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    beezee3's Avatar
    beezee3 Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Dec 27, 2005, 04:03 AM
    How to remove paint from brick
    Hi All.

    I have just bought a new house off-plan, and it seems like the builders were a bit careless with the paint. They've spilt some paint onto the bricks on the driveway, and no matter what I do, I can't get rid of it. Will I have to change the bricks? Here's what I've tried so far:

    - Paint remover - Just took the top off the paint. Still quite a bit in the grooves and IN the brick
    - Pool Acid - Was told this would bring the paint out. Didn't really work. Still quite a bitof paint IN the brick

    Any tips would be helpful. I'd like to put it on my Home-Improvement blog, along with the other tips I've found out (the hard way?? ).

    Thanks,
    James
    RickJ's Avatar
    RickJ Posts: 7,762, Reputation: 864
    Uber Member
     
    #2

    Dec 27, 2005, 04:21 AM
    This thread from Bob Villa's site has a lot of responses:
    http://www.bobvila.com/wwwboard/messages/45749.html

    Most of them are just sharing which product they found worked... so I'd head over to Sears, Home Depot or Lowe's and see if they've got any that others have had success with.

    I will guess that the paint/chemicals section will probably have 2-4 products making the claim.
    beezee3's Avatar
    beezee3 Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #3

    Dec 27, 2005, 04:34 AM
    Helpful Tip
    Hi,

    Thanks, that link looks very helpful. I still have to wade through the info on the page.

    Thanks again,
    James
    RickJ's Avatar
    RickJ Posts: 7,762, Reputation: 864
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    #4

    Dec 27, 2005, 05:06 AM
    Yeah, I'd instead just go to the store and see what they've got. Maybe ask the clerk which one is the most popular and try it out.
    beezee3's Avatar
    beezee3 Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Dec 27, 2005, 05:11 AM
    Clerk's replies
    Unfortunately, it was the store clerk that told me about the pool acid. That's why I'm trying the internet. I live in South Africa and we don't always get the same products that are made and available in America.

    But thanks, I will try a different store.

    James
    RickJ's Avatar
    RickJ Posts: 7,762, Reputation: 864
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    #6

    Dec 27, 2005, 05:27 AM
    Yeah, bum advice.

    Pool acid is designed primarily for removing organic material, not paint.

    With the limitations in your area, you may be best off, then, surfing the web for the right stuff - and ordering online.

    Sorry I couldn't be of better help.

    I've only run into the problem once, years ago, and only remember that I just grabbed something off the shelf and it worked.

    I'm lucky to have major places like Lowe's, Home Depot and Sears right around the corner.
    Dr D's Avatar
    Dr D Posts: 698, Reputation: 127
    Senior Member
     
    #7

    Dec 27, 2005, 08:52 AM
    A pressure washer might do some good. If not, the only sure fire solution would be sand blasting. In my neighborhood all the houses have attractive slump block fronts. Some owners have painted over them. One new owner hired a sand blaster to remove the paint from his home. It took the worker a couple of days, but the front came out good as new.

    Good luck
    dherman1's Avatar
    dherman1 Posts: 129, Reputation: 10
    Junior Member
     
    #8

    Dec 28, 2005, 06:29 AM
    Sand Blasting will definitely do the trick. But, be careful, most brick is pretty soft and the sand can eat away the bricks quickly.

    Another alternative to sand blasting is soda blasting. Basically, you use baking soda as the medium instead of sand. This is a more gently way of removing the paint.

    Yet another option is to take the bricks out and turn them over. If they are set with mortar, you would have to chip out the mortar and re-point the bricks, but, that is what a mason suggested we do with the painted bricks on our house.

    Good Luck, Dan
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
    Uber Member
     
    #9

    Dec 30, 2005, 03:09 PM
    Pool acid or any other acid is going to be ineffective on paint or other organic materials. Acid is good for removing mortar and lime, but not most organic material. Lye is good for many organics including oil based paint, but not modern latexes.
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
    Expert
     
    #10

    Dec 30, 2005, 04:27 PM
    Oven cleaner
    Just for the heck of it, if you have oven cleaning, in the spray can, it removes most paint very quickly and well, even in the little grooves

    Also ( but like in sand blasting) be carefule, but 2 to 3 thousand PSI pressure washer using about a 15 degree tip may also have some luck.

    But honestly if no one has ever tried oven cleaner on paint, try it
    beezee3's Avatar
    beezee3 Posts: 4, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #11

    Dec 30, 2005, 04:36 PM
    Now THERE's a tip I can easily try
    Hi.

    Thanks for the tips, but I think I'll try the Oven Cleaner tip. Even if it's just to see if it works. :rolleyes:

    Thanks again.
    James
    Sonny's Avatar
    Sonny Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #12

    May 12, 2006, 10:49 AM
    You must be *extremely* careful when sandblasting brick.

    Bricks are much like loaves of bread in that the exterior of the brick is like a hard outer crust on a loaf... if you damage the "crust", you compromise the brick... once that happens, the brick must be replaced.
    DeNeen's Avatar
    DeNeen Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #13

    Jul 13, 2007, 10:32 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by beezee3
    Hi All.

    I have just bought a new house off-plan, and it seems like the builders were a bit careless with the paint. They've spilt some paint onto the bricks on the driveway, and no matter what I do, I can't get rid of it. Will I have to change the bricks? Here's what I've tried so far:

    - Paint remover - Just took the top off the paint. Still quite a bit in the grooves and IN the brick
    - Pool Acid - Was told this would bring the paint out. Didn't really work. Still quite a bitof paint IN the brick

    Any tips would be helpful. I'd like to put it on my Home-Improvement blog, along with the other tips I've found out (the hard way???).

    thanks,
    James
    How do I remove paint from brick
    Ken S's Avatar
    Ken S Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #14

    Aug 19, 2008, 12:37 PM
    I have recently encountered the same problem and my answer is like a bad spot on clothing and taking it to the cleaners. There are companies that specialize in removing paint from brick and concrete. They do have access to chemicals that you could not purchase. Usually you will find the cost is very reasonable.
    melvin1's Avatar
    melvin1 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #15

    Jun 29, 2011, 07:43 AM

    If you have or can get a sample of the brick, take it to your paint provider and have them mix a can of paint that matches the brick
    wispr's Avatar
    wispr Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #16

    Oct 9, 2011, 10:17 AM
    Buy a barbecue steal brush, the one you clean barbecue with and scrub away the paint. I got some of the paint out. Use water with the brush.

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