Common Area Painting Sydney: Best Paint Choices for Hallways, Stairs and Lobbies

Common Area Painting Sydney: Best Paint Choices for Hallways, Stairs and Lobbies

Shane Moradi is the founder and owner of Sydney Painting Experts. He brings more than 20 years of professional painting and decorating experience across residential, commercial and strata projects throughout Sydney.

Best Paint Choices in Sydney for Hallways, Stairs and Lobbies

A building’s common areas rarely get the attention given to its façade or apartments. Yet for residents, visitors, tenants and prospective buyers, they are often the first and last parts of the property they experience.

The hallway is where professionals drag furniture. The stairwell absorbs years of hand traffic. The lobby receives delivery trolleys, muddy shoes, prams, bicycles and the daily procession of residents. In a commercial or strata building, these spaces can deteriorate surprisingly quickly.

That makes common-area painting for Sydney property owners less about choosing an attractive colour and more about selecting a coating system that can withstand repeated use.

The timing is also relevant for strata schemes. NSW strata law changes that began on 1 April 2026 introduced new requirements around maintenance planning, including standard forms for 10-year capital works fund plans. Earlier reforms, commencing in October 2025, also strengthened aspects of common-property repair and maintenance.

For owners corporations, painting common areas should therefore be considered part of a wider property-maintenance strategy rather than an occasional cosmetic exercise.

What Is the Best Paint for Common Areas in Sydney?

The best paint for Sydney common areas is a durable, washable coating suited to traffic levels, surface condition, lighting and cleaning requirements. There is no universal “best” paint.

A quiet residential corridor does not experience the same wear as the entrance to a 200-apartment building. A naturally lit lobby may tolerate a different colour and sheen from a narrow stairwell under artificial lighting. The practical priorities are usually:

• Washability
• Scuff resistance
• Durability
• Appropriate sheen
• Stain resistance
• Low odour where occupied buildings are being painted
• Good coverage
• Easy touch-up
• Compatibility with the existing surface

Dulux’s current Wash&Wear Low Sheen, for example, is specifically recommended for high-traffic areas such as hallways and is designed to resist common marks, scuffs and stains. Its +PLUS Anti-Scuff product is positioned specifically for high-traffic, scuff-prone areas.

Taubmans Endure is another current Australian option designed for high-traffic interiors, with stated washability, stain resistance and durability.

The important point is to specify the performance characteristics, not simply the brand.

Hallway Painting: Durability without Making the Space Feel Institutional

Hallways have an awkward job. They must tolerate abuse while still making a building feel cared for. Walls beside lifts, doors and corners are particularly vulnerable. Dark scuff marks can appear quickly, while frequent cleaning can eventually leave inferior coatings looking patchy or shiny.

For most residential common corridors, a quality low-sheen washable interior coating is a sensible starting point. Low sheen balances appearance and practicality. It does not reflect light as aggressively as higher-sheen coatings, while remaining easier to clean than many matt finishes. 

Dulux describes its Wash&Wear Low Sheen as suitable for walls in medium- and high-traffic areas. At the same time, Taubmans similarly identifies low sheen as a versatile interior finish and higher-sheen options as better suited to high-wear applications. For Sydney strata properties, that balance matters.

A beautifully smooth wall that cannot tolerate routine cleaning is not necessarily a good maintenance decision.

What Paint Is Best for Stairwells?

Stairwells present a different problem. They are high-use spaces, but they are also part of a building’s access and egress system. Poorly considered painting work can create practical problems if coatings are applied to walking surfaces, nosings or other areas without appropriate consideration.

The National Construction Code includes requirements for slip-resistant stair treads and nosings, with classifications determined by conditions and testing in accordance with AS 4586. That is why painting should not be treated as an opportunity to coat every visible surface indiscriminately.

For walls and ceilings, durable interior coatings are generally the priority. For stairs themselves, the appropriate surface treatment depends on the substrate, existing construction, exposure and applicable requirements. A painting contractor working in a common stairwell therefore needs to understand the difference between decorative painting and safety-critical surfaces.

Colour Choices for Sydney Common Areas

Colour can quietly influence how a building feels. A narrow corridor painted in an overly dark shade can feel enclosed. An entrance with an excessively stark white may show every mark within weeks.

For common areas, many property managers favour:

• Warm off-whites
• Soft greys
• Muted neutral tones
• Gentle earthy colours
• Carefully selected darker accents

But the colour should respond to the building, not follow a generic trend. Sydney’s current 2026 colour direction is also moving beyond cold, uniform neutrals. Dulux’s 2026 palettes include softer greens and mauves, warm whites and earthy browns, and richer expressive tones.

For a strata lobby, that might translate into a restrained neutral base with a deeper feature colour around a reception wall, lift lobby or architectural detail. The objective is not to make a common area look fashionable for one year.

It is to make it look considered and maintainable for several years.

Painting Doors, Skirting Boards and Handrails

Walls receive most of the attention, but common-area trim often takes the greatest physical punishment. Doors, frames, skirting boards and handrails are repeatedly touched, knocked and cleaned.

These surfaces may benefit from a harder-wearing enamel or suitable water-based enamel system rather than the same wall coating used across the entire building. Taubmans currently describes its water-based Pure Performance Enamel as a low-VOC, scuff-resistant, washable option for doors, skirting boards, architraves, and window frames.

The correct choice depends on the substrate and existing coating. Preparation remains essential. Glossy or deteriorated surfaces should not simply receive another coat because the new colour looks attractive in the specification.

