Does old brickwork need stabilizing

[comparethebuildingmateria]

Hi guys, i am working on an old cottage and outbuildings and have walked into a project managers role to help out a friend.

So i am now dealing with trades that stretch my knowledge, and a decorator has been asked to quote to paint the old brickwork.

The brickwork has been steam cleaned and is in good condition. My question is this.

Does old but sound brickwork require stabilizing????

I thought that it would not require this, but he is quoting for this, so the client has asked me to ask the question on this forum, so i have.

kind regards

cbm

 

[dcdec]

Well with render we only apply stabilising solution to chalky or friable surfaces prior to painting and its always recommended that the solution is not applied over sound surfaces.
Question is would brickwork be the same? I'm not sure but if i had to make a decision i'd say yes and i would put a thinned coat of masonary paint over first to allow for the porousity of the bricks and mortar. All a stabilising solution does is bind the material.

 

[comparethebuildingmateria]

Well with render we only apply stabilising solution to chalky or friable surfaces prior to painting and its always recommended that the solution is not applied over sound surfaces.
Question is would brickwork be the same? I'm not sure but if i had to make a decision i'd say yes and i would put a thinned coat of masonary paint over first to allow for the porousity of the bricks and mortar. All a stabilising solution does is bind the material.

Thanks for the reply, it is as i thought, a mist coat will be good enough as a first coat, and then apply 3 more coats??? The paint will prob be a smooth Sandtex type paint, and the bricks are very very red.

 

[misterhelpful]

Many bricks won't accept paint well and this is why you see so many painted brick buildings flaking/peeling within a few years of painting. Depending on the type of brick, they may very well need to be stabilised which is something your decorator will have to guide you on but most porous bricks can be sealed with a diluted first coat of masonry paint, as dcdec suggests.

EDIT:
Just noticed you said, 'very, very, red.' If they are smooth then they will not necessarily need a watered down first coat.

 

[TheDec]

I would have thought that if the brickwork was very smooth then neither a stabiliser or the application of a masonry paint be it thinned or otherwise would achieve longevity.

Dec

 

[misterhelpful]

I would have thought that if the brickwork was very smooth then neither a stabiliser or the application of a masonry paint be it thinned or otherwise would achieve longevity.

Dec

In some respects you are right but as I have said, many bricks don't accept paint.

One example:
Of the 22 houses with smooth bricks in my street, I have painted 7 with undiluted masonry paint and 5 with Brick and Tile paint, none of which have failed. However, two streets away, houses with very similar, though not the same, smooth surfaced bricks will not accept masonry paint at all.

At the end of the day, the OP will have to trust his own decorators opinon as we can only speculate as to whether a specific paint would adhere to his type of brick.

 

[comparethebuildingmateria]

I would have thought that if the brickwork was very smooth then neither a stabiliser or the application of a masonry paint be it thinned or otherwise would achieve longevity.

Dec

In some respects you are right but as I have said, many bricks don't accept paint.

One example:
Of the 22 houses with smooth bricks in my street, I have painted 7 with undiluted masonry paint and 5 with Brick and Tile paint, none of which have failed. However, two streets away, houses with very similar, though not the same, smooth surfaced bricks will not accept masonry paint at all.

At the end of the day, the OP will have to trust his own decorators opinon as we can only speculate as to whether a specific paint would adhere to his type of brick.

Would it be fair to say then, that if the decorator chooses his way of doing things then he is accountable for any problems that may arise?

 

[ic1927]

If you want something guaranteed to last on brickwork, then go for a potassium silicate masonry paint. This stuff is 100% vapour permeable and will last for decades and does not need any stabilizing primer.

 

[comparethebuildingmateria]

If you want something guaranteed to last on brickwork, then go for a potassium silicate masonry paint. This stuff is 100% vapour permeable and will last for decades and does not need any stabilizing primer.

Top draw my friend, i shall instruct the client to try and find the colour in that type of paint. they are spending thousends on the job and it would be a shame to have the exterior paint let it down in a couple of years or so!!!

 

[ic1927]

Check out Keim mineral paints, they are one of the few companies that do this type of paint in the uk.

 

[comparethebuildingmateria]

Check out Keim mineral paints, they are one of the few companies that do this type of paint in the uk.

Thanks ic1927 have already visited their site after you said about that type of paint, it looks perfect for the job, again many thanks

 

[misterhelpful]

Would it be fair to say then, that if the decorator chooses his way of doing things then he is accountable for any problems that may arise?

Well, if I were to suggest a method of doing something and it failed then I would certainly accept the resposibility and put things right. I can't vouch for other decorators but would like to think that most would do the same. However, if a client asked me to do a job their way and I felt it would fail then I would either not take on the job or make it crystal clear that any future problems would be their responsibility.

I would advise you to get the opinion of at least three decorators on the brickwork before proceeding.

EDIT:
Can't say I've come across ic1927's product before, but it certainly sounds the business!

 

[joe-90]

If these mineral paints are so good - why don't the other manufacturers make them? The chemical involved is just pence per kilo.

How much is a 5 litre tin of the stuff?

Why not just use pliolite paint?

 

[comparethebuildingmateria]

Would it be fair to say then, that if the decorator chooses his way of doing things then he is accountable for any problems that may arise?

Well, if I were to suggest a method of doing something and it failed then I would certainly accept the resposibility and put things right. I can't vouch for other decorators but would like to think that most would do the same. However, if a client asked me to do a job their way and I felt it would fail then I would either not take on the job or make it crystal clear that any future problems would be their responsibility.

I would advise you to get the opinion of at least three decorators on the brickwork before proceeding.

EDIT:
Can't say I've come across ic1927's product before, but it certainly sounds the business!

Its a shame you guys are so far away as you could have been invited to price the job up.

 

[ic1927]

If these mineral paints are so good - why don't the other manufacturers make them? The chemical involved is just pence per kilo.

How much is a 5 litre tin of the stuff?

Why not just use pliolite paint?

Well the reason they are not mainstream could be the fact that they have been known to last for over 100 years without repainting, now call me daft but that would not make commercial sense to sell it as far as the big paint companies are concerned. Look online, there are buildings in Switzerland and Germany that were painted with this stuff in the 1890s and have not been repainted since and they look as good as new.