Painter Lemmer: woodwork that can take IJsselmeer wind

Lemmer is a watersports village where the Prinses Margrietkanaal reaches the IJsselmeer. Anyone living here knows what the south-westerly wind does: rain against the wall, damp in the air and little shelter. In Lemmer we paint inside and out, repair wood rot and replace fascia boards and barge boards.

We come from Mirns, about 16 km as the crow flies, and you keep one fixed contact. If it is mainly about your façade, also see exterior painting in Lemmer.

The IJsselmeer is fresh water, so salt deposits like those on the Wadden coast are not the issue here. The problem is water that keeps coming back. It hits end grain, creeps into open joints and sits on sills. Once it is in the wood, it is hard to get out from under the paint layer, and the rot starts from the inside.

That is why, at the site visit, we probe with a screwdriver the spots that take the most punishment. Rotten parts come out back to sound wood, and open joints are filled after priming. Opaque exterior paintwork lasts 6 to 8 years as a rule of thumb. On the south and west sides your turn comes sooner.

On the canals in the old centre and at homes on the water, a façade sometimes stands almost on the quay. You cannot simply put scaffolding there, and whatever you sand or spill must not end up in the water. At the site visit we look at where the scaffolding can stand and whether a cherry picker is more practical. Our own scaffolding has a fixed price for erecting and dismantling.

If there is a boat at your door, we agree when it can be moved for a while. You can read the rest of the approach at painting a house on the water.

Lemmer is more than its marinas. In the old centre around the lock stand small-scale houses with a lot of woodwork. Just outside the village is the Woudagemaal, the steam pumping station on UNESCO's World Heritage List, which shows how long water has been in charge here. Around it are residential areas from different periods and holiday homes on the water.

For us that means a different approach for each house. Old wood with many layers needs different prep from a younger window frame that has just gone dull. In open spots high gloss often works well, while in the old centre satin gloss is sometimes nicer. We discuss that on site, with the façade in front of us.

The work around Lemmer does not stop at the village boundary. Sondel is rural, on the way to Gaasterland. Oosterzee and Echtenerbrug lie on the Tjeukemeer, where the wind has just as free a run as on the IJsselmeer. Besides ordinary homes there are farmhouses and holiday homes, with barge boards and fascia boards that have a hard time at the end grain.

If you live in one of these villages, it works exactly the same: you send photos, we come to look and you get a fixed quote.

Walk around the house with your phone and photograph every wall. Add close-ups of spots you do not trust: flaking paint, a soft corner, a joint that has opened. Note how many window frames and doors there are, what year the house was built and when it was last painted.

If the house is on the water, tell us how the façade can be reached, and whether we can work from the quay or only from the garden. That avoids surprises. We look at the rest during the site visit, including the colours.

These are the four things that matter most for a house on the IJsselmeer:

As a national market guide, exterior painting starts from €35 per m2 and replacing fascia boards from €55 per running metre. With us you get a fixed price after the site visit.

In summer Lemmer is busy with boats and guests, and that is also when there are the most dry days. Outside, paint needs 5 to 30 degrees, dry weather and humidity up to 85 percent. On a windy day, dust also blows onto wet lacquer more easily, so we leave that side alone for a while.

If you have a holiday home or small business on the water, May or June is often a good moment, just before the crowds. Interior work carries on when it is stormy outside, so it suits the winter well.

MJA Allround Bouw is a member of OnderhoudNL and a recognised training company, and has 4.8 from 25 reviews on Google. Mohamed Ajubi is your contact and thinks along about colour and approach. Customers value above all that Mohamed says honestly what is and is not needed. The quote states exactly what we are going to do, and afterwards we check together that it has been done.

If you want to be ready for the boating season next spring, get in touch in good time. Call or message 06 3006 0558, or leave your details through the form. We are happy to go through your façade with you.