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SA Painting Professionals

Licensed painters

Surface Preparation & Repairs in Adelaide & South Australia

Surface preparation and repairs is the work that happens before any colour goes on: washing, stripping, sanding, patching, caulking, treating rust and managing old lead paint safely. It is for owners of older homes with peeling or cracked surfaces, landlords readying a property between tenants, builders and strata managers who need a sound base for a repaint, and anyone whose last paint job failed early. SA Painting Professionals treats preparation as the job itself, not a step to rush through, because it decides how long the finish lasts.

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  • Licensed and insured
  • Free itemised quotes
  • Trade-quality paints
  • Licensed
    Licensed & fully insured
  • Free
    Itemised, no-obligation quotes
  • 1,890+
    SA suburbs & localities serviced
  • Trade-quality
    Paints and coatings on every job

Overview

Surface Preparation & Repairs done properly

Almost every paint failure traces back to preparation. Paint peels because it went over chalk, dust, grease or a glossy surface with no key. Render cracks show through because they were painted over instead of filled with something flexible. Timber blisters because it was wet or rotten underneath. Rust bleeds through because it was painted over instead of removed and primed. AS/NZS 2311, the Australian guide to the painting of buildings, sets out the preparation each surface needs, and we work to it. The sequence is always the same: clean, remove what is loose, repair, sand, prime, then paint.

Typical jobs include washing down exteriors that have chalked or grown mould, scraping and sanding peeling weatherboard, fretwork and window frames, patching plasterboard and plaster after renovations or picture hooks, filling and bridging cracks in render on reactive clay, replacing rotten timber and consolidating what can be saved, treating rust on gutters, downpipes, gates and steel, and stripping failed coatings back to a sound surface. Across South Australia the housing stock ranges from bluestone and sandstone villas with lime mortar to post-war brick, 1970s fibro and new lightweight cladding, and each needs a different approach.

Older homes bring two hazards we manage as a matter of course. Homes built before 1970 are likely to carry lead-based paint, and we follow AS/NZS 4361.2: sound lead paint is left undisturbed and overcoated, and where it must be removed we wet sand or chemically strip inside containment, never dry sand or burn it off, and clean up carefully. Fibro (asbestos cement) sheeting in pre-1990 homes is never sanded or water-blasted; if it is intact it can be washed gently and painted. Floors, gardens, paths and furniture are covered before we start and the site is left clean each day.

Repainted exterior of a suburban house under a clear sky

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Send a few photos or book a site visit. We reply within one business day with a free, itemised written quote and no obligation.

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What's included

What our surface preparation and repairs service includes

The work that goes into the job before, during and after the paint goes on. Every item is spelled out on your quote.

  • Washing and mould treatment

    Exteriors are pressure washed at a pressure suited to the surface to remove chalk, dirt, salt and loose paint, with an anti-mould wash on shaded walls, eaves and timber in the Hills and the South East. Interiors are washed with sugar soap to lift grease and nicotine so the new paint bonds.

  • Scraping, stripping and sanding

    Loose and flaking paint is scraped back to a firm edge, the edges are feathered by sanding, and glossy enamels are sanded to give the new coat a key. Where a coating has failed everywhere it is stripped with low-odour chemical strippers or infrared heat rather than open flame.

  • Plaster and plasterboard repairs

    Holes, dents, cracks and failed joints in walls and ceilings are cut back, taped where needed, filled and skimmed, then sanded flush and spot primed. Sagging or water-damaged plasterboard is replaced rather than patched over. Cornice cracks are raked out and filled with a flexible compound.

  • Render and masonry crack repair

    Cracks in render, blockwork and mortar are raked out, dusted and filled with a flexible acrylic or polyurethane filler so they can keep moving without reopening. Drummy render is cut out and patched. On badly crazed walls we recommend an elastomeric membrane topcoat rather than standard paint.

  • Timber repairs and rot treatment

    Rotten sections of weatherboard, fascia, window sills and fretwork are cut out and replaced or, where the damage is shallow, consolidated with epoxy and rebuilt with two-pack filler. Nail heads are punched and filled, splits are glued and cramped, and bare timber is primed the same day it is exposed.

  • Caulking and gap filling

    Gaps between architraves, skirtings, cornices, cladding joins and window frames are cleaned out and sealed with paintable gap filler, or with a polyurethane sealant where the joint moves. Old, cracked silicone is cut out and replaced with a paintable product so the finish is continuous.

  • Rust treatment and metal preparation

    Rust on gutters, downpipes, gates, railings, window frames and steel posts is wire brushed or ground back to sound metal, treated with a rust converter where pitting remains, and primed with a corrosion-inhibiting metal primer. Galvanised and Colorbond surfaces are cleaned and etch primed so the topcoat holds.

