Sealing an exposed brick wall

[mothercourage]

Has anyone done this? Just wondering what product to use. Googling hasn't provided much info. I want to stop the bricks flaking and prevent dust with something that has a dead flat matt finish.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[Salsaboy]

I've been told that a matt floor varnish is quite effective although the bricks will suck it up.

[KidKruger]

If you mean indoors, I'd (and have):

- strip wall to state you want it.

- brush it / hoover it to provide clean dry surface.

- seal it with unibond or pva as if you were sealing it for plastering (www provides detail)

My entire bathroom wall is exposed brick. Only cos at time I wasn't confident enough to plaster it myself, then I thought it's alright, so it stayed.

[mothercourage]

Great - both replies very helpful.

KK, did PVA leave a shiny finish at all? I want the bricks to look exactly as they do now (ie. no sign of a coating or change of colour etc)

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[KidKruger]

PVA dries into the brick, you dilute it a bit with water and paste it on woth a big brush (I used a handbrush, like you get with a dustpan, dipping into a bucket of the good stuff). It's messy/splashes, but being water-based, wipes-up easy. You may get a slightly darker tone, but this is natural, just as if you wet the bricks, they'd go dark.

[Jeremy]

I reckon you'll need quite a high proportion of water for it to sink into the brick without leaving visible gluey residue. Maybe 1 PVA to 3 water.

[mothercourage]

All sounds brilliant. I'm gonna give it a whirl - patch test first.

Thanks so much people-in-the-know.

[Annette Curtain]

The bricks will change colour to a shade or two darker

PVA does seal but it dries to soft finish

For something way tougher, try Bona Chem Traffic acrylic floor varnish in dead matt

Or Leyland SDM do an Acrylic Dead Flat decorators varnish (in a turquoise container) The decorating shop up near the cemetery end of West Norwood high st sell it too, + free car park at the back. Or Whites on Brockley rise are good, see John the Irish guy in there, most helpful.

Don't roller it as it creates micro-bubbles that pop as they dry, leaving micro-craters. Thin the first coat with water and brush on with an acrylic chinex bristle or similar synthetic bristle brush. 2nd coat will go on way quicker then the first.

Use green liquid Flash floor cleaner to assist when cleaning the brush, it contains ammonia which is the solvent for latex/acrylic

Stir not shake for acrylic products (same bubble issue)

[mothercourage]

Christ, you're good.

Thanks so much.