Architectural Finishes Research (AFR), formerly known as Architectural Paint Research (APR), is an interdisciplinary field within built heritage conservation concerned with the investigation, documentation, and interpretation of decorative and functional finishes applied to buildings and structures. These finishes include paint, varnish, plaster, gilding, wallpaper, and so-called self-finished surfaces, where materials such as stone, timber, or brick were never intended to be coated.

AFR is grounded in the close study of material evidence, most commonly through the examination of in situ surfaces and mounted cross-sections viewed under magnification. This physical evidence is interpreted in dialogue with documentary, visual, and contextual sources, contributing to an understanding of the technical, cultural, and social histories of buildings, their use, and their occupants.

As a field, AFR draws on a wide range of disciplines, including history, material and visual culture, art-technical research, archaeology, conservation practice, and related scientific approaches, while maintaining a strong emphasis on contextual interpretation and professional practice within the built environment. Rather than being defined by a single method, AFR is characterised by its integrative perspective and its close connection to conservation decision-making.

The field of Architectural Finishes Research has also played a significant role in shaping shared professional standards, most notably the European Standard EN 17543:2021 (Conservation of Cultural Heritage – Finishes of Built Heritage – Investigation and Documentation), which provides a flexible yet systematic framework for the investigation and documentation of architectural finishes. It recognises that the built heritage is subject to continuous change and alteration, and that AFR projects may vary widely in scope, scale, purpose, and complexity. Rather than prescribing fixed procedures, the standard establishes common principles and best practice that can be applied across diverse contexts and research questions.

The scope of AFR, as defined in the standard, is focused on the finishes of built heritage. Wall paintings fall outside the specific remit of EN 17543:2021 and the primary research focus of AFR. Within AFR investigations, wall paintings may be recorded as part of the overall stratigraphic and material context of a building, but they are not usually documented or analysed in detail within the AFR framework. The detailed study and conservation of wall paintings constitute a closely related and well-established specialist discipline with its own methodologies and traditions.