30 September 2026 · 3 min read · Heathurst Coatings
Painting a Victorian or Edwardian home well takes more preparation than a modern house. Old lath-and-plaster walls crack, ornate cornices and ceiling roses need careful work, and older paint layers may contain lead, which must be handled safely. If the property is under a heritage overlay, check with your council before changing exterior colours.
Why are period homes different to paint?
Melbourne's Victorian and Edwardian houses were built with materials and details that modern homes don't have:
- Lath and plaster walls and ceilings, which move and crack over time.
- Ornate plasterwork: cornices, ceiling roses, arches and corbels.
- Timber joinery: double-hung sash windows, panelled doors, deep skirting boards and architraves.
- Exterior details: verandah fretwork, cast-iron lace, decorative barge boards and turned posts.
- Many layers of old paint, some of which may contain lead.
Each of these needs more time to prepare and paint properly than a flat modern wall.
How are cracks in lath and plaster repaired?
Small cracks are raked out, filled with a suitable flexible or plaster-based filler, sanded smooth and sealed before painting. Larger cracks, loose plaster or sagging ceilings may need a plasterer first. Painting over a crack without repairing it properly means it will usually reappear.
One of our clients had an 1880 Victorian that needed exactly this kind of work: cracks in the ceilings and walls filled and prepared before any paint went on.
How do you paint cornices and ceiling roses?
Ornate plaster is painted by hand, with care, so the detail stays crisp. Old build-ups of paint may need to be cleaned back where they have softened the detail. Damaged sections can be repaired or replaced before painting. A flat or low-sheen finish usually suits period ceilings best.
Is old paint in a period home dangerous?
It can be. Paint used in Australian homes before the 1970s often contained lead, and homes built before then may have lead paint under newer layers. Lead dust is a health hazard, especially for children and during pregnancy.
- Test old paint before sanding, scraping or stripping. Lead test kits are available, or a professional can test it.
- If lead is present, use safe removal methods that avoid dust, such as wet scraping or chemical stripping, and never dry-sand or use open-flame burning.
- Contain and clean up debris properly.
EPA Victoria and WorkSafe Victoria publish guidance on working safely with lead paint. Follow it, and make sure any painter you hire does too.
What colours suit a Victorian or Edwardian home?
Traditional schemes often use several colours to pick out architectural details: a body colour, a trim colour and one or two accent colours for features like fretwork and window sashes. Victorian homes often used richer, deeper tones, and Edwardian homes often used warmer reds, creams and greens. Dulux offers a range of traditional heritage colours, which is a good starting point.
Take colour samples outside and view them in daylight on more than one side of the house.
Do I need council approval to paint a heritage-listed house?
If your property is covered by a heritage overlay, changing exterior colours may need a planning permit, depending on your council's planning scheme. Repainting in the existing colours is often treated differently from a change. Check with your local council before you commit to a new exterior scheme.
How Heathurst paints period homes
Heritage work needs patience and experience, and Steve has more than four decades of trade experience in Australia and Europe. We repair and prepare properly, handle old paint safely, and help with colour choices. See our heritage painting service, or browse period homes in our gallery.
Get a quote
We paint Victorian, Edwardian and interwar homes across all of greater Melbourne. Request a free on-site quote through our contact page, or call 0418 351 120.