  • Lead paint management

    Paint on pre-1970 homes is tested for lead. Sound lead paint is left in place and overcoated. Where removal is needed we wet sand or chemically strip inside containment, keep the area sealed off, bag the waste and clean with HEPA vacuuming and wet wiping, following AS/NZS 4361.2.

  • Priming and sealing

    Bare timber, new plasterboard, patched areas, chalky render and stained surfaces are primed or sealed with the product each substrate needs before the first colour coat. Stain blockers seal water marks, tannin bleed and smoke damage. This is the step that makes the topcoats cover evenly and stay put.

Our process

How we approach surface preparation and repairs

From first contact to the final walk-through, this is how a job runs with us.

  1. Step 01

    Enquiry and inspection

    Tell us what is peeling, cracking or leaking, or send photos, and we reply within one business day. In metro Adelaide we inspect on site, testing for lead on older homes, checking timber for rot and moisture, and tapping render for drummy spots. Regional work across South Australia is quoted from photos first.

  2. Step 02

    Itemised quote

    Your free quote lists each preparation task separately: washing, stripping, repairs, caulking, rust treatment, priming, and any lead containment. It also states what we found and what we recommend, so you can compare a full preparation scope against a lighter one and understand the difference.

  3. Step 03

    Protection and set-up

    Paths, gardens, decks, cars and furniture are covered, windows and fittings are masked, and any lead-affected area is sealed off with sheeting before work starts. Inside, floors are covered and furniture is moved to the centre of the room and wrapped so dust from sanding stays off it.

  4. Step 04

    Wash, strip and repair

    Surfaces are washed and left to dry, then loose paint is removed, repairs are made and filler is applied. Exterior preparation depends on the weather: a wall washed in the morning may not be dry enough to fill until the next day, and cold, damp days slow filler and primer. We build that into the program.

  5. Step 05

    Sand, prime and hand over

    Repairs are sanded flush, dust is removed and everything is primed or sealed. If we are painting as well, colour coats follow. If you are painting yourself or another trade is taking over, we walk the surfaces with you, note where primer has gone on and leave the site clean.

Materials

Primers, fillers and preparation products we use

Preparation products are chosen for the substrate and the problem in front of us, not from a single tin.

  • Primers, sealers and undercoats

    Acrylic sealer undercoats go on new plasterboard and patched walls, oil-based or shellac-based sealers block water stains, tannin bleed and smoke, etch primers prepare galvanised metal and Colorbond, and bonding primers give a key on old gloss enamel, melamine and other slick surfaces. The right primer for the surface is what stops the topcoat peeling.

  • Corrosion-inhibiting metal primers

    Zinc phosphate and other rust-inhibiting primers go on cleaned steel, gutters, gates and railings before enamel or acrylic topcoats. Rust converters stabilise pitted metal that cannot be taken back to bright steel. Coastal properties get primers specified for salt exposure, and steel that stays wet gets a two-pack epoxy primer.

  • Interior and exterior fillers

    Lightweight and setting-type fillers repair plaster and plasterboard inside. Exterior flexible acrylic fillers move with render and masonry. Two-pack polyester fillers rebuild damaged timber, and epoxy consolidants harden softened timber before filling. Each is chosen for how much the repair will move and what will be painted over it.

  • Sealants and gap fillers

    Paintable acrylic gap fillers close static gaps around trims, cornices and cladding. Polyurethane and hybrid sealants handle joints that move, such as between render panels or around window frames, and are also paintable. Silicone is only used where it will not be painted, because paint will not stick to it.

  • Washes, strippers and cleaners

    Sugar soap lifts grease and grime inside. Anti-mould and mildew washes kill growth on shaded exteriors before painting. Chalky exteriors get a chalk-binding sealer. Where paint must come off we use low-odour, lead-safe chemical strippers or infrared heat, never open flame, and never dry sanding on suspected lead paint.

  • Elastomeric and crack-bridging coatings

    On render and masonry that has crazed or cracked across the wall, a high-build elastomeric coating over filled cracks stretches and recovers with seasonal movement. It is applied as a system with its own primer and is a standard recommendation on the Adelaide plains where reactive clay soils move every year.

  • Trade brands and APAS-approved products

    Our primers, sealers and fillers come from the major Australian trade ranges, such as Dulux, Taubmans, Haymes and Wattyl, and where a specification calls for APAS-approved products we supply and name them on the quote. Every product is applied to its data sheet for drying and recoat times.

Pricing

What affects the price of surface preparation and repairs

Every quote is itemised, so you can see exactly where the money goes. These are the factors that move the number most.

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No two surfaces are in the same condition, so we quote each job properly rather than guessing. Send photos or book a site visit and we reply within one business day.

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  1. 01

    How much paint has failed

    A wall with a few flaking spots needs spot scraping and priming. A wall where the coating has failed across the whole face needs full stripping, and that is the largest single driver on old timber homes.

