Mittagong Painters for Old Brick, Shopfronts and Highlands Homes
Painting in Mittagong, the town that started Australian iron
Mittagong is the northern gate of the Southern Highlands, and it was an industrial town before it was a leafy one. Australia’s first commercial iron smelting works ran here from 1848, the Maltings brought a huge brick complex to Colo Street, and the Old Hume Highway carried the traffic through the main street. WM Painting & Decorating is licensed and insured, with over 10 years of painting and decorating experience, and we plan Mittagong jobs around the age of the building, the cool damp ground it sits on and what it has to put up with from the road.
To book a visit, call 0434 432 267 or use the contact page.
Qualified, Insured Painters
Honest, Fixed Quotes
Personalised Colour Advice
Premium, Long-Lasting Paints
Full Aftercare Support
Painting services in Mittagong
Interior Painting
Older cottages and brick buildings with damp-prone walls, repainted after the cause of the moisture has been dealt with.
Exterior Painting
Brick, timber and render exteriors cleaned of road grime and mould and finished with breathable, durable coatings.
Commercial Painting
Shopfronts and offices on the Old Hume Highway, painted early or after hours with minimal disruption to trade.
Roof Coating & Restoration
Roofs and gutters cleaned, repaired and coated, with leaf and moss removed before work begins.
Decorating
Colour advice for brick, trim and render that suits cool light and bushland backdrops.
Mittagong Conservation Area and The Maltings Conservation Area
Wingecarribee Shire Council’s heritage page lists 17 heritage conservation areas in the Shire, listed in Part 2 of Schedule 5 of the Wingecarribee Local Environmental Plan 2010. Two of them are in Mittagong: the Mittagong Conservation Area and The Maltings Conservation Area.
If your property is inside one, external changes may need Council’s attention, and a new colour on a street-facing wall is the sort of change worth checking before you buy paint. Council says a section 10.7 planning certificate will state whether a property is a heritage item or inside a conservation area, and the NSW Planning Portal spatial viewer shows heritage maps by address. We are happy to go through the result with you before we quote.
The Maltings and what old industrial brick teaches a painter
The NSW State Heritage Inventory entry for The Maltings on Colo Street describes the complex as the only remaining traditional maltings facility in Australia and a large, unusual example of late nineteenth century industrial architecture. The Maltings Company of NSW was formed in 1898, Tooth & Co bought the works in 1905, and the site operated until 1980. The entry also records major fires in 1942 and 1969, and says the site was chosen partly for its climate and the water of the Nattai River.
The Maltings is not our work and the site is not open to the public, but it shows what Mittagong brick has to cope with: heat, damp, soot and decades of weathering. The same applies to older brick shops and houses in town. We clean loose paint and efflorescence, repoint where mortar has failed and use coatings that let moisture escape. Sealing damp into old brick is the quickest way to make a new paint job blister.
Fitz Roy Iron Works and the shops along the Old Hume Highway
The Fitz Roy Iron Works operated from 1848 into the 1890s, and its protected remains are on display at 197 Old Hume Highway, in the Highlands Marketplace car park. The centenary memorial to the works sits nearby. That stretch of road was the town’s main route when the Hume Highway ran through it, and many older buildings still face it.
Roadside buildings collect brake dust, diesel film and general grime, and parapets, awnings and window ledges stay dirty longer than a house wall would. For commercial painting we start with a proper wash, then repair render, timber and flashings and repaint in the order that lets shops keep trading: footpath-side first thing in the morning, back-of-house and interiors after closing. Signage, awnings and doors are often the quickest improvement for a tired frontage.
Damp ground and cool valleys
Mittagong sits against bushland and creek valleys, and the ground can stay cool and damp for long stretches. The Maltings was sited partly for the climate and for water from the Nattai River. For houses, the effect is that lower walls, subfloors and shaded sides take longer to dry out.
Paint fails fast on a wall that is wet from below. We look for the signs: tide marks on the lower wall, bubbling plaster, salts on the brick and mould behind furniture. Before we repaint we check drainage, gutters, downpipes and subfloor ventilation, because new coats will not fix a leak, a blocked drain or a garden bed piled against the wall. Once the cause is under control, we use a breathable primer and a mould-resistant finish where dampness is a risk.
