Painting Tips & Insights, Page 2
Expert advice from Melbourne's most experienced residential painters.
How much do painters charge per hour in Melbourne? (2026)
Melbourne painters charge $45–$80 per hour plus GST in 2026. Day rates, what moves the rate, hourly vs fixed quotes, GST rules and a worked bedroom example.
3 July 2026 · 10 min read
Limewash, paint or render: what's the best finish for a brick house? (2026)
Limewash on exterior brick costs $45–$70 per m² in Melbourne, painting $35–$55, render $80–$150 in 2026. Costs, prep and breathability compared.
3 July 2026 · 12 min read
What are painting rates per square metre in Australia? (2026)
Painting rates in Australia run $20–$60 per m² interior and $30–$80 per m² exterior in 2026. What the rate includes, how to measure, and worked 3BR examples.
3 July 2026 · 11 min read
Spray painting vs brush and roller: which is better for your house? (2026)
Spray painting vs brush and roller for Melbourne homes. Where spray genuinely wins, where it fails, real 2026 prices, and what a trade since 1987 actually uses.
3 July 2026 · 8 min read
Basalt Colour Guide: What Goes With Colorbond Basalt (2026)
Basalt is Colorbond's mid-tone grey, lighter and softer than Monument. What pairs with it and how to paint your house to match, from a Melbourne painter.
2 July 2026 · 6 min read
British Paints Review: Who Is It Actually For? (2026)
British Paints is DuluxGroup's budget DIY line from Bunnings: fine for rentals and sheds, not the walls you touch every day. An honest painter's verdict.
2 July 2026 · 8 min read
How to get paint off tiles, concrete, brick & metal (2026)
The right paint removal method for brick, concrete, tiles and metal: chemical stripper, scraping or grinding, and what damages each surface.
2 July 2026 · 8 min read
Kitchen cabinet painting Melbourne: what a professional cabinet painter actually does (2026)
What a professional cabinet painter does in Melbourne: the full respray process, laminate vs timber doors, paint vs replace, and a real before and after.
2 July 2026 · 9 min read
Monument Colour Guide: What Goes With Colorbond Monument (2026)
Monument is Colorbond's deep matt charcoal grey. Here's what colours pair with it, how to paint walls to match, and where it works on Melbourne homes.
2 July 2026 · 8 min read
Paint and Primer Guide: What Primer Is and When You Need It (2026)
What primer paint is, the difference between primer and paint, real prices for Dulux, Zinsser and Haymes primers, and the five times you actually need it.
2 July 2026 · 9 min read
Taubmans Paint Review: Is It Any Good vs Dulux? (2026)
Taubmans is a solid mid-range paint from Bunnings and fine for most repaints. We'd still pick Dulux for high-wear rooms and trim. An honest painter's verdict.
2 July 2026 · 9 min read
Wattyl Paint Review: Is It Any Good? (A Melbourne Painter's Take)
Wattyl is a legitimate Australian trade brand and Solagard its strong exterior acrylic. When it's worth using and how it stacks up against Dulux.
2 July 2026 · 8 min read
Common questions
How long does paint take to dry between coats?
Quality acrylic paints like Dulux Wash&Wear are touch dry in around 30 minutes and ready to recoat in about two hours in normal conditions. Cold or humid Melbourne weather stretches that out, which is one reason exterior work is scheduled around the forecast.
Should I paint my house myself or hire a professional?
A single room with sound walls is a reasonable DIY job. Full interiors, ceilings, exteriors and anything with peeling or damaged paint are usually false economy, because the prep work and access equipment are where DIY jobs fail. Our guides on this blog cover both paths honestly.
How often should you repaint a house in Melbourne?
Exteriors every seven to ten years, sooner for weatherboards in full sun. Interiors last ten years or more if the walls were prepped properly. Melbourne UV and rain do most of the damage outside, so south-facing walls usually outlast west-facing ones.
Why is the paint on my walls peeling?
Almost always moisture or poor preparation. Paint applied over dust, gloss or damp plaster loses adhesion and lifts. The fix is to strip back the flaking area, treat the moisture source, sand, prime and repaint. Painting over the top without prep just moves the problem a year down the road.