Painting and decorating in Marbella for villas and apartments

Painting and decorating on the Costa del Sol is about far more than colour. The Mediterranean climate —intense sun, sea salt and humidity— demands genuine technical judgement in every choice. A poorly treated façade grows mould or efflorescence within months, and interior woodwork painted with the wrong enamel yellows over time. At Costa del Sol Reformas we work with our own in-house team of painters and decorators to deliver durable, premium finishes: skim-coating over textured "gotelé" walls, water-based enamels, microcement, Venetian plaster, wallpaper and breathable façade paint. We prepare every surface thoroughly —80% of a great result lies in the preparation— and back our work with a 5-year guarantee. A finish that looks flawless and stands the test of time.

Surface preparation: 80% of a great finish

Before opening a single tin of paint we make the surface sound: we remove flaking paint, fill cracks with filler and, in areas with damp or salt efflorescence, apply specific products (anti-salt primers and sealers) to tackle the pathology at its root; painting over efflorescence only hides it for a few weeks. Skimming over textured 'gotelé' deserves its own chapter: we mask edges, apply a smoothing paste (such as Aguaplast or perlite-based), sand to a fine grain and seal with a bonding primer that evens out absorption. Without that primer, emulsion soaks in unevenly and leaves patches. A well-prepared surface, with the right primer for each substrate (plaster, plasterboard, cement), is what separates a professional finish from one that lasts a year.

Premium materials and finishes: from water-based enamel to microcement

For interior walls we use high-coverage matt emulsion (brands such as Titan, Valentine or Procolor) and, in kitchens and bathrooms, washable versions with anti-mould treatment. On woodwork, radiators and doors we favour water-based enamels (acrylic): unlike solvent-based synthetic enamel, they don't yellow, barely smell and dry fast —ideal in an occupied home. For design finishes we work with microcement (Topciment, Baxab) —a continuous multi-layer coating sealed with polyurethane, water-resistant and perfect for bathrooms, floors and worktops— and Venetian plaster or lime marmorino, burnished until it mimics marble. We also hang vinyl and non-woven (TNT) wallpaper, and spray-lacquer with airless equipment for a brush-mark-free finish. Every material in its right place.

Façade paint in a coastal climate: breathe without letting water in

On the seafront or anywhere across the Costa del Sol, a façade fights a constant battle against sun, salt and humidity. The most common mistake is applying conventional emulsion: it seals the wall, traps internal moisture and ends up blistering and flaking. We use siloxane or silicate paints: they are water-repellent (they shed liquid water) yet highly permeable to vapour, so the wall breathes and releases moisture. They also resist UV radiation and marine salt. Beforehand we treat the substrate with a consolidating primer and, where there is mould, a fungicide. On refurbishments we consider a filled siloxane coating (such as Revetón), which additionally masks micro-cracks and adds overall waterproofing to the wall.

Timelines, process and why an in-house team matters

An interior 90 m² flat with smooth walls and two coats usually takes 3-5 working days; if the textured gotelé needs skimming, add 2-4 days for the sanding and filling times. A microcement bathroom needs 4-6 days respecting the curing times between layers, and a façade depends on scaffold assembly and the weather —we don't paint in rain or above 35°C in full sun. We work with our own team and don't subcontract: the same tradespeople who prepare also protect your furniture, respect drying times between coats and leave the site clean every day. That control is what lets us offer a 5-year guarantee on the finish. Beforehand we provide a fixed quote and written schedule, in Spanish, English or German.