Painting an older Madison home: plaster, old trim and the prep that counts

How old Madison's homes are

The Census Bureau's American Community Survey estimates that about 13% of Madison's homes were built before 1940 and about 51% before 1980. The median year built is 1980, and only about 29% of homes date from 2000 or later. These are survey estimates, so treat them as approximate, and neighborhoods vary a great deal from the citywide figures.

Nearby places can look very different. About 68% of homes in Monona were built before 1980, with a median year built of 1963, while in Verona the figure is only about 18%. If your house is in the older part of that range, the sections below apply to you.

Plaster walls and ceilings

According to the National Park Service, plaster was the wall finish chosen for nearly all buildings until the 1930s or 1940s. If your house has it, expect walls that are hard, flat and solid, with a few cracks that come and go.

The Park Service's guidance on repairing plaster says hairline cracks aren't a serious concern as long as the plaster underneath is in good condition, and they can be filled with patching material. Cracks that reopen with seasonal humidity changes are handled a little differently: the crack is widened slightly, filled, and sometimes bridged with fiberglass mesh tape and joint compound before it's sanded smooth. If a crack seems to keep growing, it recommends consulting a structural engineer. Our step-by-step guide to repairing plaster walls covers loose plaster and holes too.

That seasonal movement is real. The National Research Council of Canada notes that winter humidity levels of 20 to 30 percent are common in houses, and that wood shrinks as it dries. Dry heated air in January and damp air in July move a house a little, and cracks can open along the same lines each year.

Tell George what you're seeing on the estimate call. Small holes are repaired as part of our prep, and he can tell you whether a crack is a prep item or needs another trade first. Crumbling plaster, a sagging ceiling or cracks that keep widening need a plasterer or carpenter before paint, because paint on top only hides the problem for a season.

Old trim and doors: what's underneath

Trim and doors in an older house often carry decades of coats, and the oldest ones are usually oil-based. The National Park Service warns that latex paint applied directly over old, chalking oil paint can peel, because it can't grip the surface, and it recommends an oil-based primer first so that either an oil or a latex topcoat can follow. That guidance was written about exterior woodwork, but the chemistry is the same indoors.

This is why we never skip the first steps on old woodwork. Here's the order on trim and doors:

1. Clean and degrease the surface. Kitchen and hallway trim collects years of cooking oil and hand oils.
2. Scuff sand the old finish so the primer has something to grip.
3. Fill dents and small holes.
4. Prime, using a primer made to bond to the old paint.
5. Paint, usually in a satin or semi-gloss that wipes clean.

Our posts on latex versus oil-based paint and whether you need primer explain the choices in more detail. Ornate crown takes the same care plus a ladder plan, as our guide to painting crown molding explains.

Ceilings, stains and sticking doors

Older houses have had longer to collect problems that paint can't fix on its own. Before anything is painted, it helps to sort what you see into the right pile:

Paint doesn't stop water, so a stained ceiling is the one item above where painting first is the wrong move. A stain-blocking primer keeps a dried mark from showing through, but only after the leak behind it is gone. Textured ceilings need a test before anyone paints them; see what to know before painting a popcorn ceiling.

The lead question

Homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The federal government banned the sale of lead-based paint for homes in 1978. The EPA says lead-based paint in good condition is usually not a problem. The risk comes from paint that is peeling, chipping or being disturbed, especially on surfaces that rub, like doors and window sills, where it can produce chips and dust.

EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule sets lead-safe work practices for work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built before 1978. If your home predates 1978, mention its age when you call.

Prep that matters in a house with history

On any interior job, the sequence is the same. In an older house, the middle steps take the most attention:

1. Cover floors and furniture before anything else comes out of the can.
2. Clean walls and trim.
3. Repair small holes, and flag cracks that need another trade.
4. Scuff sand glossy or slick surfaces.
5. Prime bare plaster, patched spots and old trim.
6. Paint, clean up, and walk the finished rooms with you before we call it done.

Most rooms take one to two days. Interior painting is priced by the square footage of the space, paint included. The written quote is the price, no extra charge if the job takes longer than expected. Our guide to prepping walls for painting covers the basics if you'd like to do some of the work yourself.

Color and sheen on old walls

Older plaster often has gentle waves and patched areas, and a glossy finish shows every one of them. Flat and matte finishes are more forgiving on walls and ceilings, while satin or semi-gloss belong on trim and doors, where you want a surface that wipes clean. Our guide to paint sheens explains how each one looks and wears.

Rooms in older homes often have smaller windows and less daylight than a new build, so test a large sample on the wall and look at it in the morning and in the evening before you commit.

If the house is in a historic district

Madison has five local historic districts, and the Landmarks Commission reviews exterior changes to properties in them. We summarize what the city publishes in our post on Madison's historic districts and paint. If you're planning both inside and outside work, our post on freeze-thaw damage explains what winter does to old exterior paint.

Getting an estimate for an older home

Tell George the age of the house, what you know about the walls and trim, and any cracks or peeling you've noticed. He'll visit if he needs to see the space, then send a written quote with a start date. Older kitchens are common too, so mention your cabinets if you're thinking about cabinet refinishing. When you're ready, ask for a free estimate. We work throughout Madison and the towns around it.