of loose paint, filling and levelling until the wall is ready.
- The right primer — Primer chosen for the substrate: new render, old masonry, timber and metal all need different products.
- Two finishing coats — Branded paint, applied in two coats with the drying time respected between them.
- Joinery and metalwork — Doors, skirting, shutters, timber pergolas, gates and metal railings.
How the work goes
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1
Visit and assessment
We look at the condition of the substrate. A wall with rising damp is not solved by painting, and it is better to know that beforehand.
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2
Choosing colours and products
We help with the colour and explain the difference between grades. We put a sample on the wall when there is doubt.
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3
Preparation
Protection, repairs and primer. It is the longest stage and the one that makes the difference.
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4
Painting and handover
Finishing coats, removal of protection, cleaning and a final walk-through with you.
Frequently asked questions about painting and decorating in Loulé
Do you actually work in Loulé, or do you travel in from elsewhere?
Loulé is our base — it is where our office and equipment are. We get there the same day and we know the town in detail.
What usually goes wrong with this kind of work in Loulé?
Much of the centre falls within a heritage protection zone, which restricts façade colours, tile types and window frames. Working here means finding out what is and is not allowed before the first hammer blow. It is the situation we come across most often in Loulé, and it is why we look at the job before quoting.
How long does exterior paint last in the Algarve?
With proper preparation and good-grade paint, eight to ten years on a normal façade. On a south-facing façade or near the sea, expect less — five to seven years.
Can you paint with the house occupied?
We can, and it is the most common situation. We work room by room so part of the house is always usable, and we use water-based paints, which are practically odourless.
Will the cracks come back after painting?
If they are shrinkage cracks and they are opened, taped and filled with a flexible filler, they will not. If they are structural cracks, they will reopen — and in that case we tell you the problem is not one of painting.
Painting and Decorating in Loulé
Tell us what you need and we will come and look. We get there the same day and the visit is free.