Re: ABSOLUTELY OFF-TOPIC - Painted Brick

[Guest guest]

I can't answer your question . Just wanted to comment that painted

brick seems to have been quite fashionable in older houses, I have no idea

why. Most of the houses in my county have some age and they seem to ALL

have painted fireplaces, some even have painted hardwood floors! That is

something I have been meaning to do myself, as it looks like an eyesore to

me. This is something you never see in new construction. Anyway, I can

tell you that paint stripper vapors are highly toxic.....

-Terry

> Anyway, I want to get rid of it. The paint, that is. But I have

> absolutely no idea how you would strip paint from brick, what to use, how

> intensive it is, would I have to remortar, etc.? (I'm talking the

> " external " part, here, the facing into the room, not the actual fire area

> or chimney, those have already been properly repaired.)

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Look into hiring an industrial sand-blaster... VERY messy job... you'll need a

special suit and mask but it's likely to do the job.

Dedy

ABSOLUTELY OFF-TOPIC - Painted Brick

This is SO not the " proper " forum to ask this, but I figure so many of you

have had the lovely " homeowners experience " that hey, it's worth a shot.

Some moron, at some point in time (prior to me buying the place 10 years

ago), painted the fireplace brick. WHITE. Of all things, why the *$ & %#$

would you paint it WHITE??? I mean, REALLY, how stupid ARE you?

WHITE???

Anyway, I want to get rid of it. The paint, that is. But I have

absolutely no idea how you would strip paint from brick, what to use, how

intensive it is, would I have to remortar, etc.? (I'm talking the

" external " part, here, the facing into the room, not the actual fire area

or chimney, those have already been properly repaired.)

Anyone have a clue? I've already used up my Question Quota with YardBoy

today, so any help would be appreciated. (Hey, at least he figured out

why I still got water in the basement in one spot when I shouldn't have

been!)

MFJ

Any moment in which you feel like dancing is a perfect moment. Singing

works, too.

[Guest guest]

LOL....the only thing my DH adds from his chimney, mason experience to

Dedy's answer which was his also is age of the brick. If brick is old,

sandblaster may destroy brick face, proceed with caution in his words until

its known if it can be done. You can rent sandblasters at tool rental

centers if anyone is a do it yourselfer. Also auto body repair garages use

sandblasters if you know anyone who does that.

Wanita

> ,

>

> Look into hiring an industrial sand-blaster... VERY messy job... you'll

need a special suit and mask but it's likely to do the job.

>

> Dedy

>

> ABSOLUTELY OFF-TOPIC - Painted Brick

>

>

> This is SO not the " proper " forum to ask this, but I figure so many of

you

> have had the lovely " homeowners experience " that hey, it's worth a shot.

>

> Some moron, at some point in time (prior to me buying the place 10 years

> ago), painted the fireplace brick. WHITE. Of all things, why the

*$ & %#$

> would you paint it WHITE??? I mean, REALLY, how stupid ARE you?

> WHITE???

>

> Anyway, I want to get rid of it. The paint, that is. But I have

> absolutely no idea how you would strip paint from brick, what to use,

how

> intensive it is, would I have to remortar, etc.? (I'm talking the

> " external " part, here, the facing into the room, not the actual fire

area

> or chimney, those have already been properly repaired.)

>

> Anyone have a clue? I've already used up my Question Quota with

YardBoy

> today, so any help would be appreciated. (Hey, at least he figured out

> why I still got water in the basement in one spot when I shouldn't have

> been!)

>

>

>

> MFJ

> Any moment in which you feel like dancing is a perfect moment.

Singing

> works, too.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

At 06:48 PM 3/19/04 -0500, you wrote:

> LOL....the only thing my DH adds from his chimney, mason experience to

> Dedy's answer which was his also is age of the brick. If brick is old,

> sandblaster may destroy brick face, proceed with caution in his words until

> its known if it can be done. You can rent sandblasters at tool rental

> centers if anyone is a do it yourselfer. Also auto body repair garages use

> sandblasters if you know anyone who does that.

>

> Wanita

>

>> ,

>>

>> Look into hiring an industrial sand-blaster... VERY messy job... you'll

> need a special suit and mask but it's likely to do the job.

