A new look for a historic villa

The village is surrounded by the river Minija, three lakes and the Curonian lagoon, giving it its nickname of the Venice of Lithuania. 

Water is at the heart of life in Minge, with the river being the main artery of the village. Water and rural tourism has been developing rapidly, so in the summer the river pulses with life, with a marina full of yachts and motorboats joining the many fishing vessels with their nets. In winter a quiet descends on the river, with harsh winds blowing against the façades of the houses facing it, and whipping through the reeds. Year-round there are boats are lined up on the many piers, and nearly 300 bird species have been spotted in the area.

The wooden houses facing the Minija river date back to the 19th century and all have their own pier. The damp air and windy conditions can take their toll on the beautiful buildings, but most of the houses have now been restored in a traditional colour palette and brought back to life. Villa Minge is a unique historic villa on the river that has recently been repainted with Tikkurila Ultra Classic, a new high-quality semi-matt paint for wooden houses.

To ensure a high-quality and long-lasting finish, exterior painting work should be scheduled for spring or autumn months and painting should be carried out on the side of the house that is in the shade. Sunlight breaks down the surface layer of wood, weakening the adhesion of paints and stains.  The number of coats needed depends on the condition of the wood: Villa Minge was repainted after 12 years and required two coats for the façade, carvings and window shutters. 

The painter for the project was very happy with the quality of the paint used: “It was a pleasure to work with Ultra Classic – it showed excellent levelling with no defects. I’ve never used such high-quality paint before. There was no need to cover windows because there was no dripping or splattering, making the work easy and effortless. There was also no need to plan the work around rain because the product’s rain-safe technology means paintwork won’t be damaged even if rain starts an hour after finishing painting.”

Tikkurila's high-quality house paints and stains offer versatile and dependable surface treatment options for wooden surfaces. Ultra Classic was seen as the best solution for house repainting in this unique area as it is a sustainable solution that has been extensively tested in harsh weather conditions.
 

According to special accelerated tests that replicate harsh weather conditions, Ultra Classic paint shows excellent long-term colour and gloss retention, helping to keep painted surfaces looking beautiful for longer. Façades painted with Ultra Classic also effectively repel dirt, so surfaces look clean and freshly painted for longer. 

 “Villa Minge was last painted 12 years ago,” shares the building’s owner Rimas Cirtautas. “Harsh weather and high humidity had influenced the appearance of the house and maintenance painting was needed. It was easy to find the colours we needed with Tikkurila, and Ultra Classic has given us an innovative, durable and protective finish. We also appreciated the product’s sustainability, given the villa’s important biodiverse location. Ultra Classic has made my house so beautiful, which is especially important in this unique tourist area.”

Painting a wooden façade is a proactive measure to enhance its durability and protect it from the environment, as well to contribute to the overall aesthetics of a building. Regular maintenance, including repainting when necessary, helps preserve the wood and maintain the integrity of the building's exterior. In the case of Villa Minge, the repainting project has also played an important part in restoring an important historical landmark to its former glory.