House painting in Beach Haven and Birkdale
Beach Haven and Birkdale were orchards until the Harbour Bridge opened in 1959. Most houses date from the subdivisions that followed, with a scattering of small 1920s bungalows from an earlier estate. Both eras are largely timber and both are old enough for lead-safe prep. See exterior house painting for the full process.
1920s bungalows from the Beach Haven Estate
The North Shore Heritage review says the Beach Haven Estate was offered for sale in 1923, and that bungalows built there in the 1920s were typically modest four-roomed houses with small verandahs and little decoration. Those that remain are close to a century old.
Simple bungalows paint more quickly than villas, but the oldest layers on them are presumed to contain lead, and board ends and sills will have had many decades of weather. Weatherboard and villa painting explains the prep.
The 1960s and 70s subdivisions
The heritage review says Birkdale and Beach Haven were mainly fruit-growing country until the bridge opened, after which orchards were subdivided for housing. Group-home builders developed large areas in the 1960s, a Parade of Homes in Levesque Street in 1961 showed low-cost modern houses, and Doris Street was among the first areas cleared for state housing.
Houses from this era are now 50 to 65 years old. Many are plain timber houses with simple trim, and some may have been extended since. Expect several old coats on the original parts, presumed lead in the lower layers, and newer cladding next to old that may need different primers.
- Original weatherboards: washed, scraped wet where loose, spot-primed and given two finish coats.
- Additions in different cladding: matched in colour but prepared to suit the material.
- Fibre-cement on older houses: checked for asbestos before anything is sanded.
Sources
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