>>

>> Dedy

Consolidated answer/comments ... well, I was SORT of HOPING to avoid

sandblasters. It's not so much the mess as the violence of it ...

possibility of having to replace the brick and/or mortar after. I

realize that paint-stripper fumes are nasty as all get out ... but that's

also what spring and summer are for .... MAJOR ventilation!!!

*whimper*

Brick itself may as old as 50 years - which is the age of the house.

I guess what I'm hoping is that there's a way I can do it myself over time,

fairly safely, instead of having to pay out the wazoo to have someone else

do it (or even part of it). I just don't have a clue what the

steps/possibilities are (although y'all have given me some, not that I LIKE

having people tell me what I didn't want to hear LOL).

So, Wanita ... tell me more about DH's chimney/mason experience. :-D

MFJ

Any moment in which you feel like dancing is a perfect moment. Singing

works, too.

[Guest guest]

At 05:12 PM 3/19/04 -0500, you wrote:

> can't answer your question . Just wanted to comment that painted

>brick seems to have been quite fashionable in older houses, I have no idea

>why. Most of the houses in my county have some age and they seem to ALL

>have painted fireplaces, some even have painted hardwood floors! That is

>something I have been meaning to do myself, as it looks like an eyesore to

>me. This is something you never see in new construction. Anyway, I can

>tell you that paint stripper vapors are highly toxic.....

>

Oh. And painting hardwood floors? ALMOST as moronic as painting

fireplace brick .... WHITE!!!! I completely agree about the eyesore

issue on that one.

MFJ

Any moment in which you feel like dancing is a perfect moment. Singing

works, too.

[Guest guest]

> Oh. And painting hardwood floors? ALMOST as moronic as painting

> fireplace brick .... WHITE!!!! I completely agree about the eyesore

> issue on that one.

Welll now...

There are some floors that are too damaged to fix. Namely mine. I've

been debating painting them for some time now...

Lynn S.

------

Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky

Editor/Publisher, The New Homemaker

http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/

Celebrating 5 Years of Homemaker and Caregiver Support: 1999-2004

[Guest guest]

> realize that paint-stripper fumes are nasty as all get out ... but that's

> also what spring and summer are for .... MAJOR ventilation!!!

>

> *whimper*

>

> Brick itself may as old as 50 years - which is the age of the house.

>

> I guess what I'm hoping is that there's a way I can do it myself over

time,

> fairly safely, instead of having to pay out the wazoo to have someone else

> do it (or even part of it). I just don't have a clue what the

> steps/possibilities are (although y'all have given me some, not that I

LIKE

> having people tell me what I didn't want to hear LOL).

>

> So, Wanita ... tell me more about DH's chimney/mason experience. :-D

>

> MFJ

DH's work for last 5 years is his chimney service business. He does just

about everything cleans flues, repairs and rebuilds brickwork, installs

woodstoves, liners. Doesn't like to get tied up in new brick construction.

If house is 50 years old brick and mortar should be in good shape. Biggest

danger would be if they used some old lead paint on it. Does it seem to be

the same as walls? Paint was probably done to cover up soot rather than

remove it. Can't imagine painting brick myself. He's never been asked to do

a job like this by anyone but would go the sandblaster route (tenting and

taping off the work area, suit and respirator) just because of the time

involved in stripping. Try to determine what kind of paint it is water or

oil base. Call your local paint store and describe what you want to do for

their suggestions on best stripper. DH suggests with your stripping it using

fans for exhaust along with open windows and wearing a respirator. The

stripper may soak into the brick somewhat, mortar even more so see how

little you can get away with. May have a lingering odor from stripper on

brick. He has some professional odor absorber we'd be happy to send you some

of. When you're about to start tackling it write me offlist and I'll send

it.

Wanita

[Guest guest]

At 06:55 PM 3/20/2004, you wrote:

> > realize that paint-stripper fumes are nasty as all get out ... but that's

> > also what spring and summer are for .... MAJOR ventilation!!!

> >

> > *whimper*

> >

wait! don't use chemicals!

remember AFM safecoat, from the healthy home discussion?

check their stuff out at www.healthyhome.com - they have a non-toxic paint

stripper!! their stuff is fabulous and if they say there's no odor, there's

*not*! i haven't used the paint stripper, but i plan to later - everything

else i've used from them is just absolutely great quality. give it a shot!

