Cleaning concrete is a vital first step because the porous surface tends to trap dirt, grease, and oil. Yank off vines and moss growing on the foundation. Use a pressure washer to finish off remaining roots and dirt. Remove efflorescence, a white powder that forms on moist concrete.
Water moves easily through porous concrete, so sealing interior walls is necessary to prevent moisture from seeping in, promoting mold growth and that cold, damp basement feel. Let me know if you think Holzer is far superior. I never heard of it, might something more regional. The Zinsser is a good primer that adheres well to difficult surfaces, is readily available and reasonably priced. Do you need to wait to paint a cinder block wall that has been core filled every 4 feet.
The mortar still looks wet where the wall has been core filled. We repaired an outside wall and are anxious to put the house back together before school starts as it is a bedroom. I would wait for a few days, maybe days, for excess moisture to leave then prime and paint as usual. Summer heat and lower humidity can speed up this time. One way to check if excess moisture exists is to take some plastic sheeting and tape, seal it to the wall.
If a lot of water droplets form under the plastic then wait a bit. I have painted my basement with 3 coats of Sherwin Williams Luxon Concrete block primer and sealer and a finish coat.
I just realized that the concrete block which is sealed from the outside as well, now has no way to breathe due to being sealed on both sides…. The Loxon does allow water vapor to pass through, so the wall will breath a little. The number 1 thing to do mow is make sure the dirt around your home slopes away and there is good drainage. Signs of excessive water will be staining and bubbling of the finish coat.
Mold along the edge, especially with carpet, is also an indication of problems. I used Zinsser block filler on my bare basement blocks. Can I put a sealer over it?
Such as Watertite? Hi, I was about to paint my garage wall which is below ground but upon miving everything away from the wall there was some mold in certain areas. I used white vinegar to remove the mold and then did a full wipe down with water. The wall was previously painted and spot patched for cracks by previous owner. I think I am now ready to paint and wanted to know if using an elastomeric paint would be a good choice?
Or would a product like Sherwin Williams Loxon be a good choice? What would you recommend? Thanks in advance! Use Drylok Masonry Waterproofer as a base for your final paint. Will work much better than an elastomeric coating or Loxon, both are best used outside and above ground.
Thanks for the quick reply. It is very much appreciated. This is a great site with excellent information! Hi, I have a couple of follow-up questions. And Do I have to apply the product using a thick roller and back brush it? Is the best approach? Thanks again, LC. You can do 2 coats instead of one very thick one. Also finish each roller stroke in the down motion, this will lay down the roller stipple in the same direction across the wall making a better look.
A roller will do this just fine. These will not be subject to foot traffic, but they may get stood upon occasionally. They will also be subject to sun exposure when it is not raining. Above all, I want to be able to clean the blocks periodically with light pressure-watching to remove the inevitable mold, moss, and algae. Originally I was planning to paint the blocks a color, but now I am not sure that would be a good choice — whether paint would be permanent enough or easily renewable with good appearance.
I thought this would be an easy project, but I am running into a limitation of several of the usual materials which are not permitted for sale here in Hawaii due to regulation? I wanted to use a satin, self-priming masonry paint, but here it is only available in the flat, and I can not get the satin shipped here, either. The flat version is not good from a cleaning standpoint. Block-fill primer is apparently also taboo … and other products.
Would priming and top-coating with a good-quality acrylic paint work well with concrete block? One vendor suggested using a colored stain and top-coating with a sealer which would finish-out glossy and hence be cleanable. I also would prefer a satin or semi-gloss finish. The block if fully cured and has a stable PH and open pores.
A general purpose exterior acrylic primer will work well. Every paint store will have an exterior acrylic primer. If primed, no conditioner is needed. Wash, dry and reapply, in most cases. I recommend Seal Krete concrete sealer or something like it. Overall this is the easiest to apply, easiest to maintain and cheapest way to go and have some color.
Staining and sealing should do well with cleaning low psi and weather. Some maintenance every years. Paint could go years but could become a nightmare with heavy prep before repainting. Without mortar the top and bottom edges are exposed to water. Staining and sealing can be done with a garden sprayer, if it has a good spray fan. Sealing each block before assembly would be preferred.
Thank you for taking the time to answer questions. We replaced windows and we now have fresh, unpainted stucco around the windows. I bought Seal Krete to waterproof the stucco but the label says do not use if the temp drops below 50 degrees in 24 hours.
Can I later paint over the with Seal Krete when the temp gets warmer? Also, I was going to repaint the house in spring but u suggested the will harden. Should I just paint over it now with an acrylic or latex paint and then repaint it when we paint the whole house?
You can apply Seal Krete right over the primer but it would be easier to just apply a coat or 2 of paint instead. Plus paint will do a better overall job. Is there a way to seal these blocks so that I can carry them around without getting chips and dust absolutely everywhere?
