Facade coating and exterior wall painting in Northern Germany, Sweden and Denmark

Facade coating is the professional term for repainting exterior walls: preparing the surface, priming it and applying facade paint in several layers. It gives the building a new colour and protects render and masonry against driving rain, moisture and growth. Applied correctly, a facade coating typically lasts 10–15 years, depending on material and exposure.

As a registered craft business we coat facades on detached houses, older buildings and commercial properties. For paints and coating systems we work with Brillux as our partner.

Our projects in Germany include a beige facade coating on an older building in Rostock, a dark grey facade on a detached house in Schwerin and a commercial building in Rostock that we coated using an aerial work platform.

Paint ages slowly, so the signs are often noticed late. Watch out for:

Another simple check is the tape test: press a strong adhesive tape firmly onto the paint and pull it off sharply. If flakes of paint stick to it, the old coat no longer adheres well enough and must be partly or fully removed before repainting.

On insulated facades, recurring algae is often the trigger for a new coat. An algae-inhibiting system can delay regrowth considerably, but it does not replace an occasional look at the weather side and cleaning if growth does return.

The right facade paint depends mainly on the surface underneath, not on preference. The three main systems differ as follows:

Breathable – or vapour-permeable – means that moisture reaching the wall from inside can escape as water vapour. This keeps render and masonry dry. For damp locations near the coast, lakes or trees, algae-inhibiting finishes are also available. We decide on the system after checking the surface.

Compatibility with the old paint is just as important. Silicate paint, for example, does not bond reliably to an old dispersion paint. That is why we always check what is already on the wall before recommending anything.

A durable facade coating is mostly created before the first coat of colour goes on. First comes access – scaffolding or an aerial work platform – and masking of windows, doors, roof joints and planting. The facade is then cleaned, loose old paint is removed and cracks and small render defects are repaired.

The primer consolidates the surface and evens out its absorbency so the paint adheres uniformly. Intermediate and final coats are two separate stages with drying time in between; together they create the layer thickness that protects the wall and covers evenly. A single thick coat cannot replace this.

Facade paints need suitable weather: no rain, no frosty nights and no harsh midday sun on freshly painted areas. We therefore prefer the warmer months and plan with a buffer. For jobs in Sweden and Denmark the time window is agreed early, because travel and weather both have to fit.

Render, concrete and masonry can be coated if the surface is sound. Insulated facades have one particularity: very dark colours heat up strongly in the sun, so system manufacturers set a minimum light reflectance value for them. We check your chosen colour against this. Exposed brick is usually not painted but cleaned and, where useful, sealed.

Colours tend to look lighter and stronger on a large, sunlit wall than on a small colour card. Consider the facade colour together with the roof, windows and neighbouring houses.

Listed buildings and local planning rules can restrict colours and materials. In Germany, Sweden and Denmark alike, it is the owner's responsibility to check this with the local authority before the work is ordered; we are happy to advise on suitable shades.