-katja

[Guest guest]

> wait! don't use chemicals!

> remember AFM safecoat, from the healthy home discussion?

> check their stuff out at www.healthyhome.com - they have a non-toxic paint

> stripper!! their stuff is fabulous and if they say there's no odor,

there's

> *not*! i haven't used the paint stripper, but i plan to later - everything

> else i've used from them is just absolutely great quality. give it a shot!

>

> -katja

Even better! That discussion entered my mind, put it aside as there can't be

such a thing as not nasty paint stripper.

Wanita

[Guest guest]

> wait! don't use chemicals!

> remember AFM safecoat, from the healthy home discussion?

> check their stuff out at www.healthyhome.com - they have a non-

---> Call AFM (search safecoat AFM) and ask what their product will

do. They have been wonderful when I've talked to them and very open

about the pros and cons of using thier products. I've not used their

paint stripper either but I really think highly of their other stuff.

Also I would ask your question on http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/.

I've gotten lots of help from this site on fixing wierd things in

our house.

You may be able to use a safe paint stripper on most of it but have

problems on the mortar and need to use a stonger remover and a wire

brush. Experiment on a small part and see.

If your paint stripping experiment fails you're no worse off than

now and can just paint over the experiment. I've seen some real

attractive painted brick fireplaces in magazines ...but not white!

Lynn

[Guest guest]

I vote for sandblasting. A couple years back we tried a natural paint

stripper (Bioshield product I think) with very poor results and lots of hard

labor . . . the brick fireplace had a coat of primer paint on it!!! We

ended up repainting and selling the house. We made the red oak floors look

beautiful with natural products, but could not do a thing with that

fireplace short of sandblasting. I am so glad it is but a distant memory

now.

Why paint brick? It has such textural depth and character.

Deanna

[Guest guest]

My husband, who used to own a paintng company, recommends you enclose

the entire brick area of the fireplace if you sandblast. It makes an

awful mess in the rest of house. A paint powder will be everywhere.

You would not want to breath it either.

Do you know what the brick really looks like under all that paint?

Sometimes it is very ugly, even though most of the time it is lovely.

Sheila

> I vote for sandblasting. A couple years back we tried a natural

paint

> stripper (Bioshield product I think) with very poor results and

lots of hard

> labor . . . the brick fireplace had a coat of primer paint on

it!!! We

> ended up repainting and selling the house. We made the red oak

floors look

> beautiful with natural products, but could not do a thing with that

> fireplace short of sandblasting. I am so glad it is but a distant

memory

> now.

>

> Why paint brick? It has such textural depth and character.

>

> Deanna

[Guest guest]

At 06:55 PM 3/20/04 -0500, you wrote:

> DH's work for last 5 years is his chimney service business. He does just

> about everything cleans flues, repairs and rebuilds brickwork, installs

> woodstoves, liners. Doesn't like to get tied up in new brick construction.

> If house is 50 years old brick and mortar should be in good shape. Biggest

> danger would be if they used some old lead paint on it. Does it seem to be

> the same as walls? Paint was probably done to cover up soot rather than

> remove it. Can't imagine painting brick myself. He's never been asked to do

> a job like this by anyone but would go the sandblaster route (tenting and

> taping off the work area, suit and respirator) just because of the time

> involved in stripping. Try to determine what kind of paint it is water or

> oil base. Call your local paint store and describe what you want to do for

> their suggestions on best stripper. DH suggests with your stripping it using

> fans for exhaust along with open windows and wearing a respirator. The

> stripper may soak into the brick somewhat, mortar even more so see how

> little you can get away with. May have a lingering odor from stripper on

> brick. He has some professional odor absorber we'd be happy to send you some

> of. When you're about to start tackling it write me offlist and I'll send

> it.

Well, ya know ... I think I'll just put that little project off for a

while.

Besides, just found out my berry plants will be here next week, couple

weeks earlier than I thought. Have to finish setting up the beds.

Hehe.

MFJ

Any moment in which you feel like dancing is a perfect moment. Singing

works, too.