Painting Internal Garage Walls

Going to be painting the internal garage walls in the next few weeks and after a bit of advice. They’re currently bear brick and I want to paint them white to brighten it up and get rid of the dust.

From a bit of googling, I think I need to seal them first to stop them soaking up the paint and watered down PVA (1:4) is a cheap and easy option. Is this a good idea as I’ve also learnt that it’s a massive no no for plastered walls?

Once sealed, I was just going to slap some cheap emulsion on, I assume this will work ok?

Thanks

Going to be painting the internal garage walls in the next few weeks and after a bit of advice. They’re currently bear brick and I want to paint them white to brighten it up and get rid of the dust.

Me too!

I await replies with interest. I figured I’d just use masonry paint, and balance not getting my money’s worth out of the weather protection with only painting once or twice and not having to eff about with primers.

I’m guessing that even with a pva/water primer, you’d still need at least 2 or 3 coats of cheap emulsion to get a decent white?

I’ve recently done this to a breeze block garage and workshop that is separate from my house. I used external masonry paint so its tough and durable. I sealed the blocks first with a watered down mist coat. Its brightened the space up no end, well worth doing. HTH

I just used normal household emulsion, it’s held up fine for about 3 years.

what’s a mist coat?

no primer, dazz? how many coats did you need for a decent coverage?

Hmm must finish painting mine, started about 12yrs ago, got bored and gave up on it.

I just use left over emulsion on my internal garage walls.

I’m working my way round as we decorate each room in the house…

Mist coat = watered down first coat. It seals the masonry and stops it sucking up litres of paint.

I just used a cheap white masonry paint from screwfix. 2 coats was plenty, but painting onto breeze blocks/bare brick is a pain. For the hassle of putting a layer of pva on, I decided just to go straight on with masonry paint

nope, no primer a couple of coats of white, or some off white with a posh name Mrs Dazz insisted she needed for the lounge & was left over when we’d finished decorating, I only did it to use the paint up if I’m honest but it makes a massive difference when done.

In our last place I sprayed the garage walls with emulsion using one of those cheap electric sprayers, it worked great.

Just use masonry paint. Thin the first coat down a bit.

I used exterior masonary paint, bog standard stuff from B&Q.

First coat was the primer as such which filled the holes in the bricks.

Second coat gave a nice finsih.

If that’s the case I might just whack a bit of emulsion on in the next few days and see what happens, have some somewhere I think!

3 coats of masonry paint, the first watered down about 10-20%. First two coats applied by brush to work into the texture of the blocks (not such an issue on brick) and thrid coat rolled with a long pile sleeve.

Floor was similar using floor paint. First coat thinned down ~20% and brushed on. Next two coats rolled.

They’re currently bear brick

RAAOORRGHH!!!

sorry, carry on.

RAAOORRGHH!!!

sorry, carry on.

English has never been a strong point! 😀

Mark90 – that looks very good! I’ve got to tackle the floor next….

For the floor it is worth considering a 2 part epoxy paint, although it is a little cold to be doing it now, so it could take some time to harden off.

I got mine from this guy on ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-PACK-EPOXY-RESIN-GARAGE-INDUSTRIAL-FLOOR-PAINT-VARIOUS-SIZES-COLOURS-/331454599236?pt=UK_DIY_Material_Paint_Varnish_MJ&var=&hash=item4d2c3bd044

You might want to use an acid etch to prepare the surface first.

Thanks Matt. It was a fair bit of work but I’m happy with the result.

I considered 2 part epoxy for the floor, but the ease of working with normal paint swung me away from epoxy in the end. Estimating, measuring and activating the right quanity to do a coat and then getting it all done in the short working time. Also complicated by not being able to rinse out an acid etch to properly prepare the floor for epoxy.

I used “Bradite polyurethane alkyd resin based semi-gloss finish paint” and got good results. Although I expect it to wear off the high spots on the floor texture. Looking at some rubber matting for working on, and partly for insulation when it’s this cold.

I’ve done some of the walls in my garage white – doing them as and when I get round to them.

I just got Masonry paint from Wickes or B&Q, brushed the bricks down and stuck the paint on. First coat looked rubbish – second coat looked great. Could have gone for a third coat if feeling very pedantic, but it doesn’t really need it.

Need to get on with the rest of it at some point and stick some more fluorescent tubes up….another job for the list…

Just done our garage – old and quite badly pointed brick.

No sealer, washed surface and once dry Dulux weathershield masonry straight on. 2 coats min.

Filled any holes with decorator’s caulking first. Basic rough surface roller worked best and covered some very bumpy bits really well. Coarse masonry brush was awful (round B&Q masonry brush even worse). Best brush for edges and odd bits of very deep pointing was a regular soft bristle 3 or 4 inch paintbrush.

Wrapping the roller / brush in cling film between coats saves lots of washing and drying of tools – surprisingly it lasts for weeks like that and still cleans up OK at end.

… painting onto breeze blocks/bare brick is a pain. For the hassle of putting a layer of pva on, I decided just to go straight on with masonry paint

It’s a lot easier if you give the breeze blocks a cement wash first (mix some cement & water to a soupy consistency and just paint it on). It smooths and seals the surface of the breeze blocks making them far quicker and easier to paint – uses much less paint, too.

Tillydog – did you brush or roller the cement wash on?

6″ Brush – you need to put quite a lot on as the blocks soak up a fair bit. I don’t think you could roller it on.

Sounds like a messy job. Is it worth the effort in terms of paint saving? I’ve 40 odd metres squared to do and looking for the laziest solution!

I would say it definitely is (I did, infact 😉 )

Tried without first, and it took ages to work the paint into the blocks and used loads of paint. Even after 2 coats it hadn’t covered all the pores, etc. in the blocks.

It goes on much easier and faster than masonry paint – you can just slop it on an smooth it out(and is much, much cheaper). Painting over it afterwards is also easier and faster than bare block, uses at least 50% less paint and has a neater finish. One coat of paint is better than two on bare block, and two coats of paint is spot-on.

Stick something on the floor when you do it, otherwise it shouldn’t be too messy.

peteimpreza – Member
I used exterior masonary paint, bog standard stuff from B&Q.

First coat was the primer as such which filled the holes in the bricks.

Second coat gave a nice finsih.

This. I Dysoned the walls first with the floor attachment for the hose to get the worst of the dust off.