A Modern Colour Update for a Northcote Point Villa, Exterior House Painting
The neighbour was so impressed, 6 years later we painted his Northcote Point villa
The House Painters, a Registered Master Painters business, repainted a circa-1900 weatherboard villa in Northcote Point, Auckland, in Dulux Manorburn Double, Southern Alps and The Remarkables. The House Painters stripped the peeling sections with a Paintshaver Pro, primed bare timber and windows with Dulux Precision, and applied two finish coats. The House Painters plans the next recoat in 7 to 10 years.
Exterior House Painting Northcote Point: Project At A Glance
For this exterior house painting Northcote Point job in Auckland, The House Painters took a circa-1900 weatherboard villa with sections of failing paint and an outdated colour scheme and repainted it in a modern Manorburn Double, Southern Alps and The Remarkables. During the quote failing sections were identified on the left-hand side, so these sections were stripped using The Paintshaver Pro, primed all bare timber, and applied two finish coats across the exterior. The owner hired The House Painters after seeing the villa next door, which The House Painters completed six years previously.
Northcote Point villa before the repaint, with failing paint and an outdated colour scheme.
The finished villa in Dulux Manorburn Double, Southern Alps and The Remarkables.
The Challenge
Auckland Climate and Weatherboard Challenges
Auckland’s climate places unrelenting demands on weatherboard homes. High UV exposure accelerates colour fade and paint breakdown, while temperature fluctuations cause timber movement that stresses rigid paint systems. Frequent rain finds every entry point: window frames, weatherboard edges and doors. Where preparation has been shortcut, adhesion fails. These conditions demand a flexible paint system with superior adhesion, not cheap products that fail within 2 to 3 years.
Paint Failure
This circa-1900 villa had failing paint on sections of the left-hand side, where the existing paint had lost its grip on the weatherboards and needed paint stripping. Simply painting over it would have caused extensive paint failure.
Why Repainting Over It Would Fail Again
New paint bonds to whatever sits beneath it. On the failing sections, that meant paint that was already coming away from the timber, and the new colour would have come away with it. The owner came for a colour change, but the failing sections still needed stripping so the new finish would recoat on a sound 7 to 10 year cycle rather than fail within 2 to 3 years.
Overcoating those sections would have trapped the failing layers under the new colour, and the peeling would have returned within 18 to 24 months. With the failing paint removed and the timber primed, the next repaint on this villa is maintenance work.
Project Overview
Project Type:
Villa exterior house painting
Location:
Northcote Point, Auckland
Property Style:
Weatherboard timber villa (1900)
Objective:
Replace an outdated colour scheme and fix failing paint
Paint System:
Dulux
Application:
Brush, roller & spray, two finish coats
Scope of Work:
Weatherboards, fascia, soffits, windows, decorative filigree, base and deck
Project Investment:
$22,000 to $26,000 + GST (2026). The final price reflects the preparation required following a site visit.
Not Included:
Scaffolding and powerline insulation, both required on this project and charged separately.
Northcote Point villa before exterior painting began.
Project Results
Completed Outcomes:
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Approx. 130–145 m² total exterior area painted
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7 sash windows, 2 timber windows, 1 wooden bi-fold door, 1 wooden side door, front door, deck, handrails, filigree and base
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Extensive surface preparation including paint stripping, scraping, filling, and substrate repairs
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Professional Dulux exterior coating system applied with an expected 7-10 year lifespan
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Update the villa using modern colours
Dull & dated paint on the villa before preparation.
Finished weatherboards in Manorburn Double with Southern Alps trim.
Our 5-Step Villa Painting Process
1
Assessment
The House Painters conducted a complete exterior inspection of this 1900s Northcote Point villa to assess paint failures and the timber’s condition.
Assessment findings:
- Severe paint failure on the left-hand side with extensive cracking, peeling, and paint bubbling
- Multiple failing paint layers creating sections of flaking paint that would continue to fail without complete removal
- Sash wooden window joinery, deck and handrails in good structural condition but requiring quality preparation to restore
The assessment determined that thorough surface preparation was required including using The Paintshaver Pro to strip failing paint on the left-hand elevation.
The assessment identified failing sections on the left-hand side needing paint stripping.
2
Preparation
The House Painters stripped the failing weatherboard sections with The Paintshaver Pro, a vacuum-integrated stripping machine that cuts paint off the weatherboard face down to bare timber and draws the debris into the vacuum at the cutting head.
How we strip paint from a weatherboard home explains the full method, and the weatherboard preparation guide covers the assessment behind it.
The Paintshaver Pro stripping failing paint back to bare timber.
3
Priming & Filling
Primer application focused on providing a sound surface for the top coats. On older homes we often encounter tannin bleed which is brown staining that seeps through coatings. This is solved by using an oil based primer designed to solve this issue.
Priming process:
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Application of Dulux Precision® High Opacity Stain Blocker to all bare timber surfaces.
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Filling of surface imperfections and sanding to create smooth, uniform finish, then re-primed
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Gap filling and caulking as required. The underlap of weatherboards are left open to ensure the home continued to “breathe” and not trap moisture.
Bare timber primed with Dulux Precision High Opacity Stain Blocker.
