Good Repair Guide: Interior painting

All interior painted finishes within a domestic building deteriorate slowly over time and will require repainting to clean and freshen the surfaces or to continue protecting the substrate. The frequency of repainting depends on the amount of fading caused by UV exposure, damage or wear, and internal humidity levels - high levels of internal moisture that cause condensation to form on surfaces can result in mould growth, staining and paint deterioration.

Painted interior surfaces include ceilings, walls, window frames, doors and door frames, kitchen joinery and trims such as cornices (or scotias), architraves and skirtings. Materials that are likely to have a paint finish include timber, plasterboard, fibrous plaster, softboard, hardboard, fibre-cement, particleboard, MDF and pressed metal ceiling and wall panelling.

This Good Repair Guide highlights common problems, rules and regulations, health and safety, preparation, selecting paint, how to paint, brushes, roller and other applications, spray painting and cleaning up.