Paint on Bricks

[Rich M.]

The last owners of my house decided at one point to paint the wood trim around the doors and windows. The unfortunate part is the person doing the painting did not bother to tape. He or she was not even close to staying on the wood, which resulted with paint going all over the bricks.

So my question is can this now seasoned paint be removed from the bricks?

 

[dogdog]

it might be difficult. bricks are very porous. I have few drips that is there for years and years. tried everything from paint remover, wire brush, to paint remover with pressure washer.... but you might have better luck if your paints dried before it gets into to the porous brick... Ie.. me panic and rub the wet paint trying think I can wipe it off... You can try sand blasting but that would/could damage the bricks...

 

[Rich M.]

it might be difficult. bricks are very porous. I have few drips that is there for years and years. tried everything from paint remover, wire brush, to paint remover with pressure washer.... but you might have better luck if your paints dried before it gets into to the porous brick... Ie.. me panic and rub the wet paint trying think I can wipe it off... You can try sand blasting but that would/could damage the bricks...

Unfortunately, mine is more than a few drips. For the windows the person just took a brush in the corners and went up and down between the wood frame and the bricks putting paint everywhere.

Don’t you just love it - not.

I have thought about trying to get a red paint color that matches the brinks and painting the bricks to cover up the paint. The question that keeps bouncing around inside my aging brain - is will I ever get a paint color to really match the bricks?

 

[Stuart in MN]

Try one of the paste style paint removers, the kind where you put on a thick layer and then cover it with a piece of paper or plastic and let it soak, like a poultice. It should remove the majority of the paint but of course the real problem is getting all of it out of the pores and crevices in the brick. Scrubbing with a wire brush, followed with a pick or awl to scrape out the remaining bits of paint may help.

 

[dogdog]

Unfortunately, mine is more than a few drips. For the windows the person just took a brush in the corners and went up and down between the wood frame and the bricks putting paint everywhere.

Don’t you just love it - not.

I have thought about trying to get a red paint color that matches the brinks and painting the bricks to cover up the paint. The question that keeps bouncing around inside my aging brain - is will I ever get a paint color to really match the bricks?

Yea these things gets on your nerve... maybe look up some article how to remove graffiti and see what those people do... plenty of contractors here might probably have deal with them with lots better luck..

Maybe industrial paint supply or automotive paint supply store if you have one around your area can help... they match colors.

 

[rustyjames]

I'm with Stuart above. I would try paint remover, the thick, pasty stuff. Lay it on heavy, keeping the surface saturated and agitated occasionally with a stiff brush. Then rinse with a hard stream of water. Repeat as necessary.

 

[kaymccampbell]

You could also mask the brick and wood with several layers of duck tape, then take a HF hand held sandblaster, and pick off the paint on the bricks. Followed by a light manuring. I've successfully cleaned heavy old paint off bricks this way.

 

[tncatadjuster]

Followed by a light manuring.

Sorry, but I have to ask?

 

[usa#1]

Try a product called graffiti remover. Comes in a spray can, maybe lowes or hd. I've used it to remove trim paint off brick. I just sprayed it directly on small area, brushed it and ragged it off. Wasn't perfect but did a pretty good job. Try small spot first.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Do the "Goof-Off" (graffiti remover) first, then follow Kay's advice about the sandblaster.

 

[Old Man Roger]

You could also mask the brick and wood with several layers of duck tape, then take a HF hand held sandblaster, and pick off the paint on the bricks. Followed by a light manuring. I've successfully cleaned heavy old paint off bricks this way.

Sorry, but I have to ask?

Who knew horse poop removed paint from bricks.

 

[nadogail]

to the best of my knowledge; the base of the paint has not been established; is it acrylic or oil?

For many jobs my "Go To" has been Goof Off. I have removed old acrylic paint from wood with Goof Off.

 

[Shiftless]

I got some less severe drips off of brick using a flap wheel. Of course that exposes fresh brick which doesn’t look the same. I blended that area with bricks around it by a lighter touch with the flap wheel and then applied a sealer to the whole area. That was a bit glossy but after about a year passed it weathered in and now looks great.

I too am waiting for specifics about aging brick with manure. Kay???

 

[rustyjames]

Sand blasting works but it changes the brick and you'll probably be back to where you started.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I believe dry ice blasting in the preferred method for cleaning brick. Other media blasting might be more DIY friendly but I'd try something lighter than sand for less impact on the brick. (Maybe walnut shells?)

 

[kaymccampbell]

Sorry, but I have to ask?

Who knew horse poop removed paint from bricks.

I got some less severe drips off of brick using a flap wheel. Of course that exposes fresh brick which doesn’t look the same. I blended that area with bricks around it by a lighter touch with the flap wheel and then applied a sealer to the whole area. That was a bit glossy but after about a year passed it weathered in and now looks great.

I too am waiting for specifics about aging brick with manure. Kay???

To help match new to old brick and mortar, you make horse poop soup and brush it on the bricks. It helps restore the staining imparted by existing for a long time, and grow back the ecology that lives in the surfaces of brick and mortar, thus restoring the color imparted by such. It's old school. Since you would be making the surfaces the equivalent of new, by sandblasting, then manuring to match would be one answer.

It can also be used to give a new structure false provenance.

 

[Old Man Roger]

To help match new to old brick and mortar, you make horse poop soup and brush it on the bricks. It helps restore the staining imparted by existing for a long time, and grow back the ecology that lives in the surfaces of brick and mortar, thus restoring the color imparted by such. It's old school. Since you would be making the surfaces the equivalent of new, by sandblasting, then manuring to match would be one answer.

It can also be used to give a new structure false provenance.

Wow! I thought it was an auto correct, learn something new every day.

 

[Shiftless]

Wow! I thought it was an auto correct, learn something new every day.

Me too!
Kay is a wealth of valuable information.

 

[stevied916]

I used a product called “smartstrip” (about 10 gallons of it) to remove spray in stucco and paint off our brick chimney put on by a previous owner. It was tedious and very labor intensive but it came out looking beautiful. They have a paper you can buy to cover it so it can dwell for up to 24 hours without drying. Sherwin Williams sells it and you can order it from Zoro. It was the white/green pail. They do sell a small 4 product sample kit you can test before you commit to one gallon.