First things first

Before "restoring"a period or listed building, maybe first learn what restoration actually means, then take time to understand the materials and finishes already protecting it. At Heritage Lane, we believe informed, careful conservation and restoration starts with a simple principle: it is usually quicker, easier and better to renew a sacrificial paint coating than to replace a building element.

Paint, limewash and other coatings are intended to weather and be renewed. The original brickwork, stone, timber and plaster beneath them may not be so easily repaired or replaced. Learn what is on your building before choosing what to put on it.

Frequently asked questions

Start with the basics before buying materials or beginning work. These practical questions will help you make more considered decisions about paint, coatings and the care of your historic home.

A coating is there to take the effects of weather, sunlight and everyday wear before the surface beneath does. Its job is not to last forever; its job is to be maintained, and renewed at the right time.

Your job is to simply accept that nothing lasts forever.

Understand that every paint coating is a sacrificial coating. It is generally far better to allow a coating to weather, then renew it, than to risk damaging or replacing an original building element such as historic timber, brickwork, stone or plaster.

One of the most frequent and costly mistakes is not understanding what paint actually is Paint is not simply colour in a tin for aesthetic appearances, or a label to brag about over a glass or 5 of Pino, at a Friday night girls bash.

its ingredients, permeability, adhesion, method of drying, and iits suitability to the substrates will all affect how it performs on any building, regardless of age, and really does look way down at shallow, pointless comments.

And of course, the arrival of todays "online comedians" really doesn't help anybody.

These days there appears to be an obsession with people immediately picking up a heat gun, or opening a can of paint stripper, before even thinking of why?

its rarely necessary. First identify the coating and assess the condition of the surface beneath it. A weathered coating may only need suitable preparation and renewal, whereas aggressive stripping can damage the buildings substrates.

So, just calm down!

Always read the label on the can, the label at the back of a paint can contains an enormous amoiunt of technical information, yet all we dee and hear is " which colour will look good with this sofa?

If, heaven forbid, you have an accident, just hope that a paramedic will read the label on the back of your paint can before transferring you to hospital ..... why people don't think about that, frankly astounds me these days!

Check what the paint is intended for, what it contains, how it is applied, its preparation requirements and how it is expected to dry. Do not rely on a product name alone.

Paints dry and cure in different ways. Some dry as water or solvents simply evaporate; others cure through chemical reactions such as oxidation, while others cure by adding a chamecal setting agent. Understanding the drying process helps you to select compatible products which will work along with the importance of atmospheric moisture which can, and will, create premature failure.

Try to establish whether it is a traditional or modern coating, how sound it is, and whether it is appropriate for the surface. The answer influences every next step, from cleaning and preparation to repair and redecoration.

1 Always read labels on every can. Learn what is in a can of paint,

2 learn to answer the tumbleweed question" as I called it years ago whilst carrying out on-site assessments, and that is to explain the contents in the can you are working from. Then wait for the tumbleweed to roll past.

3 learn how paint-drying processes work.

These small habits can prevent expensive, avoidable mistakes in a period or listed property.

Keep learning before you start

There is no substitute for understanding your building, and realising that GCSE science may be fine for Schoolkids, at school.

But real science, in the real world, is quite different.