Removing paint from brickwork

[F]

The covered space outside the front door of my father's house was converted into a porch some years ago by the addition of a door and windows which are now quite rotten.

We've decided that the house actually looks much better without the porch and that it wasn't much use anyway as it could only be used for the odd potted plant!

Trouble is that the brick walls have had a few coats of emulsion over the years and, if we go ahead, it's going to have to be removed somehow.

Are there any truly effective ways to do this or do they all leave specks of paint in the surface of the bricks?

TIA

[Owain]

Graffiti remover and/or pressure washer?

I suppose it depends how much brick you're willing to scour off.

Might be neater just to paint the porch recess intentionally.

Owain

[Martin Pentreath]

Alleluia! Why do people feel the need to deface houses with those things? I've never really understood the whole porch concept. Sorry, had to get that off my chest, doesn't really help with the paint problem.

[F]

Glad to have been of assistance!

[F]

The architects' alternative, 'turn it into a feature', was an alternative.

[Matty F]

I'm doing something like this right now. I'm using a hot-air gun and a flat scraper, and will finish by using paint stripper for any paint that's left. Why not try that on a brick to see if it works.

[Weatherlawyer]

Why not use paint stripper first?

(Hint: )

[Matty F]

Because paint stripper costs a great deal of money and gives off nasty fumes. I used a one litre tin of it on a door that had about 6 layers of paint, and got only about one quarter of the door done.

[meow2222]

wallpaper paste + caustic soda is very cheap, good for bulk use.

NT

[Matty F]

Thanks, I'll note that. I have a hell of a lot of paint to strip. The hot air gun costs me about 30 cents(NZ) per hour to run, and works very well. It's quicker on my weatherboards than paint stripper.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Pressure washer should lift emulsion off brick no trouble.

[The Natural Philosopher]

The theory is that you have somewhere to sand in the dry whilst fumbling for the key. Thats an open porch.

A closed porch is there as a wind trap and a place to store muddy boots and wet coats and umbrellas.. Things you use to have to do when cars were not as ubiquitous as they are today.

[Stuart Noble]

Except that caustic soda has no effect on emulsion paints, and wallpaper paste is destroyed by strong alkali. I don't know how effective the graffiti removers would be given that I guess they're designed for cellulose car paints, but that would be the way to go I think.

[Stuart Noble]

Yes, but emulsions are water based, and that's what the OP is removing

[meow2222]

it removes oil based stuff

NT

[Weatherlawyer]

I think it might react with the paint. I think it might react with the masonry too.

Cellulose will be destroyed by the caustic but even the oil from herbs will do that to the property of the paste that the poster seemed to be recommending.

You can make a paste with limne and soda for stripping wood but of course the tannins in the wood will be darkened.

[Grov]

Hi, i used paint stripper from the following company to remove gloss paint from exterior brickwork (about 6 layers)

*very* well - only issue was the brick underneath ended up quite a bit cleaner than the rest, but I think that was because it had been covered with paint for about 30 years :-)

Paul

[F]

serious contender. Thanks.

[meow2222]

People are using it, so I guess it depends on the strength. I'm not saying its the best striper, but if you need bulk, a first run with 50p a bucket stuff would save =A3=A3=A3 on methylene chloride (or whatever it is).

I was thinking no use for brickwork, but on 2nd thoughts the wet lime wouldnt be hard to wash off. Probably. At your own risk. Maybe.

NT

[Stuart Noble]

If you want a paste, caustic with flour or starch.