Specialty · Heritage & high-end

Specialty Finishes

Limewash, Venetian plaster and timber restoration are craft work, not roller work. They live or die on substrate prep and application technique — so we price them as the specialist jobs they are, and show you references before you commit.

Get a quote Call 02 6686 0000

Photo, specialty finishes job

Scope

What this job includes.

✓Limewash and mineral finishes
✓Venetian and polished plaster
✓Timber restoration, staining and clear finishes
✓Heritage colour matching and original-finish work
✓Feature walls and decorative effects

Our system: Product and technique matched to the substrate and the look. These finishes are sampled and signed off before the full application.

How we quote it

The same 7 lines, every time.

Whatever the surface, your quote splits the work the same honest way, so you can see exactly what you’re paying for.

The 7-line quote

1 Wash + clean. Sugar-soap removes oils and residue, without it, paint lifts.
2 Sanding + filling. Nail holes, cracks, surface roughness. Finish quality lives here.
3 Masking + drop sheets. Floors, fixtures, edges. Skip it and you pay in cleanup.
4 Primer (surface-specific). New plaster, old enamel and steel each need a different primer.
5 Number of coats. Two is standard. One means you’ll see the old colour through it.
6 Paint brand + product. Named on the quote, Dulux Wash & Wear, not “trade white”.
7 Cut-in + edges. Ceilings, skirting, architraves, visible for the next 10 years.

If a quote doesn’t show these lines, you can’t compare it, and you don’t know what’s been cut.

How it runs

What happens, step by step.

Walkthrough + itemised quote

We measure, test surfaces, and return a quote split into 7 lines.

Colour + product

You pick brand, finish and colours. We check compatibility with your surfaces.

Contract + 10% deposit

On letterhead, licence number, variation rules in writing.

Prep day(s)

Wash, sand, fill, mask, prime. The longest step on a clean job.

Cut-in + coats

Edges cut by brush, walls rolled, proper drying time between coats.

Handover + tins

Daylight walk-through, touch-ups, labelled leftover tins for each room.

Licensed, covered, warranted

The paperwork behind the price.

NSW 284 551C, Public liability to $20M, and a 7-year workmanship workmanship warranty, all in writing, all on request.

Dan walks through exactly what’s covered, the licence you can verify, the cover that protects your home, and the warranty that names its own exclusions instead of hiding them.

Chapter 7 · Claims The licence, the cover, the warranty Filming soon · 2–3 min

The licence, the cover, the warranty, and how to check each one.

Proof, recent work

Specialty Finishes jobs we’ve done.

Before

After

Venetian plaster feature wall, Byron Bay. Three samples, hand-applied polished plaster. Signed off on site.

Before

After

Timber restoration & deck, Byron Bay. Strip, sand, stain and clear-coat. Brought the spotted gum back.

See the full gallery

Questions, answered

Specialty Finishes, common questions.

Why are specialty finishes more expensive?

They’re labour-intensive craft finishes — multiple hand-applied layers, specialist products and substrate prep that ordinary paint doesn’t need. We quote them line-by-line so you can see where the cost sits.

Can you match a heritage colour or finish?

Yes. We colour-match originals and use the correct period-appropriate systems for heritage and conservation-area work, including the council-approval conversations where they apply.

Will I see a sample first?

Always. Decorative finishes are sampled on-site and signed off before we apply the full job — the look is too subjective to leave to a brochure.

Can you paint render, stucco or masonry properly?

Yes, with the right system. Render and masonry need a breathable, alkali-resistant primer and a coating made to move with the substrate — ordinary house paint over render crazes and flakes within a year. We match the system to the surface and its exposure.

What about lead paint on a pre-1970 or heritage home?

We test first. Where lead is present we prep lead-safe — containment, the correct PPE and proper disposal — never dry-sanding it into the air. It’s a specialist, costed step, and on heritage work we also handle the original-finish matching and any council colour approvals.

How do I look after a limewash or Venetian plaster finish?

These are mineral and hand-applied finishes with their own care — gentle cleaning, no harsh scrubbing, and occasional refresh on high-wear spots. We leave you the product details and a short care note so the finish ages the way it’s meant to.

Get a free, itemised quote, split into prep, primer, paint and coats.

Tell us what you need painted. We’ll book a walkthrough and send a quote you can actually read.

✓ Dulux Accredited✓ Master Painters NSW✓ Licensed & insured✓ 127 five-star reviews✓ 7-year workmanship