Latex spraying in a listed building or a characterful period home mainly calls for careful masking. Stained glass, bay windows, ornaments and high ceilings make a home beautiful, but also tricky to spray. We cover windows and stained glass with film and tape, check the surface, and do small repairs and hand sanding before the first coat goes on. Our "from" prices are €7.95, €9.95 and €11.95 per m2. The exact price is in the quote after a free on-site visit.
Listed buildings and townhouses: where is the challenge
A townhouse, a 1930s home or a building with a lot of stained glass often has more detail than a standard home. Think of bay windows with small panes, ornaments along the ceiling, high walls and doors with glass. Spraying releases a fine mist that can settle anywhere. So everything that does not need painting has to be well covered.
An airless machine applies the paint under high pressure, without air, see the Graco brochure. That gives speed and an even coat, but needs preparation. In a characterful building we therefore spend more time masking than spraying itself.
We do not claim any specialism in listed building consent or in restoring historic finishes. If your building is protected, ask your municipality which rules apply to work on the interior. We take care of the painting work within the agreements you make.
Protecting stained glass with film and tape
Protecting stained glass is a standard part of our work in such buildings. Our own project photos show it: in a photo of a ceiling in a bay window, the stained glass windows and the windows around them are covered with film and tape while the ceiling is sprayed with an airless machine and an extension pole. In another photo, a tradesman on a step ladder is masking windows before spraying begins.
This is how it works in practice:
- On site we look at which windows, mouldings and ornaments need protecting.
- We tape the edges tightly, so that no paint gets under the edge.
- We hang film over the stained glass and the windows, so that mist cannot land on them.
- After spraying we remove film and tape carefully, only once the coat has dried enough.
More images are under photos of our spray work.
Masking ornaments and windows without damage
Masking ornaments and windows takes patience. For profiles, ceiling roses or moulding we use tape chosen for each surface and remove it carefully. If in doubt, we test on an inconspicuous spot first. If the old paint layer is weak or flaking, tape can pull paint away. We see that beforehand when checking the surface, and we discuss it with you before we start.
Do you want certain ornaments in a different colour from the wall? That is possible, but it falls outside our standard price for one colour per quote. We state it in the quote.
Spraying high ceilings and bay windows in older homes
High ceilings are a big advantage of spraying. A roller on a long pole costs a lot of time and labour, whereas an airless machine with an extension pole reaches the ceiling from a stable position. An explanation of the approach is under spray painting ceilings.
With a townhouse ceiling we spray the ceiling surfaces and the walls in one pass, so that the colour stays the same across the whole room. Bay windows with a lot of glass need more masking, because there are more window edges. So allow a little more preparation time than in a room with a single window.
According to Homedeal, a surface is ideally made ready for wallpaper or paint (sausklaar) before spraying, and the texture of the wall stays visible. In older buildings that means existing texture, including small irregularities, stays visible after spraying.
Old surfaces: checking, repairing, hand sanding
Old walls and ceilings can have cracks, holes and loose paint layers. So a check of the surface is always part of our work. We include small repairs, we sand walls and ceilings by hand and we fill all inside corners.
Large repairs, such as a sagging ceiling or a wall with serious damp, are not part of our spray work. In that case we first advise repair by a tradesperson trained for it. In one of our photos you can see en suite interior doors with stained glass, lacquered white. There you can see what a calm, crisp surface does for the end result, next to the crisp white walls.
We proceed carefully with surfaces whose build-up we do not know. If in doubt, we do a trial on a small area first.
Lacquering woodwork and glazed doors in older homes
Many older homes have interior doors with glass, frames and staircases. If you want those finished too, we do that with water-based lacquer. For Flexa Strak in de Lak interior matt, the data sheet states a dust-dry coat after 1 hour and overpaintable after 4 hours at 20 degrees, and fully cured after 4 days. This is an example; it can differ per product.
