Different Methods of Brick Cleaning for Your Home Bricks

When cleaning bricks it is important to consider the different textures and characteristics of bricks.  Bricks with a smooth surface are easier to clean that bricks with challenging crevices.  Hard bricks, which are also known as a stiff mud brick, have very low absorption rates making them simple and easy to clean.  One of the most difficult parts of brick is that when they are un-rendered that are porous and hold onto paint well. This makes cleaning graffiti off bricks a job for the professionals.  Also when bricks are used to build structures they often get dirty with construction materials and concrete. At the end of any building process involving bricks it is a good idea to give the bricks a good clean once the concrete is dry.

There are some different methods that brick cleaners use:

Bucket and Brush Hand Cleaning

This is probably the most popular method and uses different chemical cleaners. A professional brick cleaner should have knowledge about who manufactured the bricks and will be able to recommend the right chemical cleaner for the bricks. The brick cleaner will leave the solution on for the recommended amount of time after they have removed the bigger clumps of mortar with a paddle.  The bricks will be scrubbed with a strong rough brush and once the bricks are cleaned the solution must be properly rinsed otherwise stains and over cleaning may occur and make the bricks look patchy.

Pressurized Water Cleaning

Although this method will save time and labor, it is not the best method if you prefer to save water or are under water restrictions. Water pressure can also damage bricks, but if you use the services of a professional brick cleaner they will know exactly how much pressure the bricks can withstand.

Sandblasting

You can reduce the risk of chemical reactions and staining the bricks by using this method. If sandblasting is not done properly it can leave your bricks scarred. Sanded, glazed or coated bricks cannot be sandblasted clean.

Brick walls can add a touch of class and an elegant look to the exterior of your house, but they are easily prone to attack from dust and pollutants. During the rainy season fungi, lichens and moss can find a place to live within the gaps of the brick walls and this can make them slippery and ugly.  Regular maintenance is required to protect your brick walls from dirt.  Exposing your brick walls to sunlight can help to minimize the effects of moisture on them. It is worth spending money on professional brick cleaning services to make sure it is done in the correct manner and does not damage the bricks.

Paint Removal Services for Brick Houses

There is a common misconception that painting over the brick on houses only happened in the 20^th century.  In fact many historic brick houses were painted early on in their lives and there were several reasons for this.  Bricks were painted to conceal alterations like repairs, bricked up windows or door openings.  Another reason was to cover up years of coal soot, grime and graffiti.  Painting over bricks was also done to seal protect old, spalled bricks or to disguise and protect poor quality bricks.  The last reason was simply as a design feature.

You can remove paint from your brick work successfully as long as the bricks were in good condition before they were painted.  Removing paint properly can be an arduous task, but it does need to be done properly.  Sandblasting and power washing are probably the quickest methods, but to be honest aiming equipment like this at old buildings is something that should be avoided.  Sandblasting and pressure washing are quick ways to erode the surface of the bricks and the chemical solutions used can sometimes cause surface failures or can change the colour of the bricks.  Even using low-pressure washing or gentle chemical solutions can force moisture into the brick and also cause damage.  This damage is especially likely if the bricks do not dry out before freezing weather. In such circumstances, a paint removal service can be the only option available to clear the paint from your walls and floor at work.

Because clay bricks are heat fired and a hard outside skin is produced, paint removal often damages this hard surface and leaves the soft and porous inner part of the brick more susceptible to moisture intrusion, erosion and freeze damage.  Once any of these things happen rapid deterioration is more than likely to occur and this will call for major repairs.  Older bricks are the most likely to be damaged by paint removal as before 1870 bricks were moulded by hand and the final quality of the brick depended on the type of clay used and the skill of the brick maker.  Modern bricks are harder in the centre but even they can be damaged by harsh methods of paint removal.

The best paint removal system is to use a gel or paste to dissolve the paint.  This way is less likely to cause damage to historic bricks.  Also, most paint before 1970 contained lead which makes paint removal a potential safety and environmental hazard.  There are now products available that can be applied to large surfaces and contain the removed paint for proper disposal.  Some paint removal chemicals are now biodegradable or non-toxic making them safer for people and the environment and the less caustic chemicals are less likely to damage the bricks.

Before you strip any paint from your house it is best to test on a small area first.  Doing this can help you determine the effectiveness of the paint removal system, the condition of the bricks under the paint, how the chemical will affect the bricks and also how much work will be involved in removing the paint.

Brickwork and Paint Removal service in London

 

Paint removal could be the best solution for you if you have to clean a large area, such as in a large office or industrial facility. In such circumstances, in-house cleaners are not always effective and paint removal might just be the only way to meet the standards that you require. Indeed, the bigger your place of work the more cost-effective paint removal can be to clear the dirt from your workspace as people who work in the cleaning profession will have their own ways of working and will be very economical as opposed to taking on various cleaners for the entire premise. Furthermore, by working on the site of a large factory using paint removal may be the only way to thoroughly clean it.

The challenge on this job began once we had the paint off. As expected we uncovered large areas of trapped damp behind the paint.

Brickwork needs to be able to interact with the atmosphere ie…Breath.

As the brickwork dried out we identified, as expected 70 damaged London stock bricks which we cut out and replaced with the same period 1880 reclaims.

The softer red edging bricks were probably the reason the house was painted in the first place. About 50 years ago someone decided they could hide or maybe protect from further weathering damaged soft red bricks.

