One of your posts said polyurethane caulk needs to be primed. Second to quality paint is quality caulking. Hi, first of all I am impressed with the site content and you taking time and answering questions! The Zinsser 123 is a good primer that adheres well to difficult surfaces, is readily available and reasonably priced. Using the Dryloc isnt overkill but might not be necessary. If you roll it on you should be able to fill most pores. If spraying, backrolling will be needed. Thank you. Ill be painting over existing Diver Wgote paint. Ive already pressure washed the walls with just water. I have a cinder block construction barn. Thank you so much for your time and expertise! amzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = "Paint Sprayer"; Now the questions: Should I prime the whole thing? For the primer use Drylok, or similar, on the moisture problem areas. 3. There are a few sections of unpainted CMU where some shelving units had been installed. If purchasing from your local box store them Zinsser 123 will work well. Also, I was going to repaint the house in spring but u suggested the 123 will harden. I was planning on spot priming with zinsser 123 and then painting entire basement walls and floors. If needed use an acrylic block filler over the primer but you could just apply 1 or 2 heavy coats of elastomeric, Sherwin Williams Sherlastic is good and inexpensive as well. This will help stabilize the wall and keep the moisture from becoming a problem in the future. Also, I dont want to lose the look of the split face block. I am also not opposed to other brands. The maintenance should be easy, scrape a little and repaint. Home is cement block painted with latex, the wood trim, sides and patio repainted years back with oil base paint with extra linseed oil added and it soaked up a couple of coats then painted over with latex (HD Behr high gloss white lasted about 15+ years now its peeling and looks really bad on the south and west sides of home, maybe have some wood rot, the block has a chalky feel when you run your fingers along it. I never expected to do all this, of course it is only 2 windows. Do you have to prime cinder blocks before painting? Could use no-rinse TSP, easier to use and still does a good job. That removed a lot of dirt.
First carefully scrape any loose paint, wash if needed (no-rinse TSP works good). The goal is to produce a surface that is completely filled and sealed against moisture. Thank you so much! If the block is unpainted (never been painted) then a block fill primer is needed to fill the pores. Some sections the cement blocks were just painted. Required fields are marked *, You may use these HTML tags and attributes
. I did notice that the block wall beneath the deck is painted, so I guess Ill have to crawl under the deck & paint that part of the wall too. Let me think some more about your reply & maybe Ill understand more about what I need to do. Im not familiar with Bondcrete but from what I read it should have sealed the pores and act like a block fill primer, neutralize the surface ph and ready it for the paint. Possible french drain with sump pump could also help, if applicable. What is best to use on cinder block classroom walls? The only difference with what I outlined is I prefer to caulk in everything after the primer, often Im dealing with a degraded substrate and need to stabilize it before caulking. Block fill doesnt stick well to previous coatings, like old oil based paint. It would be best to apply the texture (new stucco finish coat or ??) Wash, dry and reapply, in most cases. With paint the sealer is tougher than a clear coat and easier to maintain. Its not a high visible part of the house, so it doesnt need to look great, but I do want to do a proper, if amateur, job. Thanks! If fact, I was waiting for my window installer to call me in regards to capping my facia boards & installing a vinyl soffit for me. Yes, you can put any top coat desired over the block filler. We have 2 dehumidifiers and a sump pump. A little bit of a hodgepodge. You should be fine since the surface is already sealed as long as it is dry to the touch. Acrylic and latex are the same thing now days. These concrete blocks have never been painted. Do I use TSP after scraping? Sherwin Williams ProMar 200 or better. The only other option is to scrape and paint. Paint will peel since the block isnt fully sealed with mortar. Dont know how to address it? It has never been painted, stained or otherwise treated in any way. I dont know what kind of paint was used. Hi, Thanks for this page. Use acidic masonry cleaner to remove this unsightly mess. The waterproofing contractor filled some cracks and holes in the block with polyurethane caulk.
Priming is an easier alternative that will provide the increased bond you desire. Since the pool will cause moisture and possible water splashing on to the foundation blocks, I was going to add caulk to the area where the painted drywall meets the foundation block and where the foundation block meets the finished epoxy floor. Thanks. When I water my yard water leaks into my driveway through the cracks in the walls. The big thing is making sure the tops of the walls are sealed, roof or metal caps depending on the building construction. I sprayed the paint and back rolled but ended up running short on the last 8 ft x 5 ft section or so. A good primer to use for chalky surfaces is Zinsser 123.
After hours hes hardly touched on the total job. When it still leaked I called the waterproofer. Then, its all about making sure the cinder blocks are in good condition for painting, and about applying the necessary amount of layers of paint to achieve the smoothest finish possible. I really am thankful for all your help, this is a great resource site, and I appreciate you willing to assist & share your knowledge & expertise. Everything I read about rain and painting seems to refer to painting over bare surfaces. The block has never been painted so Ill go with the block fill primer. Your call. I am preparing to repaint exterior of my 1945 block house. I realize that I will need to clean off any drywall patching mud and paint that has landed on the blocks but it will not be possible for me to wash the area as I have heavy equipment that will be difficult to move at this time. Im trying to paint an interior bathroom of an old house. Are you saying I still should remove all the caulking, and prime it & seal it, and then recaulk my window? Go ahead and prime with the dryloc for the walls that occasionally get damp or wet and use 123 everywhere else. But, large stress cracks will need repair before any paint can be applied. However in a year or so I would like to add some texture (textured concrete or alike) or culture stone or stone. Either a block fill primer or no primer depending on your situation. Mold along the edge, especially with carpet, is also an indication of problems. Semi-gloss will be fine, but the sheen could also be satin. We have repainted our 1959 Florida concrete block house with great success! We are using a lovely dark grey masonry paint from Farrow and Ball. Lead paint was used in older homes before the mid-1970s or so. This is because the concrete surface of the cinder blocks is rough and porous, so you need a primer to create a smooth and solid surface that the paint can adhere to without being absorbed! After this first coat dries, a couple hours in warm temps, go back over and just spray to help fill in where needed and provide a more even color. Can you advise on how best to remove the red paint? Im not sure what product was used but understand that it was from a professional commercial line. Your email address will not be published. Scrape away any loose material then prime.
