Adding colour to bricks - can I use watered down cement?

[mtuj1974]

Hello

We have a brick fireplace and have recently had a new gas fire fitted. Unfortunately the sealant used round the edges (which has obviously coated part of the surrounding brick) is quite a light colour and really stands out. I had heard of people using watered down cemenet as a technique for bringing the brick back to its original dark brown colouring - does anyone know if this would work or is it a disaster waiting to happen?

TIA

[stuart noble]

But cement is grey. I have used brick dust and pva glue though

[mtuj1974]

Hi Stuart

Many thanks for that idea. I'll also try to find some specialist paint maybe, but as it's a very small area I'd probably rather do something 'in-house'. I wonder if mixing fine sand in among wet cement may get the right colour...?

Thanks again

[stuart noble]

If the bricks are soft enough, you should be able to scrape off enough dust to mix into a paste. If not, brown oxide "cement dye" might be a match, although you'll probably have to buy 500 gms. An artists' shop may sell small amounts of inorganic pigments (oxides, ochres etc). I'd forget paint. It'll just look like paint

[The Natural Philosopher]

use white cement, then.