Our most commonly asked questions about Earthborn Silicate Masonry Paint

Lots of customers choose to use our Silicate Masonry Paint to paint their homes. In a nutshell, it’s a highly breathable masonry paint suitable for lime, concrete, brick, stone, and pebbledash. It provides a durable, long-lasting, weather resistant, matt finish that is highly breathable and is available in 48 beautiful colours.

Many people who live in old properties are advised by conservation specialists to use breathable exterior paints. Or perhaps they have realised that non-breathable masonry paint is causing issues for their home, including damp walls or cracked brickwork.

So if you’ve come across our Silicate Masonry Paint but aren’t sure if it’s the right product for your house. Or if you’d just like some more information first, we’ve answered our most commonly asked questions to help you decide:

Is Earthborn’s Silicate Masonry Paint breathable?

Yes, when used with Earthborn Silicate Primer together they have a breathability level similar to that of limewash. Making it ideal for older properties, conservation projects and lime render.

Can I use Earthborn Silicate Masonry Paint over limewash?

Yes, you can use our Silicate Masonry Paint and Silicate Primer over existing limewash provided it is completely sound and stable. However limewash is also prone to flaking off over time. If this is the case for your property, remove as much as possible before applying our Silicate Primer and Silicate Masonry Paint. If the surface isn’t fully bonded to the wall itself, it could risk coming off as the limewash flakes away.

I have cob walls. Is Silicate Masonry paint suitable?

If your cob walls have been coated with lime render, then the Silicate Masonry Paint is an ideal finish due to its high breathability. It isn’t suitable for applying directly to uncoated cob walls though.

Do I have to remove every bit of paint work before applying Silicate Masonry Paint?

Not any more! With the introduction of our Bonding Primer, you can now paint over previously painted sound surfaces with Silicate Masonry Paint. This is ideal for painting exterior masonry surfaces when you’re not concerned with breathability or if there are areas still painted with non-breathable paint your struggling to remove. Use Bonding Primer, then Silicate Prime for the bare non-painted areas of the wall.

Can I apply using an airless paint sprayer?

Silicate Masonry Paint is suitable for spray application, see our datasheet for guidance. Silicate Primer – We do not recommend spraying as this would result in the primer to become airborne and potentially etch into any metal or glass in the vicinity, causing irreversible damage. Bonding Primer – is suitable for spray application, see datasheet for guidance.

Is it suitable for internal brick walls?

Yes it can be used internally or externally. Most people use it on exterior walls because it is very very durable, which makes it ideal for changes in temperature and weather conditions. If you have interior brick walls that require a breathable paint, you might prefer to use our Claypaint. Claypaint is also highly breathable and easy to apply.

I have tried to remove previous paint so the wall can breathe but there are patches that I cannot remove?

Your main priority is keeping the breathability. The best way to address this is to spot prime the patches where the previous paint cannot be removed with Bonding Primer (please be aware these patches will not be breathable). Then prime the rest of the unpainted area with Silicate Primer. For the second coat apply a mixture of 20% Silicate Primer and 80% Silicate Masonry Paint. Then paint over the whole area including the areas that have been spot primed. Then finish off with a final coat of Silicate Masonry Paint.

Do you match to bespoke colours?

We get lots of requests for colour matching across all our paint ranges. Our Silicate Masonry Paint is formulated differently to other paints, so bespoke colours aren’t always possible.

For example, dark colours including black are difficult to achieve. This is because adding too much pigment can change the chemical make up of the paint. This can stop it from bonding correctly, or inhibit its breathability. However, if you’re looking for a specific colour that isn’t in our range of 48 shades, you can always ask us and we’ll let you know if it’s possible.

If you’d like to know more about our highly breathable, highly durable exterior masonry paint. Why not order your free colour card or purchase a sample pot in your chosen colour. If you already know which shade you want, full size tubs and primer can be ordered here or order through your local stockist.