Sandtex and Sandtex Trade masonry paints provide the ultimate protection for your home whatever the weather.

Frequently asked questions

Before you start, always check for the following and plan accordingly. Old flaking or blistering paint. Worn or damaged surfaces. Cracks. Damp and fungal growth. Unstable chalky surfaces. Consider access to out of reach areas and the need for ladders or towers. Any protection you may need for paths, driveways and vehicles e.g. dustsheets, masking tape etc.

No, it is important to thoroughly treat contaminated areas of mould, or other organic growth, as it will come through newly painted areas. Initially remove any surface contamination with a scraper then use a stiff bristle brush. Once the surface is sound you must apply a fungicide solution, these should be diluted with water according to the pack instructions. As they are usually a bleach based material, for safety, use gloves and goggles or safety glasses. Apply the fungicide solution to the affected area plus an overlap to ensure the solution penetrates the surface and kills the organic growth. Again check the manufacturers pack instructions as to the recommended time prior to painting over the fungicide solution, this is usually 24 hours. This will ensure a clean surface for a better adhesion of the masonry paint. Mould tends to grow in damp conditions so it is important to deal with not just the mould problem but also the cause of the problem as this could be a leaking gutter concentrating water on the wall creating a damp area.

It is important to choose a suitable day as exterior painting in especially cold weather (below 8°c) or extremely hot weather creates its own challenges with paint not drying or indeed drying too quickly. It’s best to keep an eye on the weather forecast for the week ahead before you start.

One of the problems that can occur when painting an exterior wall is that of a chalky / dusty unstable surface. If you apply paint without effectively treating this problem the paint will dry and stick to the loose dust particles and not get a sound adhesion to the wall resulting in the paint blistering and failing. Wipe the wall with your hand and if you have dusty particles on your hand then you will require to use a stabilising solution. The stabilising solution is very easy to apply using a 3” brush direct to the surface, allow to dry for 24 hours prior to painting. The solution seals and stabilises to allow for good adhesion of the masonry paint, it also allows the paint to cover further.

The size of the house – light colours can make a detached home look larger, warm colours can reduce size. Use masonry paint colours on your garden walls to open up space. The aspect – sunny settings can take cool colours, north facing houses need warmer hues. Neighbouring buildings – an isolated house can take strong, bold colours, as can a busy high street terrace. Semi-detached buildings should complement one another, using monochromatic schemes to blend guttering etc. Depending on the design of your house, you may need to consider three colours for your exterior. One for the walls, a complementary colour for sills and plinths and finally, gloss, or woodstain, for doors, frames and facades.

First select your main wall colour from the colour brochure. The colours available in Smooth masonry have all been laid out in complementary palettes to make it easy to select colours to go on sills, plinths and quoins. To choose a contrasting or complementary trim paint for wood, metal or PVC-u, cut out the colour chips from the brochure and lay them next to your chosen wall colours. You could also create a mood board by cutting out images you like from magazines and brochures. Compare these inspirational images to the colours available in the Sandtex brochure and choose from there. Once you’ve narrowed the section, try a sample pot. All Sandtex smooth masonry colours have sample pots, so brush the colour out on to a piece of card and place it on various aspects of your house to see how it looks in light and shade.

For masonry paint most DIY shops will stocks “long pile” masonry rollers, these are designed to cover rough uneven surfaces easily. For pebble dash or those areas where only a brush will reach, a 4” masonry brush will do the trick. For wood and metal finishes either brush or gloss pile roller application is recommended. As a rule of thumb, always use a synthetic bristle brush for water based paints and natural bristle for solvent based.

All Sandtex products have their spreading rate on the pack of pack or summarised in the colour brochure. Alternatively use the handy calculator tool on this website.

Complete all stripping and rubbing down before you start painting so that dust and flakes will not fall on wet surfaces. Start from the top and work down, clean out gutters and paint if necessary. When removing old flaking masonry paint, use a scraper where possible then for small flakes a stiff bristle brush will remove residual flakes. It is important NOT to use a wire brush on the masonry surfaces as metal particles can become embedded on the surface, these react to the water based masonry paint thus resulting in potential rust spots that will make the walls look unsightly. When removing old paint it is recommended that you wear safety goggles / glasses, gloves and a mask, this will reduce the risk of damaging your eyes or breathing in dust particles.

Was equipment used for water based paints with clean tap water, or for oil based paints with white spirits. Always use as little as possible and never tip waste down the drain.

Your nearest Sandtex stockist

Type in your town or postcode to discover
where you can purchase our paints.

Sign up to our newsletter to stay updated on all things Sandtex!