Wall Painters in Cambridge
Cambridge Decorators are wall painters covering interior and exterior walls across Victorian terraces, Edwardian villas, and modern new builds throughout the city.
- Interior walls: all surface types and conditions
- Exterior walls: masonry, render, and brick
- Feature walls and accent treatments
- Surfaces: plasterboard and newly plastered walls
- Textured and Artex walls
Wall painting sounds straightforward. In Cambridge’s period properties it is not. Original lime plaster walls in Romsey and Newnham require breathable primers and careful preparation. Getting the preparation right is what determines how long the finish lasts.
Call 01223 912776 for a free quote.
Why Choose Cambridge Decorators
Wall Finish Experts
Smooth, even walls and perfect cutting-in on every room.
Clear Pricing
Fixed price from the first quote with no unexpected additions.
Fully Insured
Full public liability cover on every job.
Highly Recommended
Most of our work comes from repeat clients and referrals.
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Wall Painting Services in Cambridge
Interior Walls
Interior wall painting in Cambridge ranges from a single room repaint to a complete house interior. The most important variable is not the paint — it is the surface the paint goes onto.
Original lime plaster walls in period Cambridge properties need a breathable primer. Standard PVA primer seals the surface and traps moisture, which causes paint failure and encourages mould on lime surfaces.
Exterior Walls
Cambridge’s exterior walls are predominantly brick, rendered masonry, or a combination of both. Rendered facades in Romsey, Chesterton, and Cherry Hinton need inspection before painting — hollow sections and structural cracks must be repaired before any coating is applied.
Exterior wall painting is a weather-dependent job. We plan application around forecasts and advise on seasonal timing at the quotation stage.
Feature Walls
A feature wall transforms a room without the commitment of a full repaint. Options include a single bold colour, a textured finish, or a specialist paint effect. Chimney breast walls in Cambridge’s Victorian living rooms are the most common feature wall in the city.
For more detail on accent wall treatments, see our feature wall painting page.
Surface-Specific Wall Painting
Plasterboard and New Plaster
Surfaces in new-build properties and freshly plastered rooms need specific treatment. New plaster is highly alkaline and will cause standard paints to fail if not sealed correctly first.
We apply a diluted sealing coat as the first coat on new plaster. Two full finish coats follow once the sealing coat has cured. New CB1 apartments and Trumpington Meadows properties commonly have surfaces that need this approach.
Textured and Artex Walls
Textured walls — Artex, roughcast, and stippled finishes — are common in Cambridge properties from the 1960s through to the 1990s, particularly in Histon, Impington, and Sawston. These surfaces can be overpainted in their existing texture or prepared for smooth skimming before painting.
Where the texture is sound and even, overpainting is practical. Where it is cracked or uneven, skimming before painting produces a better long-term result. We advise on the most appropriate approach at the site visit.
How Our Wall Painting Works
1. Wall Assessment
We inspect every wall to be painted, noting surface type, condition, previous finishes, and any damage. We identify preparation requirements and specify the correct primer for each surface.
2. Surface Preparation
Cracks are filled, loose material is stabilised, and surfaces are primed correctly. Original lime plaster gets a breathable primer. New plaster gets a diluted sealing coat. Bare render gets a masonry primer.
3. Priming
The right primer for each wall type is applied and allowed to cure fully before any topcoat. Under-primed or incorrectly primed walls fail early regardless of topcoat quality.
4. Paint Application
Two full finish coats on most surfaces, applied with adequate drying time between coats. Saturated or deep colours may need a third coat. All cutting-in at ceilings, skirting boards, and architraves is done by hand.
5. Final Inspection
We check all wall surfaces in good light before leaving. Even coverage, clean edges at all junctions, and no roller marks are the standard. We walk through the finished walls with you before closing the job.
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Wall Painting Costs in Cambridge
Prices below are estimates only. Every property is different. Call 01223 912776 for a precise quote.
Wall painting typically costs between £15 and £35 per square metre, including preparation and two finish coats.
Surface Condition
Original lime plaster with accumulated layers, cracking from ground movement, or previous filler repairs all add preparation time. A well-maintained surface in a newer property takes considerably less work.
Wall Type
Exterior masonry and rendered walls need more specialist materials than interior smooth plaster. Textured surfaces need specific products and may need remedial work before painting.
Paint Specification
Standard trade emulsions are the most economical option. Heritage ranges such as Farrow and Ball, Little Greene, and Edward Bulmer cost more per litre and are priced accordingly.
- Single room interior walls (Victorian terrace): £300 to £600
- Full house interior walls (3-bed Victorian): £3,500 to £8,000
- Exterior rendered or brick walls (Victorian semi): £800 to £2,500
Call 01223 912776 to arrange a site visit and written quote. For full house projects, see our interior painting page.
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