Exterior house painting in South Africa has to survive hard sun, summer storms, wind-driven rain and, near the coast, salt in the air. The paint matters, but what decides how long it lasts is the work underneath: washed walls, filled cracks, efflorescence brushed off, mould killed and bare patches primed. Then come the right weather, safe access to the high walls and two full coats. Describe the walls, trims and steel you want painted and local painters quote you directly. It is free to ask and you need not accept any quote.
What gets painted outside
A full exterior job usually covers more than the walls. List what you want included:
- Plastered walls, parapets and boundary walls, in an exterior acrylic or a textured coating.
- Fascias, barge boards, gutters and downpipes.
- Steel burglar bars, gates and railings: rust treated, primed and enamelled.
- Timber doors, window frames and pergolas: sanded and sealed or painted.
- Face brick: usually cleaned and sealed rather than painted. Once painted, it has to stay painted.
See exterior paint for the coatings.
Preparation outside
Walls are washed, often with a pressure washer, and loose paint is scraped back to a firm edge. Hairline cracks are opened and filled with an exterior filler; cracks that keep moving need a flexible filler, and wide or stepped cracks need a builder's eye first. White powdery efflorescence must be brushed off dry and its cause found, usually water getting into the wall. Mould and algae on shady walls are killed with a fungicidal wash. Chalky old paint needs a primer or binder so the new coat grips.
Weather, access and timing
Painters should not paint in rain, on wet walls, on walls baking in direct sun, or when it is near freezing. Follow the recoat time on the tin, and watch the forecast in the summer rainfall areas or in a Cape winter. Double storeys need proper ladders, scaffolding or a mobile tower. Ask how the painter will reach the gables and who carries public liability cover.
What drives the cost
Exterior painting labour is often about R50 to R100 per m², with the paint extra. Height, crack repairs, the number of burglar bars and frames, and the coating you pick move the price. Compare quotes on the same list of surfaces. For the roof itself, see roof painting.
What to include in your request
- Single or double storey, and wall heights
- Plaster, face brick or textured walls
- Cracks, efflorescence, mould or peeling
- Trims, gutters, burglar bars and gates to include
- Colours, and any complex or estate rules
Exterior Painting for different clients
- Homeowners: outside walls, fascias and burglar bars repainted before the paint starts peeling badly
- Landlords and sellers: a tired street front and boundary wall freshened before a house is let or sold
- Body corporates and estates: block walls, boundary walls and gates repainted in one approved colour scheme
- Shops, offices and restaurants: shop fronts and office buildings repainted on a schedule that keeps entrances open
- Factories, farms and mines: factory and farm building walls repainted with steel doors and frames rust treated
- Builders and developers: new plaster outside left to cure, then primed and painted for handover
- Schools, churches and public buildings: school, church and clinic walls repainted in dry months with safe access
- Painters and contractors: painting teams with scaffolding and pressure washers quoting outside work
Frequently asked questions
What are good exterior house paint ideas for South Africa?
Can I paint over face brick?
How often does the outside of a house need repainting?
Does WallPaint do the painting?
Exterior Painting by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg