Painting Breeze Blocks

The Sparrow

Just looking for a bit of advice as I have to finish painting about 50/60 feet bare breeze block walls. I say finish as I started it a couple of years ago and it was a nightmare trying to paint them so I gave up after putting one coat on about half of one of the walls.

But I'm determined to finish the job so I'm looking for ways of making it a bit easier. I just used regular paint brushes last time so will a masonry brush make a big difference. Also, should I prepare the walls with a stabilising solution like this or would some PVA mixed with water be a better primer?

Any other tips would be more than welcome! I was using Woodies own brand paint last time but I'm going to switch to Sandtex Masonry paint this time.

earpiece

Make it easy for yourself and hire a sprayer for yourself on a calm day.

The Sparrow

earpiece wrote: »

Make it easy for yourself and hire a sprayer for yourself on a calm day.

Any idea what sort of sprayer I would need and how difficult they are to operate for a complete novice?

paddy147

The Sparrow wrote: »

Just looking for a bit of advice as I have to finish painting about 50/60 feet bare breeze block walls. I say finish as I started it a couple of years ago and it was a nightmare trying to paint them so I gave up after putting one coat on about half of one of the walls.

But I'm determined to finish the job so I'm looking for ways of making it a bit easier. I just used regular paint brushes last time so will a masonry brush make a big difference. Also, should I prepare the walls with a stabilising solution like this or would some PVA mixed with water be a better primer?

Any other tips would be more than welcome! I was using Woodies own brand paint last time but I'm going to switch to Sandtex Masonry paint this time.

Dulux Weathershield for the win here.

Lasts and lasts and lasts.:)

A long pile roller and extension pole (masonary roller and pole) will be ideal for breeze blocks and you will fairly fly through it.Also good excercise too.

I wouldnt go near a sprayer,as it will end up in tears for a complete novice (it did for my mate and his neighbour too,due to overspray getting onto his neighbours walls,windows and car).

You need to cover and mask up EVERYTHING that you dont want painted,

earpiece

They are easy peasy...... if you have the dosh to spare and think you might get future use out of it, you could get something like this: http://www.handyhardware.ie/product/35134/W665-Wall-Perfect-Paint-Spraying-Kit
Lots of machines on the market, I spray regularly, and just have a compressor and gravity fed sprayer, but I'm doing furniture and mostly using lacquer, but for a wall, i'd say you'll probably be good with the likes of above.

The Sparrow

earpiece wrote: »

They are easy peasy...... if you have the dosh to spare and think you might get future use out of it, you could get something like this: http://www.handyhardware.ie/product/35134/W665-Wall-Perfect-Paint-Spraying-Kit
Lots of machines on the market, I spray regularly, and just have a compressor and gravity fed sprayer, but I'm doing furniture and mostly using lacquer, but for a wall, i'd say you'll probably be good with the likes of above.

No dosh to spare unfortunately and I'd never use it again so I'd have to rent.

paddy147

earpiece wrote: »

They are easy peasy...... if you have the dosh to spare and think you might get future use out of it, you could get something like this: http://www.handyhardware.ie/product/35134/W665-Wall-Perfect-Paint-Spraying-Kit
Lots of machines on the market, I spray regularly, and just have a compressor and gravity fed sprayer, but I'm doing furniture and mostly using lacquer, but for a wall, i'd say you'll probably be good with the likes of above.

Earpiece,that wont spray thick exterior masonary paint like Dulux or Sandtex.

It will clog up in a matter of seconds.

So its useless.

The Sparrow

paddy147 wrote: »

A long pile roller and extension pole (masonary roller and pole) will be ideal for breeze blocks and you will fairly fly through it.Also good excercise too.

Would you use a primer or stabilising solution first? I tried using a roller last time and it didn't really work as there are loads of little holes in the breeze blocks so a brush seemed better.

But again, I wasn't using a masonry roller so will that make a big difference?

paddy147

The Sparrow wrote: »

Would you use a primer or stabilising solution first? I tried using a roller last time and it didn't really work as there are loads of little holes in the breeze blocks so a brush seemed better.

But again, I wasn't using a masonry roller so will that make a big difference?

For new/bare external work,then 15-20% diluted masonary paint on 1st,as a primer coat,then a good 2nd coat of normal undiluted masonary paint.

That advice was very recently given to me by 2 painters.:)


Long pile masonary roller and a pole (if pole is required)

So far,its worked out a treat and flew through the wall..

earpiece

paddy147 wrote: »

Earpiece,that wont spray thick exterior masonary paint like Dulux or Sandtex.

It will clog up in a matter of seconds.

So its useless.

My experience is that most paints/varnishes/lacquers will clog a sprayer, 75% of the time I would add a thinner of some sort. With the system I use, I can also control the flow and the pressure, but for a fixed pressure system, add thinner and control the flow and there is no reason why masonary paint can't be sprayed.

paddy147

earpiece wrote: »

My experience is that most paints/varnishes/lacquers will clog a sprayer, 75% of the time I would add a thinner of some sort. With the system I use, I can also control the flow and the pressure, but for a fixed pressure system, add thinner and control the flow and there is no reason why masonary paint can't be sprayed.

You shouldnt add any thinner to masonary paint.You are weakening the paint strength and durability when you dilute it out.

Masonary paint is only diluted a little as a 1st/primer coat,when priming bare exterior surfaces..After that its applied in normal/undiluted form.

Masonary paint is made so much thicker for a reason,and that sprayer you linked to,will not spray masonary paint.You will clog it up in seconds and spend more time cursing at it,than actually painting any breeze block wall with masonary paint.



If you are going to use a sprayer,then you might aswell hire out an industrial strength spraying machine,that will spray masonary paint,for 35 euro a day from a builders providesr or hire shop.

Hire it out on a Friday,and you get to keep it for the whole weekend,till Monday morning.

earpiece

paddy147 wrote: »

You shouldnt add any thinner to masonary paint.You are weakening the paint strength and durability when you dilute it out.

Masonary paint is only diluted a little as a 1st/primer coat,when painting bare exterior surfaces..After that its applied in normal/undiluted form.

Masonary is made so much thicker for a reason,and that sprayer yopu linked to,will not spray masonary paint.

The link was just added as an example...... won't argue with you on paint dilution, but there should be no problem just so long as it's not over done, it takes very little to change the viscosity of paint, i'm talking less than 5%, not the watering down you mention for priming.:)

gugsy

youd only use pva or stablizing solution if the walls are chaulky colourtrend exterior emulsion the best exterior paint. Use a wallpaper paste brush its wide and thick about 2" by 6" rolling wont work as it wont reach the holes.

irelandspurs

Long pile roller and pole.Thin first coat down.Cut in any edges,The first coat doesn't have to be perfect just try to cover the block.Use the 2nd coat straight out the bucket,and this will be a lot easier to apply as the first coat has soaked in and sealed most of the block.

paddy147

+1 to the above.

Long Pile Roller,thick/wide masonary brush or pasting brush and away you go.A large black plastic rectangular painters bucket for mixing the paint and for using the roller brush.Extension pole too,if needed.

Job done.:)