Painting bare concrete block

[Fishplate]

We are building a couple of new block buildings at work. Think of them as garages for chickens...

We need them to be smooth inside to minimize dust collection, as well as unaffected by regular washing, including pressure washing. The block is being laid with a smooth mortar joint.

I'm thinking of this combination:

Block filler - http://protective.sherwin-williams.com/detail.jsp?A=sku-26004:product-6790

Top coat - http://protective.sherwin-williams.com/detail.jsp?A=sku-25925:product-6840

Will this meet my needs? Are there any better suggestions, or alternatives worth considering?

Thanks from me and the boids!

 

[RickP]

I've never heard of that product before, but it looks like it would work well for your application. I can't help with advice, but I'll look for updates if you decide to use it. I might need to use something like that on a concrete lamp post base I just poured.

 

[rlitman]

Considering that they are both SW products, have you called their 800 number for their recommendations?

So you're planning on using the acrylic product to soak in, and top coat with the epoxy.
Is this to save money on the epoxy?

But the epoxy is a block filler on its own right, and is designed to adhere directly to the masonry. Yeah, I'd definitely call SW and find out their thoughts on this mix with regards to adhesion.

 

[Fishplate]

Considering that they are both SW products, have you called their 800 number for their recommendations?

Nope, not yet. I wanted the unbiased GJ opinion first, before the manufacturer's sales job.

So you're planning on using the acrylic product to soak in, and top coat with the epoxy.
Is this to save money on the epoxy?

Partially...that's the general method suggested by the building contractor.

But the epoxy is a block filler on its own right, and is designed to adhere directly to the masonry. Yeah, I'd definitely call SW and find out their thoughts on this mix with regards to adhesion.

Yes, and I haven't begun to price it out yet. Might be just as easy to use the top coat - re-reading it, it should be fine on it's own. And it's good for nuclear power plants, so it should stand up to the roosters.


Thanks for the second look!

 

[theoldwizard1]

Use a masonry primer. It does not have to have a "filler", but it might need 2 coats.

Top coat can be any good exterior/interior paint. stick with latex.

 

[dutchgray]

I have used neat cement in water to fill the holes in blocks before, you won't get dead flat unless you do loads of coats but a couple smoothes it out a lot and then paint with any masonry paint you fancy, its a very cheap solution but isn't the fastest method.

 

[rlitman]

Use a masonry primer. It does not have to have a "filler", but it might need 2 coats.

Top coat can be any good exterior/interior paint. stick with latex.

You can't pressure wash that. Well, ok, you can, but then you'll need to repaint it.

The way I read it, the OP is looking for a wall treatment that is similar to the epoxy floor treatments many people on this site like. The big difference being that self-leveling coatings do not work the same way on vertical surfaces, so experiences with applying epoxy to floors may not be so relevant (except perhaps from those who used it on curbs, or kennel walls).

I myself admittedly have little experience with this exact scenario, so I cannot make a specific recommendation, but as with all paint projects, two considerations should not be taken lightly.
1) surface pre-treatment
2) surface/primer/top-coat compatibility.

These two details should be spelled out CLEARLY by the manufacturer, and deviation from either has the potential to lead to disaster.

I would ask the manufacturer about how their product stands up to animal byproducts (be it waste or "parts", I'm not sure about the nature of your use). Those chemicals can be pretty harsh on many coatings, though 2-part epoxies would certainly hold up to them just fine. You'd have to find out from the manufacturer if they think a 1-part coating will work for your needs.

 

[bochnak]

My garage is cinder block construction with a brick face.

I used a block filler (2 coats) and then topcoated with SW with no issues. I believe I used a 1 1/4" nap with the block filler and 3/4" for top coat.

You are basically "mopping" the block filler on. Make sure you use a HD roller frame and stick, since it will be heavy, and the roller will not spin easy right away. I ended up just dipping the whole roller in bucket rather than rolling in a paint tray. Lastly, use a lot of tarps as it will drip.

I went through 13gal of block filler on interior/exterior of my 22x22. About 3-4 top coat.