Old brick, stone and failed render
Older Mittagong buildings often mix brick, stone, lime mortar and cement render from different decades. Hard modern cement over soft old masonry traps water, and when water has nowhere to go it blows paint and sometimes the render itself. We tap-test render for drummy patches, cut back what has lifted and patch with a mix compatible with what is already there.
Where we recommend a repoint or a render repair before painting, we say so in the written quote and price it separately so you can compare. Our exterior painting work includes wash, repair, prime and two topcoats, and we only apply masonry paint to a wall that is dry enough to take it.
Colour for cool light and a bush backdrop
Mittagong light is often cooler and softer than the coast, and many streets back onto bush or tall trees. Strong warm colours can look harsh in that light, while very grey schemes can look dull on a wet day. We suggest testing colours on the actual wall, looking at them in morning and afternoon, and keeping the body colour close to the tones already in the street.
Trim, front doors and gutters are the best places to bring in contrast. If you are in a conservation area or have a heritage house, we also look at the building’s original palette. Book a colour consultation if you are torn between options, and we will bring sample boards.
What a Mittagong quote includes
On an older Mittagong building we walk the whole site before pricing. We look at the lower walls, gutters, downpipes, roof edges, window sills and any render that sounds hollow when tapped. We take photos, note the cause of any damp and list the repairs that must happen before paint goes on.
The written quote shows preparation, repairs and painting as separate items, with the products named. If a repoint, render patch or carpentry repair needs another trade, we say so and show where that work sits in the schedule. We also tell you what weather suits each stage, since Highlands mornings can be too cold or wet to coat safely. You get a fixed price and a plain timetable, and the work follows it.
Lead paint in older Mittagong homes
The NSW Government’s LeadSmart renovation guidance says most Australian homes built before 1970 contain lead paint, and older gutters, flashings and damp courses can contain sheet lead. That covers a good share of Mittagong’s older housing.
LeadSmart advises wet sanding or wet scraping, sealing the work area, avoiding open flame and cleaning up with a HEPA vacuum rather than a household one. It also says paint in good condition can be left or painted over. We follow those steps, and we will explain how we intend to contain dust before we begin. The same applies in neighbouring Bowral, Berrima and Moss Vale.
How We Work
- Consultation and Color Selection: We help you choose the perfect colors and finishes.
- Surface Preparation: We ensure surfaces are well-prepared for painting.
- Clean and Efficient Process: Our team works neatly and swiftly to minimise disruption.
- Professional Painting: Experienced painters deliver high-quality results.
Contact us via our website or give us a call!
Mittagong painting questions
Is my Mittagong property in a heritage conservation area?
Wingecarribee has a Mittagong Conservation Area and a Maltings Conservation Area. A section 10.7 planning certificate or the NSW Planning Portal spatial viewer will show whether your address is inside either one. Check before changing exterior colours.
Why does new paint blister on my older brick wall?
Moisture is usually trapped behind the coating. It may come from rising damp, a leaking gutter, blocked drains or a sealed surface that cannot dry. We find and deal with the source, remove the failed paint and use a breathable system.
Can you paint my shopfront without closing the shop?
In most cases, yes. We schedule outside work early, interior work after hours where we can, and mark off the footpath clearly. We agree the order of work with you before we start.
Do you repair render before painting?
Yes, where it is cracked or drummy. We cut out failed sections and patch with a compatible mix, and the repair is listed separately in your written quote.
How do I know if my old paint contains lead?
You cannot tell by eye. For houses built before 1970, treat the paint as possibly lead-based. We use wet methods and containment, and LeadSmart NSW can point you to testing options if you want to know before work starts.
Request your Mittagong painting quote
Tell us about your Mittagong home, shopfront or old building. You get a free quote, a fixed price in writing and a clear plan for the job. See the areas we serve for the rest of the Highlands.
Let Our Paintbrush Do The Talking
At WM Painting, we use only the best equipment and materials to ensure the highest quality workmanship. Our team is committed to delivering excellence in all of our services, and we won’t be satisfied until you are.
Contact us today for a free estimate and let us bring new life to your property