Which maintenance schedule suits paintwork?

The yearly rhythm

• Spring: go over all frames, doors and fascia boards for hairline cracks, flaking and loose sealant.
• Spring and autumn: clean the woodwork with water and a mild cleaning product.
• After a storm: check frames, doors and fascia boards for damage from branches or flying debris.
• Autumn: clear gutters and downpipes, so water does not run down the woodwork.

It costs you a few hours a year and it pays off. Dirt and algae hold moisture against the paint film, whereas clean woodwork dries faster and stays looking good for longer.

The major paint jobs

Outside, opaque paintwork is usually due for a complete job once every five to seven years, but the sunny and windy side often sooner. A smart approach is to give that side an extra coat in between, so the whole house then runs on the same rhythm again. How to determine this is explained on how often exterior painting is needed.

Inside, it depends on use. A living room or bedroom can often go five to ten years, while a hallway, staircase or children's room wears out sooner. Interior doors and banisters take more punishment than you think; tips are in glossing interior doors and stairs.

The schedule per type of home

A traditional Zaan timber house has far more exterior woodwork than a brick terraced house and therefore needs more attention for the woodwork itself. A flat in an owners' association often only has its own maintenance on the inside, while the association takes care of the outside. For a listed building or canal house with a lot of mouldings, checking more often is wise, because repairs there cost more. And anyone living towards the coast, as in Haarlem, sees the effect of wind and sea air sooner. A handy guide for spring can be found in checking your paintwork after winter.

Outsourcing maintenance

If you do not want to keep track yourself, ask a painter for an inspection and advice for the coming years. During a free consultation, our painter looks at the condition of your paintwork and tells you which parts need attention first. A small repair now prevents larger-scale wood rot repair later. For an owners' association it works the same way, see painting for an owners' association.