Paint Stripping—Creating an Interior Exposed Brick Wall

So, you have a home with a real brick wall; you're very fortunate indeed. If you're a follower of the latest fashion trends in decorating, you'll know that bare brick walls are all the rage. Those not fortunate enough to have one will often attempt to replicate them with wallpapers, brick tiles and full brick veneers.

The thing with fashion, whether clothing or décor, is that styles come in and out of vogue. In an old house, this is likely to mean that during eras when exposed brick was not the thing, your brickwork was probably painted. Chances are, it's been painted a number of times over the years. So, to get the fashionable exposed brick look, you're now going to need to remove these layers of paint—so, how can you strip paint from your wall to reveal the beautiful, natural colour of the brick? Read on for more information.

Paint Strippers and Elbow Grease

There are a number of paint strippers that can be used on brick. They often remove just one layer at a time. For multiple layers, you'll need multiple applications. This can turn out to be a long and costly way to strip back the paint. You also need to take extra care to work with the correct protective clothing and masks as well as working in a well-ventilated area. Be sure to put down plastic if you're planning on keeping your flooring. The caustic nature of many paint strippers can cause damage to your floor coverings.

When you've removed as many layers of the paint as possible, you'll need lots of hot, soapy water, scrapers, and a large amount of elbow grease. You can take some of the hard work out by using an electric grinder with a wire brush fitting. Wash and scrub the brickwork as many times as necessary to get the brickwork back to its natural colour.

Professional Sandblasting Service

Sandblasting is a process that uses compressed air to blast an abrasive media (like sand) at a surface to clean it. A sandblasting service can be the ideal way to strip paint from a range of materials. It's not a job you'll want to do yourself—it requires skill to do it well. It's a messy job, but the effects are sublime and achieved fast when done by a professional. You'll need to have sound solid brick walls to start, as sandblasting on old crumbly walls can remove more than just the unsightly paint.


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