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PAINT ON BRICK – how to remove??

toolbear | Posted in Construction Techniques on March 18, 2009 05:30am

PAINT ON BRICK – how to remove??

@@@

Happily I was on another job that day and avoided the ground wash, but Worker X descended a ladder, stuck his toe into an open gallon of white latex and spread the paint over a portion of a red brick patio.

Gotta love those days when you are lookin’ good in front of the homeowner. (This was not one of those days.)

Pressure washing has been tried. Several times. Including me, today. I was enjoined not to write my name in the patio with the 0 nozzle. Could not anyway. There is no loose dirt left there to write in.

Lean on a paint spot for a long time with the 0 tip and some of it might fade away. A bloom remains. Tried to see if some could be dug out. All I did was sharpen my pick. Paint stayed. It’s in the pores good.

Does anyone have a method of getting out paint that is really in?

H

The ToolBear

“You can’t save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice.” Dogbert

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Replies

  1. User avater
    JDRHI | Mar 18, 2009 05:48am | #1

    Does anyone have a method of getting out paint that is really in?

    I honestly believe it would be easier to get the bricks out (and flip them over)

    I've seen it tried (remove paint from brick) a hundred different times, a hundred different ways. Never seen it completely removed.

    J. D. Reynolds

    Home Improvements

     

    Passin' the award over to luka.

     

     

     




    Edited 3/17/2009 10:48 pm ET by JDRHI

    1. wane | Mar 18, 2009 03:22pm | #4

      yup, flip them ..

    2. toolbear | Mar 19, 2009 06:33am | #8

      I've seen it tried (remove paint from brick) a hundred different times, a hundred different ways. Never seen it completely removed.@@@More permanent than death and taxes or a close second?The ToolBear

      "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

  2. alwaysoverbudget | Mar 18, 2009 06:29am | #2

    how about a sandblaster coming in and hitting it with silica or soda?

    YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'T
    MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, USE THE
    DUCT TAPE.

    1. User avater
      rjw | Mar 18, 2009 07:18pm | #6

      >>how about a sandblaster coming in and hitting it with silica or soda?

      Silica sandblasting is abvsolutely wrong - it'll destroy the hard outer layer

      "Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

      Howard Thurman

    2. toolbear | Mar 19, 2009 06:34am | #9

      how about a sandblaster coming in and hitting it with silica or soda?@@@That was under discussion, along with steam cleaning.If my memory serves, the remediators use ice for blasting (no cleanup) in fire cleanup. I think that will cut thru the top surface.The ToolBear

      "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

  3. User avater
    hammer1 | Mar 18, 2009 07:51am | #3

    Have you tried "Goof Off"?

    Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

    1. toolbear | Mar 19, 2009 06:35am | #10

      Have you tried "Goof Off"?@@@I don't think that has been tried. Got some. Next time there...The ToolBear

      "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

  4. reinvent | Mar 18, 2009 07:13pm | #5

    Take a brick to the paint store for a color match. Paint offending bricks to match.

  5. User avater
    rjw | Mar 18, 2009 07:19pm | #7

    Head over to the Old House Journal forum - there is a lot of expertise and experience there with this question.

     


    "Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

    Howard Thurman

  6. brucet9 | Mar 19, 2009 06:52am | #11

    You might try acetone to break the resin down followed by water blast to work the particles out of the pores.

    BruceT
    1. toolbear | Mar 19, 2009 06:57am | #12

      Worth a try. I see that no one has suggested steam.The ToolBear

      "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

      1. brucet9 | Mar 19, 2009 10:14am | #14

        TB, iltpm didn't mention it, but I happen to know that he is a professional tile and carpet cleaner. Probably knows a bit more about the subject than most of us. BruceT

  7. iltpm | Mar 19, 2009 08:45am | #13

    You may try using a P.O.G. (paint,oil,grease) remover, let it dwell then use an enclosed power wash tool at 1200 psi and as much tempature as you can get. Tile/grout cleaning tool. Not a lot of over spray, ( next to zero actually). Then call the paint manufacturer.

    1. toolbear | Mar 20, 2009 04:30am | #15

      I need to send these to Dan, who's toe Did the Deed.So far, some sort of solvent treatment and HP water seems a line to pursue.The ToolBear

      "You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert

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