Plaster and lath repair
Settlement cracks, failed keys and old patch work all show through fresh paint if they are only covered. We cut out, fill, tape where needed and skim to a flat surface, then prime the repairs before colour.
Serving the Glebe since 1999
House Painters in the Glebe
Century-home painting done the way century homes need it done.
27+Years in Ottawa
4.9★64 Google reviews
2-YearWritten guarantee
$2MLiability insured
Painting homes in the Glebe
Ottawa House & Cabinet Painting paints homes throughout the Glebe, Old Ottawa South, Old Ottawa East, the Golden Triangle and Centretown — interior painting, plaster repair, heritage woodwork, cabinet refinishing and exterior work, with a free on-site estimate.
Nearly every house in the Glebe was built between 1900 and 1935, and painting them is a genuinely different trade from painting a subdivision home. Walls are plaster over lath. Trim is deep original fir or oak under many layers of paint, some of it lead-based. There are cast-iron radiators, wood sash windows, panelled doors with original hardware, and picture rails worth keeping. Rushing any of that ruins detail you cannot buy back. We take heritage interiors at the speed they need.
What we're usually working with in the Glebe
Predominantly 1900–1935 brick semis, doubles and singles with plaster walls, original fir and oak millwork, cast-iron radiators and wood sash windows, plus converted duplexes and a small number of modern infills.
Areas of The Glebe we cover
- The Glebe
- Glebe Annex
- Old Ottawa South
- Old Ottawa East
- Golden Triangle
- Centretown
- Dow’s Lake
- Lansdowne area
What the Glebe calls us for
The jobs this neighbourhood actually needs.
Every community in Ottawa has its own housing stock and its own recurring problems. These are the ones we see most in the Glebe.
Original woodwork and picture rails
Deep original casings and picture rails are the reason to own a Glebe home. We prepare and finish them so the profile stays sharp, rather than laying on another thick coat that rounds the detail away.
Radiators, sash windows and panelled doors
Cast-iron radiators need a coating rated for the heat. Wood sash windows need the glazing checked and the sashes freed so they still open. Panelled doors need the hardware removed rather than cut around.
Heritage colour selection
Modern paint decks contain plenty of colours that look wrong in a 1915 room with high baseboards and picture rails. We help pick palettes that suit the architecture instead of fighting it.
See the full range on our Ottawa painting services page, or check current painting costs in Ottawa.
Why the Glebe homeowners hire us
- 27 years, one owner. Sean has been painting Ottawa homes since 1999 and still walks every estimate personally.
- The same crew, start to finish. No subcontractors handed your keys partway through the job.
- A fixed written price. Quoted after an on-site visit, not over the phone, and not by the hour.
- Balance due on satisfaction. A small deposit holds your date; the rest is paid after we walk the job together and you're happy with it.
- Licensed, WSIB registered, $2M insured. Certificates available before you book.
- Low-VOC and zero-VOC paints. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams lines that let your family stay in the house.
Book a free on-site estimate in The Glebe
No charge, no obligation, and a written fixed price before any work starts.
The Glebe questions
Straight answers, The Glebe specifics.
How do you handle lead paint in a Glebe home?
On the assumption it is present, which is the right assumption in a pre-1978 house. We avoid dry sanding, work wet, contain and seal the work area, use HEPA vacuums and clean thoroughly. Undisturbed lead paint under new coats is not a hazard — sanding it into the air is, which is why DIY prep is the real risk in these homes.
Can you paint over wallpaper, or does it have to come off?
It should come off. Glebe homes often have several layers of paper, sometimes applied straight onto unprimed plaster, and paint reactivates the adhesive underneath and lifts it in sheets. We remove the paper, wash off the glue, repair the plaster and prime before painting.
Will you paint the exterior brick?
We can, but we will usually advise against it on a heritage brick home, and we would rather say so than take the job. Painted brick cannot breathe the way bare brick does, it traps moisture in an Ottawa freeze-thaw cycle, and it can never really be undone. Repointing and cleaning is almost always the better answer.
Do you work on rental and student properties in the area?
Yes. Landlords in the Glebe, Old Ottawa South and Sandy Hill are a steady part of our work, and we can schedule between tenancies and quote per-unit for multi-unit properties.
We also paint nearby
Westboro paintersCentury homes, infills and renovations — painted at the standard the neighbourhood expects.View Westboro Alta Vista paintersMid-century bungalows brought properly up to date.View Alta Vista Orléans paintersInterior, exterior and cabinet work across Ottawa’s east end.View Orléans Nepean paintersThe specialists Nepean calls for stipple ceilings, oil-painted trim and 1970s kitchens.View Nepean
Every area we serve
Ready to repaint your The Glebe home?
Or call 613-276-5822Sean answers personally · Mon–Sat 7am–7pm