We don’t just paint surfaces; we care for and restore them. From lathe, horsehair plaster and calcimine ceilings, to ship lap clapboards and scalloped shingles, the interior and exterior surfaces of historic homes have a distinct composition and coating history. Our understanding of New England’s rich architectural history, of historic building materials and of paint failure informs the preparation we carry out along with the type of appropriate materials we used to repair and restore historic homes. From plaster buttons to paint stripping and to rotted wood repair using epoxy consolidants and fillers, our home painters are trained problem solvers.

Older Paint

A common issue with older interiors is the brittleness of the paint. Since it is prone to easy chipping, we use a variety of lead-safe methods to remove delaminating layers. On natural finishes, especially handrails and newel post caps, often a thorough cleaning with very fine steel wool is all that is needed.

Plaster Restoration

As plaster ages, the keys, or areas of adhesion to the lath, tend to break causing it to pull away. This results in cracked and sagging plaster. Simply filling or patching these cracks is only a temporary fix; with time the cracks will reappear. When appropriate we install plaster buttons to secure the plaster before excavating cracks and repairing them properly.

Window Repair

We love original windows! We are capable of repairing broken glass, replacing missing putty, and sourcing antique glass to maintain the historic integrity of your windows. We can replace frayed or missing sash cords as well.

Catchlight is a proud recipient of the 2016 PDCA PIPP Award for Residential Exterior Restoration.