Painting Historic Buildings: What to Know

There are a lot of benefits in living and working in historic buildings. These types of buildings typically have a plethora of charm to admire and offer a unique environment to surround yourself with. They also, however,  tend to be slightly rundown or dated, especially in appearance. While a fresh coat of paint or a bit of refurbishing will typically do the trick, your historic building will require an extra bit of care. 

In this article, we will go over the three key things to know about painting and refurbishing historic buildings. It is important to note that our experts always recommend handing these jobs off to experienced professionals. These jobs require a high level of detail and knowledge. A professional painting team will be best a walking the fine line of keeping the character  

Prepare Before You Paint

You will want to do plenty of research before getting started on your historical painting project. Try to find out as much as you can, including the building’s history and what type of paint was previously used. A lot of old paint was lead-based, which can be dangerous to your health. This is something that you will want a professional to assist with.

There will most likely be some additional problems with your building as well, such as water damage. It is typically recommended to repair rather than replace for these buildings. While this is the more expensive route, it will help maintain the character of your historic building.

Choosing the Right Color

Color is an extremely important element of historic buildings. If you have a picture of the old building, you may want to paint it something that mimics that appearance. It might be worth asking some long-term residents near your building what they can remember if you don’t have a picture, . 

If this isn’t a viable option for your building, consider doing some research into what colors were popular for your type of building in the past. From there, you can choose a handful of colors that most likely mirror those of the buildings past. Of course, you can choose a completely different color depending on what type of look you are going for. 

Consult the Professionals 

As you can see, painting historic buildings requires a high level of detail and knowledge. A professional painting team will be best at walking the fine line of keeping the character of your building and updating it to look great. 

CertaPro Painters^® of Wichita East, KS is a team you can trust with painting your historic building. We have an extensive portfolio and great reviews from people we have worked with previously.  Contacting us at 316-440-0161 to get started on your project today!