Stucco front exterior restoration on an Islington townhouse
The transformation
Before
AfterA beautiful three-storey Georgian on a leafy Islington street with a stucco front that had been over-painted with the wrong system a decade earlier. The paint was blistering, moisture was trapped behind it and the original mouldings were losing definition. Full strip, breathable system, and every sash window back to a proper heritage finish.
What the client wanted
- Diagnose and fix the underlying moisture / blistering issue on the stucco
- Restore original architectural detailing on the front elevation
- Repaint six original box sash windows without damaging the glass or historic timber
- Finish within a fixed 4-week weather window before family holiday
Work completed
- Full elevation survey with photos of every blister and crack noted before quoting
- Scaffold coordinated and erected across the full front elevation
- Chemically stripped and scraped back all failing stucco paint; re-based with breathable primer
- Two topcoats of breathable Beeck silicate masonry paint — matched to the original colour
- All six sash windows removed one at a time, stripped, sanded, primed and finished in three coats
- Cast-iron railings de-rusted, primed with Zinsser and finished in high-durability satin black
- Full photographic handover and 5-year workmanship guarantee documented
Paints & materials used
| Product | Where / how |
|---|---|
| Beeck Renosil silicate paint | Front stucco — 2 coats, fully breathable |
| Zinsser Peel Stop | Stabilising primer on marginal areas |
| Tikkurila Unica satin | Sash windows and railings — 3-coat system |
| Repair Care Dry Flex | Localised timber repairs on two window sills |
More photos
"Two other decorators had told us to 'just paint over it'. These guys explained why that was the wrong answer, did it properly, and the front looks like it did when the house was built."
— James C., Islington
Questions we got on this project
Why does painted stucco fail?
Almost always because a non-breathable coating (usually a cheap acrylic masonry paint) was applied over a wall that gets damp from behind. The moisture can't escape, so it pushes the paint off. A breathable silicate or mineral system fixes it permanently.
How long should an exterior repaint last?
With the right spec on a stable substrate, 8–12 years on masonry and 5–7 years on timber joinery. Our workmanship guarantee is 5 years.
Related services
Painters in Islington
Planning something similar?
Book a free site visit and we'll put a written quote in your inbox within 24 hours.