I love this site! Do I need to re-prime the surface given the age? 
What do you recommend? Yep, you want to use a block filler type material for the first under coat. A masonry stain will be a better choice, solid color acrylic masonry stain. Hello! Lee. It goes up about 15 inches on the walls (interior) and my contractor says it can be painted over with no problems. We are along a creek and in a flood zone and it will flood at some point. I scraped off all loose concrete and power washed it today. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 
Block and other masonry surfaces is exactly what it is designed for. Whats best to use especially with having to hang posters with tape on the wall in a few weeks? Personally, I would use a 1/2 or maybe 3/4 inch roller. There.s nothing wrong with the Valspar product. So far, Ive not had any issues using polycrylicmeaning no ones called me complainingwell not yet anywayYou are correct about the sparathane Varathane Marine spar urethane is the only stuff that actually lives up to its UV protection claims,.Ive only seen it in spray cans, and tbh Ive never looked for gallons of it, but now I will.
Water is getting in to the block from somewhere. You advise is highly appreciated. Its a old ground face block from the 50-70s. I am assuming the last paint was acrylic because that is most of what is peeling away from the white oil-based underneath. Is the best approach? And he could be right. Essentially, you can use regular paint, as long as you use the right type of primer!
You can use interior wall paint, or acrylic paint, latex paint, or masonry painthonestly, anything will do! And lastly, is there a decorative paint-on product you would recommend? There will be periodic maintenance as all stains or coatings will need to be refreshed time from time. Bleach and TSP is the best solution but you can also use bleach with no-rinse TSP substitute or a mild dish soap. Or both? If the caulking is paintable and fully adhered then nothing needs to be done. My house is 3yrs old and I recently added moisture proof drywall over the lower 6 of the original drywall. Its been painted before. When we bought it the white paint was chalky and we painted over it. I want it to be sealed as best that it can. Do I also need to wash them with TSP or anything else?
Was told a latex without primer would work. Dark color will fade faster but more life can be had with a shinier paint, satin or semi-gloss instead of flat. Ill pressure wash, let dry. Appreciate any guidance that someone can give. Do I need to prime first? With interiors your paint choice depends on the use of the wall, room or area. The interior is easy. First wash everything and kill the mold. God Bless!!
Im attempting to repaint the bathrooms at the shop where I work.
Backrolling the 1st coat paint is also a good idea. We repaired an outside wall and are anxious to put the house back together before school starts as it is a bedroom. Thank you! Im not concerned with an uneven concrete surface in terms of appearance, but it may foster mold growth if it is not thoroughly sealed. Talk to your local Sherwin Williams store rep about good paint choices for your area. The mortar still looks wet where the wall has been core filled. Also, any greasy or oily deposits will need to be cleaned with TSP, trisodium phosphate, and primed with a stain blocking primer. Thanks again for your time and any advice you give. A sanded elastomeric paint might work if available. Something is coming threw the primers, moisture maybe?? LC, Hello! What would you recommend for cleaning? Drywall mud might work to smooth the block, then prime and paint with the back-ground color. I have new foundation split face block walls that I am going to paint. //www.enduracoat.net/Concrete-Sealers/b/2476102011. I would like to make sure that paint will not cause that nothing will stick to the wall later? We want to paint the exterior cinder block foundation on our home. Optimum levels are 40-50% but 70% or under is fine as long as the temps are good, 75-80 or more. A 3/4 gallon per minute sprayer and a 517 spray tip is the minimum required. An oil based general surface primer will be good, like Zinsser Coverstain or equivalent. Both of these allow water vapor out but block new water from entering. They have a thin layer of white paint which was done at least 15 years ago. The paint would be adhering to another layer of acrylic paint which Im assuming is water based anyway. After cleaning and repairs, if needed, a good primer must be applied. Interesting choice that will look good, as compared to regular paint. first then prime and paint. Is there a way to seal these blocks so that I can carry them around without getting chips and dust absolutely everywhere? Do I understand that I should NOT use elastomeric paint on the interior walls? As a general rule, spray paint will always be viable for use on cinder blocks, and it is also perfectly fine to use in the exterior (where cinder blocks are most commonly used). Using a primer is a good idea, better safe than sorry. That said, I want to ask a quick question and make sure Im on the right track I just purchased a cinder block building that the exterior has the split face blocks that were previously painted. The finish paint can be any color sheen you desire. . Apply a heavy coat of paint with a thick roller and really try to make sure the pores are filled, especially the to of the fence wall. Damage to the cement foundation could happen if moisture is trapped in the walls. Before calling the waterproofer, I painted an by 8 x 14 back room with dry lock after grinding out and filling seam between floor and block with hydraulic cement. Also, I havent been on top of the roof, but does the top of the chimney need to be sealed and painted also? You try another primer, Zinsser 123 acrylic. The best caulk is a good urethane, Sherwin Williams Shermax will work well. 
