Removing paint from brick can help to dramatically change the appearance of your walls. It can bring back the natural beauty of your home, increasing your curb appeal and even the value of your property. When it comes to interior brick, it can create a stunning focal point for your home and help to reduce issues with moisture within the house. By doing so, it can also extend the lifespan of your home's bricks by protecting them from moisture.
However, in order to work, it needs to be done right. Brick paint removal is not as simple as you may think hence why using a brick paint removal service is a good idea, and doing it right is the key to making your brick walls look stunning. To do so, you can rely on experts like EMS Powerwash, or you can try and make it into a DIY project.
Either way, here's what you need to know.
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Some people love the look of painted brick, and they may not understand why it's worth getting paint removed. But there are a number of reasons to consider removing paint from your brick.
The first, and most common reason, is simply to bring back the original beauty of the property. Brick walls, especially well-maintained ones, are often considered to be more aesthetically pleasing than masonry paint, and brick is increasingly desirable within the home for focal points and feature walls.
Beyond that, though, bricks that have been painted with flexible paint are likely to suffer from moisture issues. This can cause a lot of problems in the property, all of which can be lessened by simply removing the paint. Bricks are porous, and so moisture is constantly absorbed by them. As a result, they need to breathe in order to function properly. When flexible paint is used to cover the bricks, water gets trapped. It then forces its way out, usually to the inside of your home. This is known as penetrating damp.
Trapped moisture in bricks can also cause frost weathering, where the moisture freezes and expands. This causes stress on the brick, often leading to cracks and crumbling in the brickwork.
At EMS Powerwash, we offer expert cleaning services for homes and businesses across the East Midlands. Our team uses the best tools and techniques to make your property look brand new. No matter the job, we deliver reliable, high-quality results every time.
If you decide to remove paint from the brick, then you must make sure that you have properly assessed the situation first. It may seem like a small job, but actually, there are quite a lot of things to factor in when planning to remove paint from brick.
First of all, one of the most important things to consider is the condition of the brick. Depending on how old your home is, how long it's been painted and how well it has been looked after, will determine whether your brickwork is in good condition. Generally speaking, older bricks will need lighter and more delicate paint removal processes whereas newer bricks can usually withstand higher pressure (so pressure washing, sandblasting etc is safer to use on them).
If you remove paint from the brick gently, and find that the brick beneath is damaged in any way, you will need to repair it as best you can before you do anything else. What exactly that process looks like will depend on the type of damage you've found.
The type of brick your home is made from may also be useful information, and could help you to determine which methods are and are not safe to use. It is also important to consider the location of the bricks that you are cleaning. Some methods are simply not suitable for use inside a property. Indoor brick paint removal should not involve a sandblaster or pressure washer, for example.
The condition of the paint is also something to bear in mind. Dry, older paint may come off quicker, especially if it is already starting to flake off in areas as it is. Likewise, you should always make sure you know what kind of paint you're using, as some paint contains hazardous materials.
If you need to remove paint from brick, and you don't want to hire a professional team like EMS Powerwash, how can you do it? Well, there are a few things you can use to remove paint from brick, including:
This is the most popular method of removing paint from brick as it is the least likely to cause damage to the brick surface. It can, however, take a few attempts and take some time to work. It can be found in hardware stores, and when efficient, can remove paint fairly effortlessly.
If you are using a paint remover inside to remove paint from a brick fireplace or a feature wall, you must always make sure that you are working in a well-ventilated room. Paint stripper is a strong chemical and it can cause issues if inhaled!
Acetone is an eco-friendly way to remove paint from brick, and it can work quite well. However, it is known to also discolour and stain the brickwork rather than restore it. This is fine if you intend to re-paint your brick after you remove the paint, but those looking to restore brick may wish to avoid using acetone.
Sandblasting is very similar to pressure washing. It uses a jet of sand to clean a surface and remove paint. It works quite well, but, just like pressure washing, it is risky. On fragile brick, or done incorrectly, sandblasting can cause irreparable damage to the surface of your walls by chipping and cracking the facade. In some cases we may use our TORC cleaning services.
Paint thinner is slower than paint remover, but it can work great when it comes to removing graffiti from brickwork. It isn't great at removing paint that covers the wall, or tackling masonry paint, but for small bouts of graffiti, it works great.
It is possible to remove paint from brick as a DIY project, but the paint removal process can be long and tedious. Not only that but if you have damaged brick that you uncover in the process, paint removal experts like EMS Powerwash will know what to do to keep your walls safe, whereas it can be an intimidating find if you're working alone.
It is especially important to hire or consult professionals if you choose to sandblast or pressure wash your wall as these tasks can be dangerous if done wrong and should always be done by someone who knows how to use the equipment safely.
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You will need:
Before you do anything, you should prepare yourself and the area. This involves laying down some dust sheets or large plastic sheeting of any kind to protect your floor or ground. You should tape the sheeting down to ensure it doesn't get moved as you work. For interior brick wall paint removal, you should make sure to cover and protect window frames and wood trims with protective plastic and painter's tape before you begin.
In addition to your surroundings, you should protect yourself when stripping paint. That means wearing protective clothing such as goggles, gloves, and a dust mask. You should also choose clothing that covers your whole body so that you do not get paint strippers on your skin. Chemical-resistant clothing is best, or alternatively, multiple layers of long-sleeve and complete coverage items.
