Outdoor Paint for Brick

[Buzzie8]

I just bought a older wash down the street from my current wash. It is an older style wash with red brick. I want to "spice' up the look and paint the brick white with some accent colors. I do not want to deal with pealing paint every year however. I also do want to go to the expense of lining the walls with an RBS or extrude product. Has anybody had any good experience with outdoor paints suitable for brick? Thanks in advance for your input.
Buzzie8

 

[Eric H]

Have you considered concrete stain? I stained some concrete vac islands a few years ago. They don't peel like I have seen painted block walls come off in chunks. I do re-stain every other year to keep them looking good.

Be sure to consult with a paint expert before you do it. "paint expert" means the guys at Ben Moore, Shewin-Williams, or Platt & Lambert stores, not HD or Lowes.

 

[Buzzie8]

Can you stain red brick white?

 

[MEP001]

Definitely avoid paint if you dont want to re-paint. Painted brick that gets wet every day is going to peel.

One thing to consider is to call a company that refurbishes ceramic tile. There's a really old IHOP near me that had dark brown tile on all the walls, and they had it covered in white. It's really tough and shiny.

 

[Reds]

When I was in the fast food biz (Burger King) we had to paint our red brick buildings with the "new image colors". The specified paint was a Sherwin Williams product just for block and brick. First coat was a sealer, second was the paint. I put the same paint on my carwash (splitface block) when it was new in early 2005. That paint is still on there, and not peeling anywhere. I believe proper surface prep is the key to making it stick. But no matter how you cut the cake, paint has to be done over periodically. I am planning to put a new top coat on my walls next year - that will be 4 years after initial application. Not because of any peeling issues, but just to "shine it up". If you decide to paint it I can get you the exact name of the Sherwin williams product.

 

[Reds]

One other thing, for whatever it's worth. I had 5 feet of water in my wash during a flood in 2006 (my floors are 2 feet above the 100 year floodplain). Wash was under water for 3 days. Didn't have to repaint the walls and the paint is still sticking.

 

[Buzzie8]

Please give me the product info. I buy all my paints from Sherwin Williams but I do not want to rely on their recommendation. Also, how did you apply, I'm assuming you used a paint machine sprayer.

 

[Reds]

I have some left over paint and sealer at the wash. When I go there today I will get the product name for you. I had a professional painter apply it. They cut it in by hand and then sprayed the rest before the edges dried. I think that spraying it is the only way to get it in all the cracks and crevices. I painted a BK in Ithaca NY in the year 2000. I sold that store last summer and the paint still looked good. No peeling and the color was still good. I think the key to it is good preparation of the surface before painting. I know that the painters were paying a lot of attention to the weather - both before applying it to make sure the block was dry and then after for paint drying reasons.

 

[Skipper Jack]

Any update Reds? My painter uses Sherwin Williams Elastomeric (Sherlastic) paint on masonry, but SW recommends Loxon for brick.

 

[Reds]

I apologize for not posting my paint info on the forum. I emailed it directly to Buzz. We used S.W. Elastomeric on top of S.W. Preprite Latex Block Filler. We paid a lot of attention to temperature and made sure that we had sunny, dry weather for several days before applying it. We also cranked up some heaters inside the building for several days to help it dry. I suggest that you double check with Sherwin Williams about using Elastomeric on brick. Some of their literature says it's for "masonry" as opposed to just block. But I would double check with them. Maybe their website could put you in touch with someone other than a salesperson.

 

[Reds]

I just spoke to the painter who did my wash and 3 B.K.'s for me. He said that when he does a BK with natural brick he uses a Sherwin Williams latex primer that is specifically for masonry and puts the Elastomeric over it. He was not sure if Preprite block filler was a masonry primer or specifically for block - check with Sherwin Williams for a masonry primer.

 

[Buzzie8]

Reds and everybody. Thanks for all your help. I will post when I finally decide what to do. I will also let you know the outcome (if I paint).

 

[Patrick H. Crowe]

I was only in the bidnez as an owner/operatoe for more than 40years. I tried every sort of paint from the cheapeat latex to the most expensive epoxy. Moreover I was a painting contractof for ten of of those years.

Paint is foolishness. The big shot company reps will claims the surfacw was not properly prepared - - ya da ya ya. Use FRP or Exra-tech. Period.

Patrick H. Crowe