Why Surface Preparation Matters in Common Area Painting

In occupied buildings, preparation is often the stage residents notice least—and the stage that determines whether the finished work continues to look good. Before painting, a professional contractor may need to address:

• Flaking paint
• Cracks
• Impact damage
• Water stains
• Mould
• Chalking
• Failed previous repairs
• Glossy surfaces
• Uneven patches
• Damaged plasterboard or render

Taubmans’ current professional product guidance, for example, recommends removing loose and flaking paint, sanding surfaces and priming bare or repaired areas before repainting.

Skipping this work can create a familiar cycle: fresh paint looks impressive for a short time, defects reappear, and the owner’s corporation is back to discussing another repaint.

Common Area Painting and Strata Responsibilities

 In NSW strata schemes, owners’ corporations generally maintain common property, making planned common-area painting a shared maintenance responsibility. The NSW Government states that the owners’ corporation is responsible for maintaining and repairing common property. Common-property examples include hallways, common lighting and other shared building elements.

That distinction matters when planning a repaint. 

Internal painting within an individual apartment is generally the owner’s responsibility, whereas common corridors, shared entrances, and other common areas may fall under the owners’ corporation’s responsibility. However, every strata scheme has its own plan and by-laws.

NSW Government guidance recommends checking the strata plan and by-laws when responsibility is unclear. For larger projects, procurement also matters. NSW Government states that schemes must obtain at least two independent quotes for work valued at $30,000 or more.

That makes a detailed painting specification particularly valuable.

How Should a Sydney Common Area Be Painted While Residents Remain in the Building?

A common-area repaint is not an empty-room renovation. People still need to enter their homes. Deliveries continue. Emergency access must remain available. Residents may have mobility requirements. Businesses may need to operate. A sensible project plan should therefore consider:

• Work sequencing
• Access routes
• Drying times
• Ventilation
• Resident communication
• Temporary barriers
• Signage
• Protection of floors and fixtures
• Daily site clean-up
• Noise and odour management
• Emergency access

The painting schedule should work around the building—not force the building to work around the painters.

When Should a Strata Building Repaint Its Common Areas?

There is no single repainting interval suitable for every Sydney property. The more useful approach is to monitor condition. You must always look for:

• Persistent scuffing
• Fading
• Peeling
• Cracking
• Staining
• Mould
• Damaged corners
• Chalking
• Worn stair finishes
• Repeated touch-up areas

If maintenance teams continually touch up the same corridor walls, that may indicate the building has moved beyond spot maintenance.

A planned repaint can also be coordinated with other capital works, reducing disruption and allowing scaffolding, access equipment or contractors to be scheduled more efficiently.

The Future of Common Area Painting in Sydney

Strata maintenance is becoming more planned and accountable.

With NSW’s recent strata reforms placing greater emphasis on maintenance planning and capital works, owners corporations have stronger reasons to treat painting as part of long-term asset management rather than an emergency response to tired walls.

At the same time, paint technology is moving towards harder-wearing, easier-to-clean and lower-VOC finishes for demanding interior environments. Current Dulux and Taubmans ranges demonstrate how manufacturers are targeting scuff resistance, washability, durability and indoor-air considerations.

For Sydney buildings, the practical lesson is simple: the cheapest coating is rarely the only cost to consider—cleaning, touch-ups, resident disruption and premature repainting all form part of the lifecycle equation.

Make Common Areas Work Harder

Hallways, stairwells and lobbies are the workhorses of a shared building. They need to look presentable, but they also need to survive daily use. The right approach to common area painting Sydney projects combines durable coatings, appropriate sheen levels, proper preparation, sensible colour selection and careful project management.

For strata committees, building managers and owners corporations, acting before widespread deterioration can make a repaint easier to budget, easier to organise and less disruptive to residents.

Sydney Painting Experts provides residential, commercial and strata painting services across Sydney, with more than 20 years of professional painting experience and a focus on surface preparation and durable finishing systems.

If your building’s hallways, stairs, or lobby show repeated scuffing, peeling, fading, or patchy repairs, contact Sydney Painting Experts for a professional assessment and painting quotation tailored to the building’s use and condition.

Follow Sydney Painting Experts on Facebook and Instagram for strata painting tips, common area inspiration and the latest project updates.

Frequently Asked Questions: Common Area Painting Sydney

What is the best paint for common areas in Sydney?

Durable, washable low-sheen paint is ideal for Sydney hallways, lobbies and other high-traffic common areas.

How often should strata common areas be repainted?

Strata common areas should be inspected regularly and repainted when scuffing, fading, peeling or surface deterioration becomes widespread.

What colour is best for apartment hallways?

Soft neutral colours work well in apartment hallways, creating brighter spaces while helping disguise everyday marks and scuffs.

Is anti-scuff paint worth it for a Sydney lobby?

Anti-scuff paint can reduce visible marks in busy Sydney lobbies, helping minimise cleaning requirements and the need for premature repainting.

What paint finish is best for stairwells?

A durable, washable, low-sheen finish is generally suitable for stairwell walls, balancing cleanability, appearance, and resistance to everyday wear.

Who is responsible for painting strata common areas in NSW?

Owner’s corporations generally maintain and repair strata common property, including shared hallways, entrances and other communal areas.

How do I choose common area painters in Sydney?

Choose experienced Sydney painters who offer detailed preparation, durable coatings, insurance, licensing, warranties, and clear project specifications.

How long does common area painting take in Sydney?

Common-area painting may take several days or longer, depending on building size, preparation, access, drying times and project complexity.

About the Author

Shane Moradi 

Shane Moradi founded Sydney Painting Experts and has over 20 years of experience in painting and decorating for residential, commercial, and strata projects throughout Sydney. His team specialises in high-quality interior and exterior painting, protective coatings, roof restoration, epoxy flooring, and colour consultation. As Dulux Accredited Painters, they commit to delivering excellent craftsmanship, full licensing, comprehensive insurance, and long-lasting paint systems that meet industry standards.