What's new

Painting An Older Brick Wash

prostock

New member
Joined
Jun 2, 2020
Messages
7
Reaction score
2
Points
3
I am purchasing an older 6 bay self serve / 2 IBA wash. The building is in great shape and it is all brick (a dated red/brown color). I think it would clean up decent but am thinking of possibly painting for a fresh new look. I fear the future maintenance of the paint so looking for advice. Thanks!
 

tdlconceptsllc

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
1,025
Reaction score
346
Points
83
Location
NC
If you have beatiful brick that just needs NU wall and some hard cleaning. I will take a wash like that any day over painted brick that looks terriable 2 years later just saying. No paint compares to a freshly acid washed brick looks so professional in my eyes. Unless you want to repaint every year or two to keep it nice looking. Post a picture of what you got. My bays where black behind FRP panels I took down last summer.
 

Attachments

MEP001

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
16,667
Reaction score
3,933
Points
113
Location
Texas
That brick will clean up nicely with Klean Wall. I would not paint it or any car wash. Once you paint, you're stuck forever painting it to keep it from looking bad. tdlconcept's wash looks great just being clean. Paneling is the next best option IMO.
 

tdlconceptsllc

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
1,025
Reaction score
346
Points
83
Location
NC
Not the best pictures but here are a few....
Your wash will clean up very nicely. You have the newer style brick and way cleaner than mine. You need about a pallet of kleen wall or NU-wall and a very strong pressure washer and alot of time, and you will be very happy with the results. I also like the hamiltions that's a good start also.
 

MEP001

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
16,667
Reaction score
3,933
Points
113
Location
Texas
You need about a pallet of kleen wall or NU-wall and a very strong pressure washer and alot of time, and you will be very happy with the results.
I've seen much worse walls that didn't need anywhere near a pallet of Klean Wall, don't scare the guy. :) Mine are bad, way worse than his. I brush it on so there's almost no waste, and I've cleaned one bay with about a half a 5-gallon jug of Klean Wall. The bay pressure is enough to get it clean. I use high-pressure soap to help neutralize it.
 

Rfreeman

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Messages
740
Reaction score
408
Points
63
Location
Ft. Worth
What about using Muratic acid? Will that work? Just ask because I am about to close on my next location and the walls are brick and haven't been cleaned in years! I have muratic acid from my other location that has tile walls and it does a great job on it.
 

tdlconceptsllc

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
1,025
Reaction score
346
Points
83
Location
NC
I've seen much worse walls that didn't need anywhere near a pallet of Klean Wall, don't scare the guy. :) Mine are bad, way worse than his. I brush it on so there's almost no waste, and I've cleaned one bay with about a half a 5-gallon jug of Klean Wall. The bay pressure is enough to get it clean. I use high-pressure soap to help neutralize it.
Mep I used a entire pallet and wish I had more but I was cleaning a 10 bay SS one 5 gallon pail for each wall straight with a pump up sprayer now keep in mind it aint been acid cleaned since 1979 though and I had to use a 4000psi pressure washer to get it clean. Spray little sections at a time scrub with a brush then pressure wash, repeat. Now saying that he will probably not have to do all that his brick looks 10xs better.
 

MEP001

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
16,667
Reaction score
3,933
Points
113
Location
Texas
What about using Muratic acid? Will that work? Just ask because I am about to close on my next location and the walls are brick and haven't been cleaned in years! I have muratic acid from my other location that has tile walls and it does a great job on it.
Muriatic acid works, but it will eat away the mortar and concrete, plus the fumes are really harsh no matter how you apply it. There's almost no fumes from Klean Wall when you brush it on.
 

Dan-Ark

Active member
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Messages
261
Reaction score
45
Points
28
Location
Dover Arkansas
Here are the results from my latest purchase using acid on the walls. Klean wall and Nu wall didn't phase this but we're talking 20 yrs of build up bc the previous owner said he never cleaned them!
My wife and I are fighting similar neglect. What concentration and which acid did you use? We have tried toilet bowl cleaner, oven cleaner, Muratic acid (as strong as one part acid 3 parts water). so far just bay pressure, planning to bring my pressure washer down there tomorrow...
 

Rfreeman

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Messages
740
Reaction score
408
Points
63
Location
Ft. Worth
Got it from home depot....and I never mix it. I roll it straight on with a paint roller then our pressure washer. I am using our shop washer that operates at 3500 PSI with a boiler just to make it easier
 

water guy

Active member
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
742
Reaction score
197
Points
43
Location
Texas
Got it from home depot....and I never mix it. I roll it straight on with a paint roller then our pressure washer. I am using our shop washer that operates at 3500 PSI with a boiler just to make it easier
Which pressure washer are you using?We are shopping for one .
 

tdlconceptsllc

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
1,025
Reaction score
346
Points
83
Location
NC
4,000 psi is a must have wish I had a 5 or 8GPM pump instead of 4gpm. I could do some killer cleaning at my washes. The cleaning at a residential home is Mickey mouse compared to cleaning a dirty carwash. I do like Comet pumps or General for pressure washers.
 

jack954

Active member
Joined
Jul 11, 2020
Messages
193
Reaction score
113
Points
43
4000 psi dewalt from home depot with turbo nozzle (bout 80$ nozzle) worked great for me. started with 3100 psi ryobi and the dewalt took bout 1/4 time. then used PPG Amerlock sealer followed by Amerlock 2 sigmacover 2 to go over previously painted block. very time consuming job. i would never paint a wash if it has never been painted though!
 

Roz

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 29, 2017
Messages
1,225
Reaction score
640
Points
113
We used swimming pool paint to repaint a tired place that was painted in the past. Seems to last longer and stand up to the abuse from the HP wand. Finishing year three, probably will repaint after year five based on the current look.
 

MEP001

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Messages
16,667
Reaction score
3,933
Points
113
Location
Texas
There's a wash near where I live which was painted about 8 years ago. I didn't think about it until now, but I bet they used swimming pool paint since it's two shades of blue.
 

Roz

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 29, 2017
Messages
1,225
Reaction score
640
Points
113
Etowah
Top