Interior features and finishes

Plasterboard walls (painted or wallpapered), softboard ceilings, and timber joinery were features of 1940s-60s houses, though decoration was minimal.

Original details

Internal walls and ceilings

Walls were typically lined with plasterboard and ceilings with softboard, but other linings were sometimes used. Read more.
See floors for floor finishes.

Joinery

Houses of the 1940s-60s had extensive timber joinery including built-in cupboards in the kitchen and hallways. Read more.

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Common problems and remedies

Problems with internal walls and ceilings

Problems may include walls that are out of plumb or are unsuitable for paint finish, and linings that have cracked due to building movement. Read more.

Matching new mouldings to existing

Skirtings and other mouldings are no longer made in imperial dimensions, making it difficult to get an exact match for original mouldings. Read more.

Borer, rot and mould

Borer and mould may have affected joinery and internal linings. See Borer, rot and mould for information on how to deal with these problems.