Removing Paint From Bricks

Timing is crucial when you decide to remove paint from brickwork. Most methods, even the most gentle, can damage bricks and mortar.  When removing paint from brickwork you need to be sure that there aren’t going to be any freezing temperatures within the next three months.  This is because any moisture that is forced into the bricks during the paint removal process has a chance to dry.  Freezing temperatures will freeze the moisture before it has a chance to dry which will cause the water to expand and damage the bricks.

There are a few paint removal techniques you can use.  The preferred method is paint removal gel and one that has a biodegradable formula.  This method is the least likely to damage brick work on older buildings including historic homes.  Testing before-hand is very important, all you need to do is spread some of the gel on a small area of the brickwork and then place a thin piece of fabric over the gel.  The gel will weaken the paint and the paint will stick will stick to the fabric.  Once the paint is stuck to the fabric it can be peeled off.  If the building has been painted with paint made before 1970 there is a good chance it contains lead so it is a good idea to use this method as the lead will not escape into the air.

If you only have a small area of brickwork to remove paint from you can use a wire brush and water.  Simply dip the brush into clean water and brush the area gently.  Rinse the brush at regular intervals in the water.  It is imperative that the brush stays wet while you are brushing.  When you have a large area of brickwork to perform paint removal on the best idea is to hire a professional to sandblast or power wash the area.  Be aware that these methods can damage the brickwork and will require a brick mason to fix some of the bricks and apply a coat of sealant over the entire area.

If you decide to hire the services of a paint removal company then I would suggest a company called Brick Clean who are based in London.  They have over 20 years experience in domestic, commercial and industrial contracts and are members of The Guild of Master Craftsmen.  Visit their website www.brickcleanlondon.co.uk to see the full list of services they have to offer.

A method of Paint Removal

Removing paint from a brick wall is definitely an easy task.  Brick are very porous which means that they absorb the paint. Taking this into consideration it is still worth time and effort it takes to remove the paint as the end result is a natural red brick wall that is always in style.  There are a few different ways to remove paint from bricks. The fastest way involves sandblasting or pressure washing.  These methods are not recommended if you want to preserve the bricks.  It would be better for follow the method I have outlined in the steps below.

 You will need the following items:

•          Paint remover in gel or paste form
•          Pieces/strips of old fabric
•          Bristle brush

Firstly clean the wall with hot, soapy water and bristle brush.  You will need to scrub as much dirt and stains off the wall as you can.  Rinse with a hose if the wall is outside, or a rag and clean water if inside.  Let the wall dry completely.  If the wall is indoors, try to ventilate the area as much as possible, as many paint removers have a strong scent.

Prepare the paint remover following the directions on the package.  Use a paintbrush to dab it generously onto the bricks.  Work from top to bottom in one-foot square sections.  Place a piece of fabric over the paint remover and press it gently into the bricks.  The paint removal solution will soften and soak into the material.  Once the fabric is saturated, slowly peel off the brick and the paint will come with it.

Continue to do this until the entire wall has been stripped of as much paint as possible.  You may have small areas of paint remaining.  Dab these areas again with the solution and let it sit for ten minutes.  You can then use the brush to scrub the remaining paint off the bricks.  Rinse the wall clean of the paint removal solution using cold clean water.

Now all this may seem like a long and arduous task and you may want to call in a professional brick cleaning company to save you time.  There is a very reputable company called Brick Clean based in London who has many years experience in brick cleaning. Visit their website www.brickcleanlondon.co.uk to see the numerous services they have to offer with regards to paint removal and cleaning bricks.

How to remove paint from brick?? Ask brickwork restoration specialists for easy solution.

The brick is a most important part of a home and over time it can get stained and weathered, losing its beauty and uniformity.  Many home owners often wonder what can be done refresh the look of their brick homes. The most prominent and sensible way out to resolve this problem is to paint the brick exterior. Most people prefer painting a brick area for the below mentioned reasons.

·         To conceal alterations like previous repairs, bricked up windows, or door openings.

·         To cover up a century of coal soot, grime or graffiti.

·         Attempting to seal and protect old, spalled bricks.

·         To disguise or protect poor quality bricks.

·         As a design feature.    

   

The first step to repainting your house is removing the old paint to prepare the surface for a new coat. It's important to completely remove old paint so that the new paint can fully adhere to the wall. Paint can successfully be removed from brick exteriors provided the bricks were in good shape before they were painted. People often follow improper methods of paint removal which leads to damage to the bricks. Sandblasting isn't the only culprit, but it is among the worst. Pressure washing also can quickly erode the surface of bricks. Some caustic chemical solutions can cause surface failures or can change the colour of old bricks. Even low-pressure washing or gentle liquid chemical solutions can force excessive moisture through the porous brick surface and cause damage. Damage is especially likely if the brick doesn’t dry completely before freezing weather.

You need to be careful when choosing the stripping methods as they require their own set of safety precautions.  It is also important to be aware of the factors that can cause premature paint failure on brick homes: improper application of the paint will lead to its untimely cracking and flaking. Nowadays the popularity of professional paint removal and brick cleaning has grown as individual house owners have realized that it is far cleverer to hire professionals for specialist jobs rather than having in-house people to carry out the work. An exceptionally talented paint removal and cleaning specialist can make an old brick wall look more modern. 

Stripping out paint from a brick wall is a challenging task which requires a tremendous amount of preparation and physical labor. Research for the proper products to clean and coat the brick surface should be done in advance, and it is advisable to hire an established brickwork restoration contractor who understands your climate and the kind of bricks you have.