You should always test your paint stripper on a small area of the wall before beginning to cover the wall. This means applying it carefully to a small, discreet section of the brick wall and seeing how it works. This allows you to determine the condition of the brick surface. You should also use this opportunity to test the paint for lead. Lead paint used to be very common, and it can be very hazardous, so it is vital that you know if you're dealing with it.
Now is the time to apply the paint stripper to your painted brick. Using a brush, you should apply the paint stripper as per the manufacturer's instructions. For fiddly or hard-to-reach areas, you may need to dab the paint stripper into the areas. This will enable you to achieve the highest coverage.
You should endeavour to work in small areas. Applying the paint stripper to the brick in metre squares, for example, makes sure that you can easily cover the entire wall and allows you to work on one part while the paint stripper works its magic.
You will need to leave the paint stripper to work. For ideas on how long to leave it, simply read the manufacturer's instructions.
Once you've left the paint stripper, you should use a wire brush, scraper or putty knife to remove the paint stripper and paint from the bricks. Work from the top and go across, then down, then across the other way. This will help to limit the risk of getting paint stripper on your hands.
Often, even after you've used paint thinner or paint stripper, you will find that there is paint residue. To completely remove paint from the brick, you can use hot white vinegar. Dab the liquid onto the painted brick with a cloth and wipe the wall down.
At this stage, you may also need to use your wire brush to remove any leftover paint on the brick. Be gentle with your wire brush, so as not to cause any damage during your brick cleaning. If you find that lots of paint remains, this may be cause to start the process again. Sometimes how well the paint stripper works depends on how many layers of paint there are, and it might take a couple of attempts to properly remove paint from brick.
Using warm water, remove any paint stripper residue and dust from the brick wall. Do not over-saturate the brick with water, simply wipe it down gently to get that professional finish.
The above method works to remove masonry paint stripper from brick, and should also work to remove different types of paint such as gloss paint. It is worth noting, though, that for latex paint, you may need a commercial paint stripper or thinner. The process is then the same.
Different brands of paint remover may be better for different types of paint. But if in doubt, a gel paint stripper will work on masonry paint, gloss paint and matte paint. It can be used on interior brick (like a brick fireplace) or in exterior brick paint removal.
Alternatively our graffiti removal service, for graffiti sprayed onto your brick, you will need paint thinner or a porous graffiti remover. This should be sprayed onto the painted brick and left for the recommended time before being rinsed off with warm water and a sponge.
Paint thinner is not ideal for removing other types of paint from brick as it will take too long. Paint thinner will remove paint layer by layer as opposed to paint remover, making the process of removing paint (that isn't graffiti) long.
For exterior brickwork, there is also the option of soda blasting or pressure washing services, as mentioned above. However, if your goal is to restore the original beauty by removing dried paint, it is not worth risking removing paint from brick using these techniques. They can do irreversible damage to your home's exterior, destroying the natural beauty.
If you do choose to use these methods, it is even more important that you wear protective gear and that you test for lead paint before beginning. The high-pressure techniques cause flakes of old paint to go flying, and if your home was painted over two decades ago, this is likely to be a hazardous material. Just like the other paint removal methods, you will need to use some tarp or protective plastic to cover the areas of your home you want to keep safe before you begin.
When using high-pressure washing or paint removal techniques, you should start at the top and work your way down. Avoid aiming the high-pressure stream at window frames or windows, and make sure nobody is in the way when you work.
There is also the option of using DOFF cleaning service to remove paint from brick walls. This is a steam cleaning method that is super delicate and non-abrasive. It uses superheated water and low pressure to soften the paint and gently remove it from the wall's surface. In many cases, this is enough alone, and all the paint will easily come off with just the DOFF method. Sometimes, though, special paint softeners are used in conjunction with superheated steam to make sure that the process is efficient and effective.
This is a cleaning technique that can only be done by a team of experts. It requires expensive equipment and extensive training to do.
The cost of removing paint from brick depends on a few things. For example, the square metre total, how many layers of paint there are, the condition of the brick, whether the paint is lead-based, the type of paint, the type of brick, and even the type of property.
Generally speaking, though, if you hire a team of experts like EMS Powerwash, the national average is approximately £50 per square metre. If you're wondering how much it'd cost to restore your home to its original beauty, contact EMS Powerwash today to discuss removing paint from the brick.
Brick paint removal is the process of carefully stripping paint from brick surfaces to restore their natural appearance. This is often done using specialised techniques to avoid damaging the brick.
Brick paint removal works by applying chemical solvents, low-pressure washing, or abrasive methods to remove the paint layers from the brick while preserving the brick’s integrity.
Brick paint removal is safe for your home when done by professionals who use methods that protect the underlying brick, preventing damage to the structure or appearance.
Not all types of paint can be removed from brick easily; however, most can be with the right methods. Certain paints may require more advanced techniques or specialised solvents.
Brick paint removal will not damage the bricks if performed by an experienced professional who uses the correct methods for the specific type of brick and paint.
The cost of brick paint removal in the UK varies depending on the size of the area, the type of paint, and the complexity of the job, with prices typically ranging from £15 to £30 per square metre.
