This is what it should look like:
Sadly, our options are few and costly. The first quote from a reluctant brick stripper came it at $4,500. Um, brick guy #1, we aren't sure that's in our budget. We await the second quote that would involve "soda blasting," a process that uses baking soda instead of sand to remove the paint. We could consider painting the brick to match....thoughts???
UPDATE! - We are hiring a soda blaster! He is coming from Greeley and thinks that they will be done in one day. EXCITED!!!
Have you considered a citrus based stripper like this?: http://www.wmbarr.com/citristrip/default.aspx I used it to take the original silver paint off of a P200 (indoors)and it worked really well and didn't stink at all (unless you think oranges stink). I would think at worst it might take a week, set you back a small amount of coin and loosen up the paint for blasting or whatever your next steps are if you resort to that... just a thought.
ReplyDeletePainting to match the color would be worse. IMO. Remember the painted fireplace in my house? We ended up painting white which made it look better considering the alternatives. Painting it to try to look like the original just highlights that it isn't. Poor alternative.
ReplyDeleteI do remember the fireplace in C's room. Hmmm.
DeleteThe one in C's room was fine it was the one downstairs.
DeleteI agree with Melissa. I like painted brick! I feel like exposed brick in interiors is best in industrial/loft settings but I am betting that trying to talk you into painting the brick would be like trying to convince me to NOT paint original trim. So blast. But don't match.
ReplyDeleteWell, I'd actually be open to another option, but J is feeling strongly at this point. How about wood paneling? We could use the stuff that we took out of the basement!
DeleteMolly, I posted on FB, but in case you miss it-- I just did this in my house, and did a video to go along with it. I HATE the look of exposed brick unless it's chic and cool, and yes, industrial. But in my house, it was just dated, and made the living room look even more cave-like. I used a painting kit called Brick Anew, which claims to make it still look like brick, while lightening it up, which is what I wanted. I filmed my process and the technique. Feel free to watch and see if this is something you might want to consider, if you want to have a brick-look, while having it still painted. Seriously, save the $4500 for something really cool--not removing paint from a fireplace!
ReplyDeleteHere's the link to the video. Good luck!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh-vxRx5BC8
I'll totally watch your video! Thanks, Serena.
DeleteKeep checking back for an update on this. If we do the blasting it will happen very soon as the mess it makes is quite extraordinary! I think that the biggest issue for us is that the brick is all over the house, interior and exterior and we hope that it will match. This could be the biggest decision we have to make. Sounds silly, but it's sort of true. :)
ReplyDeleteWe had this problem at the Andenken on Larimer street. We got a sandblaster's quote and almost died. Then Hyland proceeded to grind the paint off as best he could. Do NOT do that :)
ReplyDeleteThe thing that sticks with me about the sand blasting quote we got is that it makes a HUGE mess. Like, you'll be finding bits of sand for years. And how would they be able to protect the carpet? Or is that going anyway?
Do they have some new-fangled kind of sand (or soda) blasting that is less messy?
Check with the guys who sandblast the funeral stones over by the cemetary. They did my neighbors fireplace a few years back for a reasonable cost...Not $4500. I think it's Spence Memorials? I've got to get this done as well.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, my neighbor thought it would be clever to paint the ENTIRE BRICK CHIMNEY when they recently painted their house. Looks like shit. Brown, no less.
I just had an idea! Brick veneer! Find a veneer that matches and cover the painted brick with the look alike. Not idea, but then neither are any of the other options!
ReplyDeleteWe have a soda blaster coming from Greeley to try removing the paint on Monday morning.
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