Any clear concrete sealer will do the trick. Apply to all surfaces, inside and out several coats, until saturated with sealer. An alternative is house paint. Any descent paint will do but priming will still be needed. I have the cinder block basement walls sealed professionally three years ago. Do I need to prime the walls first? What primer would you recommend?
And what finish coat paint would you recommend? My main concern is painting without damaging or weakening the prior sealing process. Thank you in advance. House was built in Using a primer is a good idea, better safe than sorry. A standard acrylic bonding primer should work well; Zinsser or Insl-X Stix will work well. The finish paint can be any color sheen you desire. Do not use an Elastomeric coating. Thank you for the great article! We are building a privacy fence using cinder blocks for the posts.
The homeowner wants a stucco finish but stucco is unavailable in our area. Can we add sand to the primer or paint to achieve the desired effect? A sanded elastomeric paint might work if available. Another option is a basic stucco patch, powder available at hardware stores. Or use your mortar mix, add extra portland cement and lime. You will need to play with the mix to get something that will stick and look good without cracking. Will we have to take down the columns and start over or is there a way to fit the primer and paint in that space?
I asked a paint supplier do i need a primer before i paint my exterior wall which is a large area he said no just 2 coats on and it be ok dont know what to primer or not thanks. Depends on what the original paint is and the shape or condition of the original paint. General rule is a primer is needed when changing types of paint oil to latex , seal a porous surface or seal stains. Great article! I am preparing to repaint my block house. It has been repainted a number of times and layers are peeling off.
With a pressure wash and assuming not all of the existing paint has come off, when I paint a new coat will the texture of the on-and-off original paint show through? It will show. One way to lessen the look is to sand back or feather the edges of the peeling areas. This will help. When I water my yard water leaks into my driveway through the cracks in the walls. What should I fill these cracks with before painting?
The cracks are bigger than a hair line crack and are vertically as long as the 2 to 3 ft wall. A good caulking will work well. The biggest problem you will have is paint bubbling from water coming through the walls.
Could try priming with Drylok masonry primer then painting. I have a cinder block basement built in , and to avoid drywall wanted to paint and seal for moisture. Can I just dry brush and vacuum all loose debris, or do I need some other chemical and let dry? What are your thoughts on Loxon primer, maybe even the combined primer and topcoat version. Or, should I use some other brand for best adherence longevity?
Yes, vacuuming is fine. The efflorescence will need some washing, white vinegar, no-rinse TSP and warm water will work for most deposits. A really good foundation primer, below grade, is Drylok. It can be painted over with any paint you choose. Drylok can stop moisture from coming through the wall and bubbling your paint. The basement has never been painted before.
Other than cleaning, what should I do to prep for painting? Something else? After cleaning and repairs, if needed, a good primer must be applied. Zinsser or equivalent. For a better seal use Drylok as a primer.
I am preparing to repaint exterior of my block house. It has been repainted a number of times and layers are not peeling, its in good shape. My husband said latex would be ok, but I am afraid that it will peel as it did on the interior bedroom wall. Trying to do it as cheaply as possible as I have many other projects going. A high quality acrylic exterior paint will stick well to a clean surface.
I am painting over previously painted block foundation in the basement. The bottom two feet of the block have efflorescence and the paint is bubbled but there are also areas where the block is actually crumbling. I have removed all loose paint and scraped with wire brush. I have etched all exposed concrete with Muriatic acid. I was planning on spot priming with zinsser and then painting entire basement walls and floors.
Is there something else I should be doing? Should I be using drylock instead of primer? What should i do about the crumbling concrete? Drylok is a great primer that can help stabilize masonry surfaces.
At this point it would be a good idea to spend a little extra and apply Dryloc. Also, look to the cause of water infiltration of your basement walls. Landscaping, such as inadequate drainage, or a leaking gutter can cause big problems.
What would you recommend in this scenario? First carefully scrape any loose paint, wash if needed no-rinse TSP works good. Now apply a primer, Zinsser or Kilz acrylic. The primer will help with the loose mortar, gluing it together. At this point you can do some patching or go ahead and paint. Use a semi-gloss paint to help with the moisture.
Wonderful site, Thank you! I am about to paint my cinder block 2 story garage exterior. Every paint store tells me something different! One side is shaded all the time and built into a hill, seems damp inside. Problem for another day! Was told a latex without primer would work. You seem to recommend Acrylic? Hope to use a regular paint due to cost, as opposed to a specialty type. Thank you! Acrylic and latex are the same thing now days. You can use a regular paint. The biggest thing with cinder blocks is their pores, lots of them.
