Exterior painting in Haarlem

Wind and sea air on the west side

The prevailing wind in the Netherlands comes from the south-west, and in Haarlem, with the dunes and the sea less than ten kilometres away, that wind brings moisture and a little salt with it. The west and south-west sides of a house therefore get the most rain and the fiercest afternoon sun. A timber frame on that side works harder than one facing east. On those sides you see the gloss go dull, chalk and crack first, while the east side of the same house still looks fine. A sensible maintenance plan takes that into account: sometimes it is wise to do the weather side sooner. How long you can wait between two rounds is covered under how often exterior painting is needed.

Four kinds of Haarlem home

• Historic buildings in the centre, with timber shopfronts and decorative mouldings
• 1930s homes in Haarlem-Noord, with bay windows, roof overhangs and stained glass
• Flats and family homes in Schalkwijk, often managed by a VvE
• Detached houses towards Heemstede, with woodwork on every side

That last group has a lot of running metres of timber. In Heemstede the job often covers roof edges, shutters and verandas that each need their own attention.

Schalkwijk and the VvE

Schalkwijk, largely built in the 1960s and 1970s, has many blocks where an owners' association arranges the exterior painting. There it comes down to a long-term schedule, a clear quote for the whole building and good communication with residents during the work. Residents want to know when the scaffolding will be outside their window and when they can open their windows again. What that involves is covered under painting work for a VvE.

First a walk-round, then the scaffolding

Before anything is put up, our painter walks round the house with you. He looks at the weather side, the roof edges and the bottom rails, and tells you which system from Sikkens, Sigma or Wijzonol he would choose. Within 48 hours of that walk-round you have the quote. On painter in Haarlem you can see what else Oranje Kwast does in the city, and the outdoor way of working is under exterior painting.