Interior and Exterior Painting in Cape Town

Roof Direct paints the inside and outside of commercial buildings, sectional title complexes and homes across Cape Town and the Helderberg. We fix cracks and damp before any paint goes on, help you choose a paint suited to each surface, and can combine the job with roof or waterproofing work.

Why paint fails in Cape Town

Paint only lasts if the walls underneath are sound, and in Cape Town damp is the most common reason a repaint fails early. Exterior paint has a hard life here:

Strong summer sun fades colours and breaks down the paint film until it turns chalky, especially on north- and west-facing walls.
Wind-driven rain in winter, roughly May to August, is pushed into every crack and joint by the north-westerly storms.
Salt air near the coast, on the Atlantic Seaboard, in Blouberg, on the Southern Peninsula and up the West Coast, leaves deposits on walls and attacks metal fittings.
Damp behind the paint, from cracks, leaking gutters, failed parapet tops or rain soaking through porous walls, makes paint bubble and peel.

Inside, the same damp shows up as brown stains on ceilings and patches on outside walls, usually during the winter rains.

Cracks and damp are fixed first

Roof Direct paints the inside and outside of commercial buildings, sectional title complexes and homes across greater Cape Town, the Helderberg and the West Coast, and we fix cracks and damp before any paint goes on. We open up and fill cracks with a filler suited to their size and movement, find where damp is coming from, and fix the cause, not just the stain.

Because we also do roofing and waterproofing, one team can deal with the cause: roof leaks through roof repairs, and rain soaking through outside walls or parapets through exterior waterproofing. Once the wall or ceiling has dried, we seal the stain and repaint so it doesn’t bleed through. Our waterproofing is exterior only, so we don’t treat rising damp.

Preparing the surfaces

Good preparation is what makes a paint job look neat and last. Outside, we wash off dirt, salt and chalky residue, scrape off loose paint, and prime bare or repaired areas. Inside, we protect floors and furniture, fill and sand cracks and holes, seal stains, prime bare plaster, and mask skirtings, frames and fittings for clean edges. Windows, paving, plants and vehicles are protected before work starts.

Choosing the right paint

No single product suits every wall, so we help you choose:

Outside walls: a paint made for exterior masonry, suited to how close the building is to the sea and how much sun and driving rain each wall takes. Walls with fine hairline cracks may suit a more flexible coating.
Living areas and bedrooms: a matt or low-sheen finish that hides small imperfections.
Passages, children’s rooms, offices and stairwells: a durable, washable finish.
Kitchens and bathrooms: a finish that copes with steam, condensation and regular cleaning.
Ceilings: a ceiling paint that gives an even, flat finish.

The colours are your call. We can talk through how a colour works in the sun or in the light of a room, and we explain the paint choice in the quote.

Access for multi-storey buildings

Depending on the height and layout, we use scaffolding or other access equipment, or rope access where scaffolding isn’t practical. Our teams are working-at-heights compliant.

Commercial buildings and offices

For offices, retail buildings, factories and warehouses, we plan around your operations. Inside, we can work after hours or in sections if agreed, and we agree how desks, computers and files will be handled. Outside, we agree working hours, access routes and how entrances and parking stay clear. Andre or our foreman, Randall, oversees each job. See commercial and industrial roofing.

Body corporate repaints

Trustees get an itemised quote they can table, with repairs, access and painting shown separately. Colour samples are agreed before paint is ordered, residents know which block or common area is being worked on and when, and damp parapets, balconies or roof leaks are fixed in the same project rather than staining the new paint later. See body corporate roofing.

Homes

Whether it’s one room, the whole house or the outside walls of a holiday home on the coast, we work room by room where possible and leave the house clean at the end of each day. See roofing and painting for homes.

The roof too

If the roof is faded or rusting, we can paint it in the same project. See roof painting.

The guarantee

Painting comes with a two-year workmanship guarantee from Roof Direct, and the paint carries the manufacturer’s guarantee of up to 10 years, depending on the product.

Get a free painting quote

Request your quote or send photos of the walls or rooms on WhatsApp.

Recent painting projects

The corridor floor and stairs at Morlea Court after re-screeding and painting in red

Worn staircase at Morlea Court with old green paint peeling off the steps, before the work

BeforeAfter

Painting

Interior painting and restoration, Vredehoek

The inside of this Vredehoek block of flats was worn, with old paint peeling off the stairs. We restored and repainted the interior throughout, including redoing the staircase and re-screeding the floors, and finished the floors and stairs in a clean red.

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to paint outside walls in Cape Town?

The best time to paint outside walls in Cape Town is during the drier months, from late spring to early autumn, when walls are dry and there's less chance of rain before the paint cures. Paint shouldn't go onto damp walls, in rain, or in very strong wind. In summer we plan around the hottest part of the day and the south-easter.

Why is my exterior paint peeling or bubbling?

Exterior paint usually peels or bubbles because moisture is trapped behind it, or because it was applied over a dusty, chalky or poorly prepared surface. Damp coming through cracks, failed parapets or leaking gutters pushes the paint off from behind. Repainting without fixing the cause gives the same result, so we find and repair the source of the damp first.

Can you paint our offices without closing?

Yes, in most cases we can paint your offices without closing. If agreed, we work after hours or in sections, so only part of the office is affected at a time, and we move and cover desks and equipment carefully. We agree the plan with you before we start, so your staff and clients know which areas are out of use and when.

Can you paint a multi-storey building without scaffolding?

Often, yes. Where scaffolding isn't practical, for example on tall or awkward elevations, our teams can use rope access to reach the walls safely. Some buildings still suit scaffolding or other access equipment better, depending on the height, the layout and the work needed. We recommend the access method at the inspection and include it in the quote.

Why does a damp stain come back after painting?

A damp stain comes back after painting because the water causing it is still getting in. Paint covers the mark but doesn't stop a roof leak, a cracked outside wall or a leaking gutter. We find and fix the cause first, let the wall or ceiling dry, then seal the stain and repaint, so the mark doesn't return.

What affects the cost of interior and exterior painting?

The cost depends on the wall and ceiling area, the height of the building and how it's accessed, the condition of the surfaces, how much crack and damp repair is needed first, the paint and finish, colour changes that need extra coats, and whether we work after hours. After a free inspection you get an itemised quote that shows each part separately.