Make sure to use enough paint and work it well to fill these pores. Does the cement block exterior wall need to be dry to paint? We have pressure washed it and it has rained every day since. Depends on the type of paint being used. For block fill primer and an elastomeric coating, damp block is OK. For a regular house paint the block needs to be dry. High temperatures do affect painting, including concrete blocks.
The primer block fill and paint dry too fast, not penetrating or sealing well plus all around looking bad. Typically lower temps are best, around mids, but misting with water can help at high temps. Misting works best with acrylic block fill primer and elastomeric coatings, test with other materials for bubbling during drying. I have a recently constructed cmu shop and just finished aggressively pressure washing the interior walls for paint.
How do I estimate paint consumption? Block is density is pounds per cubic foot very porous and is very common here in Florida. Pre-fill the pores with a block-fill primer, standard acrylic will work for most circumstances.
This will give you more predictable coverage for the epoxy. Use the manufactures recommended coverage, on the can or msds. Hi, first of all I am impressed with the site content and you taking time and answering questions! I have hopefully a quick question — I have removed old stucco or alike looked awful so I could not resist and I am down to some of old paint and original cinder block from s.
Will power wash and I would like to paint it. However in a year or so I would like to add some texture textured concrete or alike or culture stone or stone. I would like to make sure that paint will not cause that nothing will stick to the wall later? Is it safe to seal and paint if planning to add something on the top of this in a years?
I think adding the stone will be fine. You can always attached some expanded metal lath with concrete screws to help with adhesion. But adding a texture could be problematic. It would be best to apply the texture new stucco finish coat or?? For the stucco repair use a efis base coat and acrylic top coat for the texture. You might need to look for a local stucco supplier for the materials or use Rapid Set Motor Mix or Cement All for the base repair and possibly the texture coat as well depending on the look your after.
Be warned these materials set up very fast, you might need to use Set Control to give you some extra working time. All of these materials are available at Home Depot. Hi — have a couple of homes in sunny hot Arizona needing painted Want to know best process to get this one home repainted. Advice appreciated.
At this point paint proceeds as normal. Choosing a good quality paint and applying 2 coats on everything will help. I like brushing and rolling whenever possible to push the primer and paint into surface pores. Lighter colors with a good sheen is a good idea. Thank you so much for providing such valuable information, and taking the time to answer questions. We installed decorative concrete block breeze block in our carport in Seattle a year ago. We are finally getting around to painting it.
I scraped off all loose concrete and power washed it today. Any other tips for us? We are using a lovely dark grey masonry paint from Farrow and Ball. It was pricy so we are hoping to get it right the first time ;. Sound like you already know what your doing. Correct, use acrylic block fill primer to seal up the block. Work the primer as well as you can into the pores, if needed apply 2 coats.
And be mindful of the weather. I am attempting to paint some concrete walls in the basement of our home. I am using a Glidden latex interior paint for a top coat. I have attempted applying this Glidden paint directly over the previously painted wall, as well as used a Drylok waterproofer and BIN shellac based primer. Once the cinderblocks have been wiped clean, wash them with a pressure washer or garden hose and let them dry for 4 hours.
Then, use polyurethane caulk to fill any cracks before applying a coat of primer. After the primer has dried for a full day, use a nap roller to apply an even coat of high-quality acrylic latex paint. Let the first coat of paint dry for 12 hours, then roll on another coat. After 24 hours, your cinderblocks should be completely dry. For more help, like how to remove any old paint, read on. Did this summary help you? Yes No.
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Remove powder deposits with masonry cleaner. Some cinder blocks that have been exposed to water through a leak will develop a white powder coating on the outside.
It can be removed by scrubbing the deposits with cleaner and a scrub brush. Allow the cleaned areas to dry completely before washing the walls further. To avoid future deposits after painting, locate the cause of the leak and repair it appropriately before priming and painting. Protection Concrete blocks have tiny air holes and pockets that form a sponge-like surface, which means they soak up moisture easily. Concrete has a porous surface that collects and expels moisture, which can weaken or damage the paint.
This is the leading cause of concrete paint failure. The extra absorption also can keep paint from adhering to the surface. Painting concrete block walls helps to protect the concrete from wear and tear. It also extends the life of the concrete by preventing further damage.
Proper preparation ensures an even paint application that will resist peeling and flaking. A concrete sealing primer prevents moisture from leaching out of the blocks and weakening the paint. Easier Maintenance Concrete blocks need to be cleaned initially by pressure washing to dirt, and frequently efflorescence.
Appropriate cleaning can remove contaminants and help produce a more uniform appearance as well as be imperative for paint life and adhesion. A fresh coat of paint on your concrete block wall will decrease the time and effort you spend on routine cleaning and maintenance. When a coat of paint is added to the surface, it provides a layer to block dirt and contaminants, and allow your wall to be washable.
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