Why Important
What to look for
When to look
How to fix
All bare or new wood must be knotted, primed and filled before applying one coat of undercoat and one coat of gloss. You normally need to allow overnight drying between coats. It can be a good idea to give window cills and other flat areas an extra coat of gloss to give added protection of sugar soap, then rinse well and allow the surface to dry.
It is also useful to have successive coats of paint slightly different colours to help see that no areas (or coats) are missed.
Particular care must be taken when using hot air guns, as careless use can lead to catastrophic building fire. Use of a “Hot Work Permit” system is always advisable. For further information and advice, please contact the British Coatings Federation 01372 360 660, www.coatings.org.uk
What colour to use
Nearly all windows are now painted white, making them stand out from the surrounding building, but this was not always the case. Whatever colour is chosen, it is important that the harmony and unity of the whole façade is maintained.
The Birkenhead Heritage advice is to recommend that all windows are painted ‘white’ although an ‘off-white’ such as BS 00 E 55 or BS 22 B 15 would be acceptable, and give a more pleasing colour than the modern harsh ‘brilliant white’.