  2. 02

    Substrate and era of the building

    Weatherboard, fretwork and timber windows take more hand preparation than flat render or brick. Pre-1970 homes may need lead testing and containment, and stone with lime mortar needs gentler methods than modern masonry.

  3. 03

    Extent of repairs

    Rotten fascias, replaced boards, rebuilt sills, drummy render and water-damaged plasterboard are itemised separately. The inspection tells us most of it, but hidden rot can appear once paint comes off and we flag it before doing the extra work.

  4. 04

    Lead paint containment

    Wet sanding, chemical stripping, sheeting, sealing off the area and controlled clean-up take longer than standard preparation. It is priced as its own line so you can see what the safe method involves and why it matters.

  5. 05

    Access and height

    Two-storey walls, gables, high eaves and steep sites need scaffold or an elevated work platform, hired for the duration of the job. Single-storey work from ladders and trestles costs less and starts sooner.

  6. 06

    Weather and drying time

    Washing, filling and priming each need dry surfaces. In winter or after rain the program stretches, and in the cooler, wetter Hills and South East that is normal. It affects time more than price, but we allow for it.

FAQ

Surface Preparation & Repairs questions

Straight answers to the questions we hear most about this service.

Do you have to strip all the old paint off before repainting?
No, only paint that is loose, flaking or failing. Sound, well-bonded paint is washed, sanded for a key and overcoated, and stripping it would add cost for no benefit. We scrape back to a firm edge, feather the edges so the repair does not show, and prime bare patches. Full stripping is reserved for surfaces where the coating has failed everywhere, where too many old layers have built up on timber detail, or where an incompatible product has been used underneath.
How do you know if my house has lead paint?
Age is the first clue: Australian homes built before 1970 are likely to have lead-based paint somewhere, and paint made before 1965 could contain very high levels. We test suspect surfaces with a lead test kit before disturbing them. If lead is present, the safe approach under AS/NZS 4361.2 is to leave sound paint undisturbed and overcoat it. Where it must be removed we wet sand or chemically strip inside containment, never dry sand or burn it, and clean up with HEPA vacuuming and wet wiping.
Can you prepare and paint fibro (asbestos cement) sheeting?
Yes, if it is intact. Fibro in pre-1990 homes must never be sanded, scraped aggressively or water-blasted, because that releases fibres. Sound sheeting is washed gently by hand, loose paint is lifted with wet methods only, and it is primed and painted like any other surface. Cracked, broken or badly weathered fibro is a job for a licensed asbestos removalist before any painting, and we will tell you if that is what we find.
Why does paint keep peeling off my render or weatherboard?
Peeling almost always means the surface under the paint was not sound or not clean when it was painted. On render it is usually chalking, efflorescence or moisture coming through from behind. On weatherboard it is moisture in the timber, old oil-based paint that has gone brittle, or bare timber painted without primer. We find the cause first, because painting over the symptom means it comes back. The fix is washing, removing the failed film, treating the cause, priming correctly and using a system suited to the surface.
What is the difference between a primer, a sealer and an undercoat?
A primer bonds to a bare substrate such as timber, metal or new plaster and gives the next coat something to grip. A sealer seals a porous or stained surface so the topcoat covers evenly and stains do not bleed through. An undercoat builds an even, sandable base of the right colour under the finish. Many modern products combine two or all three, but the substrate decides which you need. Bare steel, for instance, needs a rust-inhibiting primer, not a plaster sealer.
Can you fix cracks in render so they do not come back?
We can fill them so they stay closed under normal seasonal movement. Cracks are raked out, filled with a flexible filler and, on walls that have crazed widely, covered with an elastomeric membrane coating that stretches with the wall. Adelaide's reactive clay soils mean render moves every year, so a rigid filler under ordinary paint reopens quickly. A crack that keeps widening, steps through brickwork or shows on both sides of a wall is a structural question for a builder or engineer, and we say so rather than hide it.
Will you do the preparation only, so I can paint it myself?
Yes. Some owners and builders want the hard part done properly and prefer to apply colour themselves, and preparation-only jobs are quoted the same way as any other. We wash, strip, repair, caulk and prime, then walk the surfaces with you and explain which primer is on which area and how long you have before the topcoat should go on. Most primers have a recoat window, so leaving a primed wall exposed for months is not a good idea.
How long does preparation take compared with the painting?
On an older exterior it is usually the larger part of the job. A well-kept home might need a day of washing and touch-ups before painting starts; a neglected weatherboard house with rot and old paint can take a week or more of preparation before the first colour coat. Drying time after washing, filler curing and primer recoat times all add days, particularly in cool or damp weather. We give a realistic program with the quote rather than an optimistic one.

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Service areas

Where we offer surface preparation and repairs

Adelaide based and servicing all of South Australia, from the CBD and suburbs to the Hills, the coast and the regions. Choose your region to find your suburb page, or search for your suburb directly.

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