Removing paint from bricks

pledgeX

There's a bit of paint on the exterior brickwork of our house. It actually looks like someone's used a paint roller and attempted to dry it on the bricks, only then realising there's some paint left on it :mad:.

So the coverage is around 1ft x 1ft, but luckily is only thinly applied. What's the best way to about getting this paint off?

I've had a search online but most of the results (pressure washer, sand blasting, acid solutions etc) are quite expensive and seem to aimed at people who need to remove an entire wall's worth of paint.

I thought about using one of those wire brushes, but I'd be worried about taking off the bricks outer layer and ending up with a scratched surface of lighter coloured brick.

Thanks for any help.

Suzy_M

Trouble with removing paint from brickwork is if it is 'liquified' again it may bleed in to the brick so try treating it dry first.

As you are worried about damaging the brick surface try a very stiff 'natural' bristle (e.g. old fashioned floor scrubbing brush) or plastic bristle brush (something like a milk churn brush).

If it's an emulsion paint you could then try washing off the residue.

Edited: Just looked up milk churn brush on internet - Forget it unless you have an agricultural supplies place nearby (or live near Shrewsbury and can get to Birches Hardware at the bottom of Roushill). What are now generally sold as milk churn brushes are just general cleaning brushes.

DVardysShadow

You will find it very difficult to remove entirely in one go. And you are right to worry about damaging the surface of the bricks.

I have had some success with nitromors paint stripper, followed by washing down with water and a domestic scrubbing brush which is too soft to damage the bricks. If you have about 3 goes, you will find that it is less noticeable. Then leave it a year - over a winter anyway, and have another go.

Because you are close up when you treat it, it will keep looking terrible, but bit by bit, the impact will reduce, although you will never get rid of it entirely.