No substrate category has more sales potential than masonry. First, consider that the "masonry" market is comprised not just of brick and stucco homes and buildings, but also those made of cinderblock, cement block and EIFS.

Then consider that many masonry surfaces require multiple coatings for both surface preparation and topcoating. When you do the math, you realize that this is one market you can't afford to miss.

What's especially exciting about masonry is the wide variety of great masonry coatings now on the market (and more soon to come). With the aid of these products, masonry can now be painted every bit as successfully as wood.

Once largely the domain of contractors, today's masonry products cover the entire spectrum, from those that can be used by a novice do-it-yourselfer to those that should be applied only by a professional painting contractor for the best results. In any case, these products translate into big sales potential for the paint seller.

As more and more of your customers realize that they are not stuck with the original color of their masonry, you have a tremendous opportunity to introduce them to these products. Next time you have customers who are candidates for painting their masonry, knowledge of the following coatings will help you steer them in the right direction.

Primed for Action - Surface Preparation, Primers and Sealers
Good surface preparation is essential with virtually any paint job. But this is especially true for masonry. A high percentage of premature paint failures on masonry can be directly attributed to improper surface preparation.

Ask your customer if the masonry to be painted is new, weathered or previously painted. The surface preparation that is needed will vary depending upon the answer. If the masonry surface is older and has weathered, recommend the purchase of the proper tools for the job. He or she will need to clean the surface with a wire brush, power brush or power washer. Previously painted surfaces must also be cleaned, and any loose or peeling paint must be removed prior to recoating.

If your customer mentions a problem with efflorescence (white, sometimes crusty, powder or deposits that have been carried to the surface by moisture), it can be removed by wire brushing, or with a 6 to 10 percent muriatic acid solution. Follow with a thorough rinsing. Similarly, mildew can be removed with a simple solution of one part bleach to three parts water applied using a garden sprayer, or simply with a sponge, then rinsed with clean water. If your customer will be using either of these solutions, or doing power washing, recommend that he or she purchase and use the proper safety equipment, such as goggles and gloves.

If your customer is painting new stucco, recommend that it be allowed to cure for four weeks to allow for drying, shrinkage and reduction of surface alkalinity. To help prevent the buildup of efflorescence, the stucco can be washed off with a hose once or twice a week during that period. After the four-week waiting period, your customer may proceed to seal and paint the surface.

Priming or sealing is important on masonry because of the porous characteristics of these materials. If the surface is particularly chalky or produces efflorescence, a masonry conditioner or sealer should be applied before painting to help combat that problem. Where efflorescence is present, the source of moisture causing it should be identified and eliminated, if at all possible.

Keep in mind that it is wise to use a masonry sealer on all types of masonry - even if your customer does not plan to paint. Sealers designed to be left unpainted help render masonry more water-resistant and offer a degree of protection from the elements.

Paint: A Coating as Tough as the Surface Below
Every type of masonry can be painted, but on masonry substrates, as with other materials, a quality product will provide the best value. To that end, a top quality 100 percent acrylic latex house paint is an excellent choice for masonry. This type of paint provides excellent color retention and flexibility. It resists the effects of alkalinity that may come from either relatively fresh masonry or masonry that has become damp from water intrusion. (By way of contrast, alkalinity can attack the binder in alkyd and vinyl-acrylic latex paints and cause fading, and even compromise film integrity through what is called "alkali burn.") Furthermore, top quality 100 percent acrylic latex primers and paints are less prone to pass efflorescence through, compared with highly pigmented "economy" products.

The binder in quality 100 percent acrylic latex paints provides masonry with exceptional protection. But in some cases, another type of coating may be preferable. If the house or building will be exposed to significant changes in temperature, cracks can form in the masonry surface. Conventional paint - even top quality products - will not be able to bridge those cracks. What is needed is a thicker, more flexible coating.

Stretching Out With Elastomeric Wall Coatings
Elastomeric wall coating (EWC) systems are a good choice for customers who live in climates with fluctuating temperatures, and who are seeking the utmost in quality and performance from their masonry coating. These coatings can stretch, contract and generally conceal cracks and imperfections that naturally occur in exterior masonry surfaces. When temperatures drop, EWCs stretch and cover the cracks that develop. When temperatures rise again,

EWCs recover their original shape without warping or wrinkling. EWCs also offer good water resistance: By stretching and covering cracks, these coatings protect masonry from wind-driven rain and other moisture. But EWCs do "breathe," so they also permit moisture from within the building - or from within the masonry itself - to escape as vapor.

If a homeowner is interested in an EWC system, recommend that he or she have a professional painter apply it, as this special coating must be applied in very thick coats for best performance.

Regardless of who applies it, be sure to inform your customer of the proper application procedures for an EWC. For the best results, the masonry should first be sealed or primed. This is especially important if the surface is particularly porous. Then the EWC should be applied in two heavy coats, for a total dry film thickness of at least 14 mils. The proper application technique is by heavy-nap roller, or by spray followed by back-rolling.

Coming Soon... Semiflexible Coatings
With the advent and general availability of EWCs, specifiers and consumers finally have a coating that affords great protection to masonry. But another, somewhat related coating will soon be coming to the North American market, one that has been used successfully in Europe for years. This is a high performance latex "semiflexible paint" that will offer flexibility falling between that of conventional quality latex paint and that of elastomeric coatings.

Compared to EWCs, semiflexible coatings are applied in a thinner film (dry film thickness: 4 to 6 mils in one coat, compared with at least 14 mils in two coats with an elastomeric), and have maximum dirt resistance. Crackbridging capability, while not as outstanding as with quality elastomerics, is far better than with conventional paint at normal spread rates. As a result, these semiflexible coatings provide protection from rain and other sources of water over all types of masonry surfaces, both bare and previously painted.

Making the Most of Masonry
While you may know the ins and outs of painting masonry, it's important to remember that your customers may not. Consider giving your masonry coatings a front-and-center position in your store. You may also want to create a display showing some painted brick, stucco or cinderblock, or a photo display of painted masonry homes and buildings. Think about including some helpful tips on painting masonry, courtesy of the Paint Quality Institute. Most important, be on hand to discuss your quality masonry products with your customers, and help them obtain a quality paint job that will make them - and you - proud.

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