Painter Hindeloopen: old woodwork with care

Hindeloopen is one of the eleven Frisian cities and an old seafaring town, right on the IJsselmeer. Trade across the Baltic once brought prosperity, and you can still see it in the houses with their small panes and ornate doors. The town is also a nationally protected townscape.

So we don't start with paint, we start by looking. What is original, what was replaced later, and where is the damage? Only then do we discuss the work. That way the character of your house is preserved.

The location plays a part too. The wind comes straight across the IJsselmeer, and on the quays and near the lock, damp is never far away. That makes old woodwork extra vulnerable, especially on the south and west sides.

If you paint in the same colour, that is usually just maintenance. If you want a different colour or a different detail, a permit may be needed for a monument or in a protected townscape. That is for the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân to decide, not the painter. So check in advance.

We are happy to think along and we note the chosen colour in the quote. You can read more about this type of property under having a monument painted. If your house isn't listed, it is still good manners to take the street into account.

Hindeloopen is known for its own painted furniture and woodwork, with flowers and scrolls on a coloured background. That is a craft of its own, with its own specialists.

If you have painted panels or an old box bed, we leave them alone: we work around them and mask everything off carefully. Customers often mention our neat masking as something that stands out. Our trade lies in the surface preparation: degreasing, sanding, priming, filling, sealing and two top coats on frames, doors and shutters.

Houses of this age often carry a thick stack of old paint. Lead paint can lie underneath, as it was only banned outdoors from 2009. If in doubt, we don't sand dry, to prevent dust. How we handle that is explained under old paint and lead.

We find soft wood by probing with a screwdriver. Whatever is rotten goes, back to sound wood. After that we choose between a two-component repair, an inserted piece or replacement, depending on what suits the old detail best.

Take photos of the front facade, the shutters and the door, and close-ups too: thresholds, frame corners and places where the paint is flaking. If you know the year of construction or the monument status, add it. If you have an old photo that shows the colours, that helps with the conversation about colour.

If the house is on a narrow street or by the water, let us know. Then we can use the site visit to see how the scaffolding can be placed.

In houses like these, the price lies less in the square metres and more in the preparation, the small panes and the repairs. A national market indication is exterior frames from €50 each and wood rot from €50 per spot. Scaffolding or a lift hired from someone else costs at least €50 per day.

We have our own scaffolding with a fixed price for putting it up and taking it down. After the site visit you get a fixed price from us, because indications are not MJA prices.

Also allow a little more time for masking: small panes and narrow glazing beads are handwork. If you are comparing prices, look at what preparation and repair is in the quote, because in an old house that is where the difference lies.

MJA Allround Bouw is based in Mirns, in the same south-west corner of Friesland. Nearby, in Workum, we did an interior renovation from ceiling to skirting. Owner Mohamed Ajubi is your point of contact. We are a member of OnderhoudNL and a recognised training company.

Want to know what your house in Hindeloopen needs? Send your photos via the quote request or call 06 3006 0558. Customers mention above all the honest advice and the help with colours, and that comes in handy in a house like this.