On our page lacquer spraying you can read more about doors, frames and staircases. Our "from" prices: an interior door from €110, a closed staircase from €650 and an open staircase from €700. Lacquer spraying is bespoke work, so the exact price follows after the visit.
Planning and living in the house: how we keep it manageable
A characterful building is often lived in during the work. It then pays to agree in advance which rooms come first and what you move yourself. You take away small items and artworks, and we cover large furniture as agreed during the visit.
Plan around drying time too. For the example product Sigma Air Pure Supermatt, the data sheet states dry after about 1 hour and overpaintable after 4 hours at 23 degrees and 50% humidity. In our quote conversation we state which latex we use and what that means for your planning.
Let us know if there are fragile items in the house, such as old floors, antiques or tiling. We then include that in the covering. That way you avoid surprises and the work stays manageable.
Cost of latex spraying in a characterful building
These are our "from" prices per m2, based on light colours and one colour per quote:
| Package | Latex | "From" price per m2 |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | standard latex, scrub class 3 | €7.95 |
| Medium | medium latex, scrub class 2 | €9.95 |
| High | high-end latex, scrub class 1 | €11.95 |
In a characterful building the quote can come out higher than the "from" price, because masking stained glass and ornaments takes extra time. We work that out in the quote. A general explanation is on latex spraying cost per m2.
Service area for townhouses and older homes
We work within about 30 km around Haarlem. If you have an older home in latex spraying Haarlem, latex spraying Bloemendaal or latex spraying Heemstede, we will come for a visit.
Call +31 6 38048347 (06-38048347), 7 days a week from 07:30 to 19:00, or let us know via request a quote. The visit is free.
Frequently asked questions
Can you spray a listed building?
We spray latex in characterful buildings and mask stained glass and windows. We do not claim expertise in listed building consent. If your building is protected, ask your municipality which rules apply to the interior.
How do you protect stained glass?
We tape the edges and hang film over the glass and the windows. Our project photos show this. After spraying we carefully remove tape and film once the coat has dried enough.
Can I have a 1930s home latex sprayed?
Yes. We first check the surface, include small repairs and sand by hand. Bay windows, stained glass and high ceilings need extra masking. The quote takes that into account.
Is spraying suitable for a townhouse ceiling?
Yes, especially for high ceilings. An airless machine with an extension pole reaches the ceiling easily. We mask ornaments and windows first, so that the paint only goes where it should.
What does masking ornaments and windows cost?
Masking windows and frames is included in our packages. Extra work for many ornaments or stained glass is included in the quote. Our "from" prices are €7.95, €9.95 and €11.95 per m2.
Does tape damage old paint or ornaments?
It can if the old layer is loose. That is why we check the surface beforehand, choose the tape for each surface and test on a small area if in doubt. We discuss weak spots with you.
Can you also lacquer wooden doors with glass?
Yes, we do that with water-based lacquer. Our "from" prices are an interior door from €110 and a staircase from €650. Lacquer spraying is bespoke work, the exact price follows after the visit.
Does the texture of old walls stay visible?
Yes. According to Homedeal, existing texture stays visible when spraying on a surface that is ready for wallpaper or paint. If you want a smoother wall, discuss in advance what is possible, because that falls outside a standard spray job.
Do you also work in Bloemendaal and Heemstede?
Yes, both places are in our service area of about 30 km around Haarlem. We come to you for a free visit and then make a quote with a "from" price per m2.
How do I request a visit?
Call +31 6 38048347 (06-38048347), 7 days a week from 07:30 to 19:00, or use the form on the contact page. The visit is free, the quote follows afterwards.
More about spray painting walls and ceilings
- spray painting in Haarlem
- latex spraying Amsterdam
- service area around Haarlem
- knowledge base on latex and lacquer spraying
- free quote
Written by Sander, latex sprayer at Meesterspuiters in Haarlem, with more than 10 years of experience in latex and lacquer spraying. Updated on 6 October 2026. More background in our knowledge base.
