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27 May 2021
Want to ensure your home not only looks its best but is also well protected from the elements? We explain what you need to know about choosing and using masonry paints.
Maintaining the exterior of your property with Kingfisher’s Weatherflex Masonry Paint not only improves its appearance but crucially offers protection from driving rain, U.V degradation and frost damage. But how do you know if you’re choosing the right masonry paint for your project?
Which masonry paint should I choose?
There is a bewildering choice of masonry coatings available today. Water based, oil based, smooth finish and textured. Firstly choose respected brands only, “bargain basement” offerings use inferior polymers and are always more expensive in the long run. They tend not to cover well, may require additional coats so need more labour and don’t last as long as premium brands.
Oil or Water Based?
In our tests we found that premium brands of both types provided excellent levels of weather protection, resilience and longevity. Oil based however, can be applied at lower temperatures which extends the painting season into winter for trade users. However, they are generally 50% to 80% more expensive than equivalent acrylic polymers and of course you need to factor in the cost of white spirit for thinning and clean-up of brushes, rollers and spillages. As most exterior painting is carried out between the spring and autumn, water-based coatings are easier to use as clean-up is with water.
Smooth or Textured?
Smooth paints produce an even finish and are ideal for naturally textured surfaces like rendered finishes and brick or block-work. Textured paints usually contain sand or very fine aggregate blended through the paint to produce a rougher finish. It is often felt that textured finishes go some way to disguising surface imperfections such as mortar repairs or decayed stone / brickwork. Ultimately this is a decorative decision but bear in mind that all textured finishes give-away polymer content at accommodate the aggregate, so there is a credible case for “smooth” being tougher.
Lifespan
Kingfisher’s masonry paints offer 15 years of protection guaranteed, we’ve earned a national reputation for durability and ultimate protection from penetrating damp. Don’t take our word for it, “Weatherflex” has been rated 5*’s online.
“Very impressed with Weatherflex. Excellent covering ability with only one coat required on a badly stained wall. Easy to apply with either a brush or roller. Finished surface looks as if it will be long lasting. No hesitation in recommending this product having used other makes.”
Preparation! Preparation! Preparation!
As with all painting, correct surface prep is half the battle to achieving a successful finish. Use the correct products and methods to deal with flaking paint, render cracks and spalled bricks before picking up your brush and roller.
Weatherflex Stabilising Soloution is the perfect companion to masonry paint and allows you to effectively stabilise dusty bricks or harden walls in preparation for the application of Weatherflex. It improves adhesion, depth of colour, finish and of course reduces the amount of paint applied.
Our stabilising solution is ready to use for application by brush or low pressure sprayer and one coat is normally sufficient.
Next steps
Now you’ve identified which paint and preparation products you need, our guide to re-coating your home provides a detailed step-by-step overview.
Our guide covers the following steps and is available to view by clicking here
Our technical team offers support, if you have any questions about a project and need advice just get in touch!
