Easy House Painting Tips - Newsletter February, 2010



February, 2010 -- Issue #026

Welcome to some great House Painting Tips!

Table of Contents
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Painting Exterior Concrete Masonry Walls



Painting exterior concrete masonry walls

Painting exterior concrete masonry walls is an excellent way to spruce up or even totally change the look of your home. Just as a fresh coat of paint can dramatically improve an interior room, painting an exterior masonry wall can quickly change your home from drab to fabulous. The key to being successful, as with any painting project, is proper surface preparation and paint selection.

If you are thinking about painting exterior concrete masonry walls, keep these important tips in mind:

  1. Be sure the concrete and mortar are completely cured and dried out. Depending on the climate and the time of year, it can take up to a month or more for fresh construction to be ready for paint.

  2. Repair cracks and loose mortar completely, using the highest grade of repair materials you can get.

  3. Thoroughly prepare the surface by getting rid of old paint or other coatings. Start with a scraper, then move to a wire brush, followed by a pressure washer.

  4. After all old coatings are removed, use a solution of trisodium phosphate (T.S.P.) to clean the entire surface and then rinse thoroughly with clean water.

If you follow the above steps, the surface will be well prepared and ready for paint. The last important tip offered by painting experts is to invest in a high quality "masonry" paint. The higher the quality of paint, the longer the paint is likely to stay intact on the wall. Cheaper paints may help keep project costs down but if they start to peel and flake after just a few years you will be faced with painting all over again. When you take the time to do good surface preparation and select a high quality paint, painting exterior concrete masonry walls is an excellent way to improve the exterior look of your home.



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