Concrete outside walls - paint?

Cactus_Flowers

Hi all

I have various concrete walls outside - all concrete blocks and rendered with plain concrete, they look in good condition. I'd like to paint them so they're not quite so oppressively grey, but I'm having a hard time finding suitable paint - searches bring me driveway paint or extremely expensive outdoor-suitable but 'all materials' paint. I can't imagine that bog-standard paint for concrete that's suitable for outdoors (but doesn't need to be hardy enough to be walked on) doesn't exist - could anyone point me in the right direction? And also, if possible, give some guidance on if the walls need to be prepared with a primer or something first?

grumpy_codger

I guess what you call concrete is in fact mortar used for rendering. So you need a paint for rendered walls - masonry paint.
However, if same walls are very wet, e.g. retaining walls, no paint will last long, any will flake very soon.

Exodi

I think you're looking for the wrong thing, masonry paint is needed, we usually use Sandtex for our rendered walls (though other brands exist of course).

Cactus_Flowers

Thank you so much - I was 100% using the wrong term, masonry paint is definitely what I was looking for

grumpy_codger said:
However, if same walls are very wet, e.g. retaining walls, no paint will last long, any will flake very soon.

These are either just garden walls dividing the space or the side of next door's garage, so hoping the paint will last

Section62

Cactus_Flowers said:

Thank you so much - I was 100% using the wrong term, masonry paint is definitely what I was looking for

grumpy_codger said:
However, if same walls are very wet, e.g. retaining walls, no paint will last long, any will flake very soon.

These are either just garden walls dividing the space or the side of next door's garage, so hoping the paint will last

Check next door is Ok with you painting the side of their garage before you do it.  Personally I'd probably say 'no' because a painted wall needs more maintenance than a bare concrete/rendered wall (assuming the bare render is sufficiently water resistant).