Painted Brick -
Dull, peeling paint on this beautiful old neo-Italian house made it the eyesore of an upscale neighborhood. The old common clay bricks, which are softer than today's high-fired bricks, had been painted twice with oil-based paint. The combination of the brick's porosity and the oil paint's ability to penetrate the surface made for a tough cleaning combination. Click here or on the picture to read how we brought this house back to it's wonderful natural state.
Old Soft Stained Brick -
This restored historic home's exterior was of old common clay brick, which is softer and more porous than today's high-fired bricks. In addition, the mortar between the bricks was soft and beginning to spall (flake off).
The owners wanted to remove exterior staining and mottling, but without further damaging the surface. Tests were done to find the best match of cleaning solutions and surface.
In addition to being careful about solution strength, we adjusted our steam cleaning method, working with a relatively low pressure and temperature Click here to read more about this case study.
Old Painted & Soiled Brick Building - To be blunt about it, this painted brick building was considered an eyesore by the neighboring community, affecting property values and rentability (in some opinions). The paint was dull and scabby. We were brought into restore it to a turn-of-the-century appearance. Click here To see more brick and commercial building examples.
Here are seven things we wish everyone knew about brick restoration and cleaning.. |
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| Brick is not maintenance-free | A belief in brick's carefree longevity is probably one of the all-time misconceptions of building owners. |
| Unpainted brick attracts carbons | This results in an unsightly blackening. Steam cleaning can brighten old brick without damage. |
| Painting brick is almost always a mistake | The paint holds in moisture which can, especially in cold climates, contribute to decay of the brick. |
| A brick's surface | is harder and more durable than its center, due to the nature of the firing process. Sandblasting brick degrades its face and can expose the vulnerable core. |
| Porous bricks, smooth-surfaced bricks, and facing bricks (those with a colored coating) | are the most difficult to remove paint from. They are also most vulnerable to damage from sandblasting. |
| The safest way to remove paint from brick | employs biodegradable, environmentally safe solutions and minimal water and scrubbing pressure. In addition to avoiding abrading the bricks' surface, the goal is to not damage the mortar or let water penetrate too much into the brick. |
| Cleaned brick should be coated | with special sealants that allow the brick to breathe, (give off moisture) without letting the brick get wet. We use the best available Silene® sealants |
| IMPORTANT... Remember, when planning any home improvement, (such as windows, additions, landscaping, etc..), Always have a brick restoration process performed Before Any project begins. | |
