House painting
Repainting an old house in Lashkar and old Gwalior
What makes old city houses different
Lashkar, the area around Maharaj Bada and many lanes of old Gwalior have houses that are decades old. Walls are often thick, sometimes with lime plaster, and carry many layers of lime wash or distemper from past Diwalis. These coats are powdery. They do not give new emulsion a firm base to hold on to.
Test the wall before buying paint
Rub your palm firmly on the wall. If white powder comes off, the old coat is chalky. Press tape on the wall and pull it off quickly. If paint flakes come with it, those layers must be scraped. Look at the base of ground floor walls for salt marks and damp, which are common in older buildings.
Preparation, step by step
- Scrape and sand off loose distemper and lime wash.
- Open up and fill cracks. Larger plaster damage can be repaired with a product such as Berger HomeShield Repairo.
- Treat damp areas first and let them dry. Do not hide damp under putty.
- Apply a primer such as Berger BP White Primer to seal and bind the surface.
- Use putty only where the wall is uneven. Old walls with many layers rarely need a full putty coat everywhere.
- Finish with two coats of emulsion. A matt finish like Berger Rangoli Rich Matt hides small waves in old plaster better than a shiny one.
Shared walls, stairs and high ceilings
Old houses often have tall rooms and narrow stairwells, which add a lot of wall area and need proper ladders or scaffolding. Count these areas when you estimate paint. If you are not sure, our free site visit in Gwalior city takes these into account.
Before the painter starts: a short checklist
- Fix leaks and damp first; paint will not stop water coming through a wall
- Scrape loose and flaking paint; sand glossy patches so the new coat grips
- Fill cracks, then prime repaired spots and any bare plaster
- Use putty only where the wall is uneven, and sand it smooth
- Cover floors and furniture; remove switch plates and fittings
- Note the shade code of every tin, so a later top-up matches
Questions to ask your painter before work starts
- Which walls need scraping, primer or putty, and which do not?
- How many coats of each product are included in the price?
- Who supplies material, and will you show me the sealed tins and shade codes?
- How will furniture, floors and fittings be protected?
- How many days will the job take, and how long between coats?
Berger products that suit this job
| Product | Range | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Berger BP White Primer | Economy | BP White Primer (WT) is a low-smell, air-drying primer for interior masonry. |
| Berger Bison Wall Putty | Economy | Bison Wall Putty is a white cement-based powder putty for interior and exterior walls. |
| Berger HomeShield Repairo | Premium | HomeShield Repairo is a ready repair mortar for patching and cement work. |
| Berger Rangoli Rich Matt | Premium | Rangoli Rich Matt is a 100% acrylic emulsion with a flat matt look. |
| Berger Walmasta Exterior Interior Primer | Economy | Walmasta Exterior Interior Primer is a value primer for both inside and outside walls. |
Buying Berger outside Gwalior city
PT Enterprises supplies more than 70 Berger dealers across the Gwalior region, so the products in this guide are available in Gwalior, Morena, Bhind, Sheopur, Shivpuri, Datia, Guna, Ashoknagar. Call or WhatsApp +91 77559 81105 and we will tell you the nearest dealer and check stock.
Useful next steps
- Free site visit and estimate in Gwalior
- Painting service in Gwalior
- Colour consultation
- Our Berger DOCO store in Gwalior
Frequently asked questions
Can I put emulsion over lime wash?
Not directly. Remove the loose lime wash, then prime. Emulsion over chalky lime wash usually peels within months.
My old walls have salt patches. What should I do?
Salt patches mean moisture is moving through the wall. Brush off the salt, find and stop the source of water, let the wall dry and treat it before painting.
Do you send painters for old houses?
Yes. In Gwalior we can send painters who are used to preparing old walls. Call +91 77559 81105.
About this guide: written by the team at PT Enterprises, the authorised Berger Paints distributor for the Gwalior region, which supplies dealers in eight districts and runs a Berger DOCO store in Gwalior. Product details follow Berger’s published data sheets; check the data sheet of your exact product for coverage, coats and drying time.
