Exterior Painting in Glasgow
Sandstone and render exteriors across Glasgow and its suburbs. Every photo on this page is one of our own jobs.
Glasgow is a sandstone city in one of the wettest parts of the UK. That pairing decides how an exterior should be painted here.
Why Glasgow exteriors are their own job
Much of the city's older housing is built from blonde and red sandstone. Sandstone is porous. It takes in rain and it has to let that moisture out again. When it is sealed under the wrong paint, the water stays in the stone. Over a few winters the face of the stone starts to flake and break away, and the paint blisters off with it.
That is why we treat sandstone and render as two different jobs.
Sandstone
On Glasgow sandstone, we use breathable systems, including limewash, that let the stone dry out between showers. The aim is a finish that protects the building without trapping water inside it.
On a sandstone terrace on Caledonian Street, we painted the gutters, downpipes, doors, windows and railings, using Sadolin Superdec and Sandtex paints.
Windows on a Victorian house
Not every exterior job is a full repaint. On this Victorian house with baronial detailing, we painted the windows, using Sadolin Superdec.
Render
On rendered homes, such as the post-war and newer houses across the Southside suburbs, the work is different. Render needs its cracks found and repaired, and its surface cleaned, before any paint goes on. A render repaint and a tenement sandstone job are not the same trade, and we do not price or plan them as if they were.
On this detached house in Newton Mearns, we painted the render, fascias, soffits, gutters, downpipes, windows and doors.
We are PPG Trade Elite decorators, and we used PPG’s Johnstone’s range, with a different paint for each surface: Smooth Masonry Paint on the render, Smooth Metal Paint on the metalwork, and Flex Exterior Satin on the woodwork.
For more on how we paint each type of wall, see our exterior painters page.
Planning exterior work
We paint exteriors from March to October, as the weather allows. Where a job needs scaffolding or access machinery, we hire it in.
If you are planning exterior work for next year, an estimate visit now gives you time to plan.
Reviews of our exterior work
We approached David and his team with a very large exterior painting job, and they helped with options for type of paint and best approach. They booked it into the schedule, turned up when we expected and completed the work to a high standard and with no problems. Very good to do business with and wouldn't hesitate to recommend.Rachel · Exterior painting, Edinburgh — Google
We were very pleased with the job the team did on our exterior painting. The sash windows and doors now look as good as new, the team were very polite and professional and tidied up neatly afterwards. We’re very happy to recommend Borthwick Decorators!Tikus Little · Exterior painting, Stirling — Google
Exterior painting questions
When can you paint the outside of my house?
We paint exteriors from March to October, as the weather allows. If you are planning work for next year, an estimate visit now gives you time to plan.
Do you need scaffolding to paint my house?
It depends on the building. Where a job needs scaffolding or access machinery, we hire it in.
Do you paint sandstone and render the same way?
No. Sandstone is porous and has to let moisture out, so on Glasgow sandstone we use breathable systems, including limewash. Render needs its cracks found and repaired, and its surface cleaned, before any paint goes on.
What happens after I get in touch?
We reply to every enquiry within one working day, and the first step is an estimate visit. We carry £10 million public liability cover.
Areas we cover in Glasgow
We paint exteriors across Glasgow and its suburbs.
- Glasgow
- Bearsden
- Bishopbriggs
- Bothwell
- Giffnock
- Hillhead
- Milngavie
- Newton Mearns
- Pollokshields
- Shawlands
Accreditations & memberships
Public liability insurance to £10 million.