Communal Area Decoration That Survives Real Use

Specify for traffic, not for looks

Standard matt emulsion in a stairwell is a false economy. It marks on contact and cannot be cleaned without burnishing. A scrubbable or eggshell finish at handrail height and below costs a little more and stays presentable for years longer.

Colour matters too. Very pale walls in a busy entrance show every bag, bike and pram. A mid-tone at lower level with a lighter tone above keeps the space bright without showing every mark.

Repair before you paint

Most communal redecorations fail because the substrate was never addressed. Knocked corners, split frames, filled holes that were never sanded and previously flaking coatings all read straight through fresh paint.

• Repair or replace damaged door frames and architrave
• Reinforce and rebuild knocked external corners
• Remove failing coatings rather than painting over them
• Make good plaster cracks properly before priming

Keeping the building usable

Work floor by floor or section by section. Escape routes stay clear at all times, no materials are left in a communal area overnight, and residents get written notice before the start with a named contact for questions.

Budgeting the cycle

A full communal redecoration every five to seven years, with touch-up visits in between, generally works out cheaper and looks better than leaving it for a decade and doing a large remedial job. It is also far easier to present to leaseholders as a planned figure.