Pressure washing on a brick exterior.

Old Saratoga Restorations completes many facade improvements, restoring beautiful historic buildings to their previous luster. Paint removal is a very common request—it brings out the original character of a building, the rich tones of the brick, and removes the tired faded look of peeling and flaking paint. And painted brick is quite common, indicating another phase of the building’s lifecycle.

Protective paper applied during paint stripping process.

In the past, heating came from burning coal, and travel was primarily by train—resulting in a lot more carbon soot in the air that was absorbed by bricks, staining them black. Painting the brick was a quick fix, a cosmetic improvement. However, bricks are porous and need to breathe to keep moisture out, and paint does not adhere well. Unsightly peeling usually ensues.

Example of paint that has peeled from the porous brick surface.

The process begins with careful preparation and covering to protect things like wood trim and plants from damage from the powerful chemicals used. Then a strong chemical paint stripped is applied, one that is capable of eating through up to 30 layers of paint. The building is covered in specially treated paper while the chemical goes to work. This process can take anywhere from 4 hours to 2 days—the older the paint is, the easier it is to come off.

On the manlift treating the brick.

Sometimes, another application is required. What paint remains is taken off with power washing, set at a very low pressure. Old masonry can be quite soft and too much pressure could blow out the joints. (If mortar does need replacing, called “repointing,” OSR can match and repoint beautifully to match the original color and quality.)

The results are often breathtaking, uncovering a whole new look and feel for a structure.

A finished house after paint removal and repointed brick.

Contact OSR to inquire about paint removal: info@oldsaratoga.net or by phone at 518-580-2354.