4
Topcoat Application
Two finish coats went on across the whole exterior, applied by brush, roller and spray. Each surface got the product suited to it.
Application process:
- Weatherboards, fascia, soffits, filigree and base: two coats of Dulux Weathershield® Low Sheen in Manorburn Double, Southern Alps and The Remarkables.
- Windows: two coats of Dulux Aquanamel® Semi-Gloss in Southern Alps, over the full coat of Precision primer.
- Deck: two coats of Dulux Timbacryl® in The Remarkables.
Weathershield’s MaxiFlex™ technology lets the paint move with the timber as it expands and contracts, which suits a circa-1900 villa’s weatherboards.
Finish coats being applied to the weatherboards and windows.
5
Final Detailing
The last stage finished the villa’s joinery and completed the colour change.
Finishing work:
- 7 sash windows and 2 timber windows finished in Dulux Aquanamel® Semi-Gloss in Southern Alps. Dulux lists it as non-yellowing and chip-resistant.
- Front door, wooden bi-fold door and wooden side door completed.
- Filigree picked out in Southern Alps against the Manorburn Double weatherboards.
The owners were very happy with the finished villa. With the failing sections stripped and all bare timber primed, the exterior is set for a 7 to 10 year recoat cycle.
The finished villa.
Products Used
Fascia, Soffits & Weatherboards
Dulux Weathershield® has been specially designed to provide a tough, hard-wearing finish that provides protection from all weather conditions. Formulated with MaxiFlex™ Technology to expand and contract with the surface.
- Long-life protection from all weather conditions
- Eco Choice Aotearoa approved
- Exclusive MaxiFlex™ formulation
- Made in New Zealand
Windows & Doors
Dulux Aquanamel® Semi Gloss is a non-yellowing, water-based interior and exterior acrylic enamel that dries to a glossy and durable, chip-resistant finish. Aquanamel® Semi Gloss can be used in most areas where traditional oil-based enamels are applied with the time-saving benefits of an acrylic paint.
- Long-life protection from all weather conditions
- Eco Choice Aotearoa approved
- Chip-resistant
- Non-yellowing finish
- Made in New Zealand
Colours Used
The completed exterior repaint gave this circa-1900 Northcote Point villa a modern colour scheme, with a clean, consistent finish over stripped and primed timber.
Manorburn Double
Area Used: Weatherboards
Product: Dulux Weathershield Low Sheen
Code: [#d0d1ce]
[View on Dulux Website →]
Manorburn Double is a popular light neutral grey. Perfect for both interiors or exteriors, it pairs well with Ōkārito and Manorburn Half and deep greys such as Boulder Beach and Franz Josef Quarter. Manorburn Double is one of our most popular greys.
Southern Alps
Area Used: Fascia, soffits, handrails, windows & doors
Product: Dulux Weathershield Low Sheen & Dulux Aquanamel®
Code: [#f7f8f4]
[View on Dulux Website →]
The popular soft ultra-pure white of Southern Alps is the ultimate choice for interiors and exteriors. It is ideal for walls, ceilings, trims and features such as fretwork and window frames. The freshness of Southern Alps will brighten any space and give it a luxe modern vibe.
The Remarkables
Area Used: Deck, Base
Product: Dulux Timbacryl (deck), Dulux Weathershield Low Sheen (base)
Code: [#494d53]
[View on Dulux Website →]
A dramatic charcoal grey with blue undertones, The Remarkables adds a contemporary feel to exteriors and is often used as an accent or front door colour. It pairs well with cool whites such as Hakataramea and Ōkārito or soft blues and greys such as Grey Lynn, Manorburn and Pūkaki.
The colour scheme with a before photo.
Colour scheme: Manorburn Double weatherboards, Southern Alps trim and a base in The Remarkables.
The Result: Exterior House Painting Northcote Point
The House Painters have 25+ years of experience preparing and painting Auckland villas. As Registered Master Painters and holders of the Master Painters Gold Award (2021 Takapuna heritage home restoration), The House Painters gave this Northcote Point villa the colour change its owner wanted.
Light grey weatherboards, white trim and filigree, and a charcoal base and deck have replaced the outdated scheme. The owner chose The House Painters after seeing the neighbouring Northcote Point villa, painted by The House Painters six years before.
The House Painters, Registered Master Painters and holders of the Gold Award, transformed this circa-1900 villa in Northcote Point from failing paint and an outdated scheme to a modern Dulux grey, white and charcoal exterior, with a preparation-first system built to recoat every 7 to 10 years.
The villa before the repaint.
The completed Northcote Point villa.
Project Photo Timeline
Swipe through this Northcote Point villa from the first failing sections to the finished exterior.
The whole project at a glance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Service area
This Northcote Point project forms part of our wider villa painting portfolio across Auckland. We regularly complete character home repaints in Devonport, Takapuna, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay, Mt Eden, Epsom, Remuera, and surrounding villa-dense suburbs.
Ready to Transform Your Villa?
The House Painters specialises in villa and weatherboard exterior painting across Auckland. Contact us today to organise a free inspection and quote.
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More Ways To Get In Touch
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Phone: 022 657 3215
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Email: sales@thehousepainters.co.nz
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Service Hours:
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