Stripping Again.
The white column section to the left has been stripped but I have to wash off the white. The column under has not been stripped yet.
Once all the paint is off, and the white ‘efflorescence’ removed, I think I will need to apply some kind of sealer to the brick to really make it all pop.
Suggestions?
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Limewash?
Excellent result, dahlink.
It’s progressing really well. Once you have everything stripped and scrubbed, are you going to seal the bricks in any way?
Mary, please re-read post.
Sorry. Old age and late nights.
You can clean brick with cream of tartar. Make a paste and leave it on for 10 min, then clean it off. Don’t use anything abrasive like a wire brush. Those scotch pads are probably fine. Given your bricks that is a lot of cream of tartar.
One of the traditional methods to seal brink is linseed oil. Like Flaxseed oil, that is used to season cast iron, linseed oil is a drying oil. You will need a sealer that breathes if you have issues with damp.
My parents have (or had) a brick hearth to their brick fireplace in what is now the dining room (was the living room) and slate on the fireplace in the new living room.
My Mother would wax it. Like with floor wax or maybe furniture wax I guess. It didn’t seem to do much when she started doing it. But after years of adding a layer of wax it really started to shine.
They eventually replaced the brick hearth with a thinner stone because they wanted something level with the carpet for when the chairs were pushed back. They kept hitting the taller brick.
The slate looked great after years of waxing. It used to be a rather dull charcoal. Now it is a shiny black. Also easier to clean. Not sure what it looks like now as she is 95 and hasn’t polished that slate in at least five years.
if moisture is any concern on the bricks, there are a few kinds of breathable sealers, some water based without the crazy smells.
I was expecting different pictures.
Brick has it’s own baked in seal, but if it’s been painted & then stripped or sand blasted, that baked in seal can be altered or destroyed. So, a new sealer will protect it & keep it from absorbing damp & yuky odors.
Use a masonry sealant specifically designed for brick – it should be water-repellent and breathable. There are a few out there – I’ve only had experience with “Pro Masonry”, it’s lime based & probably similar to what would’ve been used, historically. There’s also “Masonry Defend” – I have no experience with it, but have seen it used & it seems about the same.
I love brick & don’t care to see it painted – it’s unnecessary & extra work in the long run.
Once again Ross, thank you for resolving someone else’s mishap. Tedious work is – UGH – tedious. 💜 Cheers to a new season of … hopefully, a bit less tedious work. 😉
Thank you, Kim, that is a all very helpful.
Will you sheet rock the walls or try and plaster? I think I would just sheetrock it and be done.
Clearly a lot of work, but my goodness it’s looking so much better!
Look at all that progress! You are a marvel. It’s looking sooooooooo much better.