The Risks Of Cheap Masonry Paint

We often receive calls asking for cheap masonry paint, but what is cheap masonry paint ? Many people only look at the cost of the tin on the shelf or go to places such as eBay as they feel they sell the cheapest masonry paint. There is always a reason why something is cheap. How about if you brought a tin of paint and it cost twice as much as a paint from say eBay, but it covers your wall in one coat rather than three coats? It would not only cost you less but you would have only spent a third of the time painting it. This supposed cheap masonry paint would actually be even more expensive than if you were paying a decorator to do the job for you!

On a larger scale if you were painting a large industrial building that required scaffolding access then you could potentially be paying for that hire for 3 times longer. So after thinking about it, is your budget high street product really a cheap masonry paint?

How Paint Works

Even though you receive paint as a liquid, paint itself is a designed to be a solid. To help get this solid paint out of the tin, it is mixed with a liquid known as the solvent. In most cases masonry paint is mixed with water.

This liquid is a carrier to get the paint out of the tin onto the substrate with ease. When your paint is applied to the wall, the solvent (water) evaporates into the air leaving the solid paint on the wall. Water is cheap so the more water you add the cheaper the paint is. Cheap masonry paint is literally watered down!

How To Check Cheap Masonry Paint?

To make sure you’re not duped into buying an inferior cheap masonry paint, check the paints product data sheet before buying. On the manufacturers data sheet reference will be made to the theoretical coverage rate. This figure will tell you how thick the paint will be when dry on the wall.

For example, Mapei Dursilite has a theoretical coverage rate of 3m2 per litre for two coats. A thicker paint such as Rust-Oleum Murfill Waterproofing has a coverage of of 0.03 – 0.06Kg per m2.

A masonry paint such as Murfill Waterproofing is a thick flexible coating that protects your home. It can bridge hairline cracks where water can get in and possibly freeze in the winter. Murfill Waterproofing has been deemed suitable, and approved by Trinity House for application to light houses, that says a lot!

Why Cheap Masonry Paint is Bad

When water turns to ice it expands. If water gets into your masonry it can in turn can cause damage to your walls.  As water is such a good conductor of heat, a cheap masonry paint that allows water to penetrate your walls will cause a number of issues. After little time, the house could feel cold and damp. Cheap masonry paint may even cause mould, a health hazard, not to mention it could increasing your heating bills.

This leads us to discuss the type of masonry paint you should apply to you house or building.

If you are in an exposed area where you are subject to driving rain, snow or wind that possibly has salt water in it, you will need a more robust masonry paint than a sheltered urban location requires. In this exposed area, a low cost masonry paint will not last. You would need a quality masonry paint formulated to cope with harsh conditions. Also remember that sun light attacks paint. A paint formulated from quality resins and binders will last and protect your building far longer than a cheap masonry paint.

Cheap Masonry Paint

Where To Buy Cheap Masonry Paint

Often people look at masonry paints such as Wickes masonry paint, Wilko masonry paint or even Screwfix masonry paint to name a few. People tend to just look at the range of colours on the colour card and buy it because they feel that masonry paint is the only choice they have.

Personally, we know of a local home owner who applied a green masonry paint to the outside of their house and put their house on the market. However, a house in the same street was painted with a more attractive colour from the range of over 30,000 colours Promain offer. The other house had a much greater kerb appeal and sold more quickly for more money. This is the biggest low of money as a result of cheap masonry paint for end users.

Promain are able to offer very similar colours of masonry paint to brands such as Johnstone’s masonry paint, Leyland masonry paint, Sandtex masonry paint or Dulux masonry paint. We can also match to most other leading manufacturers. If you feel that a high performance paint or even a mineral masonry paint such as Keim Granital or Mapei Silex Colour is suitable we are able to mix the colour you want.

If you do not want to apply a cheap masonry paint, come to Promain where our technical team will ask the right questions so you get the right paint for your job. We as a company want our customers paints to last as long as possible. Promain are able to do this with industry leading knowledge and expertise.

View our full range of best masonry paints on our website here.

 

Masonry Paint Colours

If you are looking to match a specific colour, either send us the colour card of your Homebase masonry paint, Johnstones masonry paint, or even B&Q masonry paint. We can however even colour match to your favourite shirt or book cover! Our in house tinting team will then scan that colour and produce a near identical colour for you.

If you have a colour scheme no matter how wacky we can create matching or complementary colours in a wide range of paints for masonry paint, timber paint or even uPVC paint. This opens up the opportunity for you to  paint the window frames, soffits, bargeboard or even the front door in a host of different colours.

Remember, your cheap masonry paint is not such a bargain if it’s not the colour you want! And if you don’t like the colour, you will only have to buy more masonry paint to save it! Also, what if you have had to pay a decorator to re-paint! All in all, everything will lead you to be really out of pocket. You might even be spending the night in the dog house!

Just remember not all masonry paints are equal!

Inspired? Read our other masonry paint blogs here:

Make sure you read this article if you are looking to purchase:

  • Sandtex masonry paint
  • B&q masonry paint
  • Dulux masonry paint
  • Wickes masonry paint
  • Wilko masonry paint
  • Screwfix masonry paint
  • Homebase masonry paint
  • Johnstones masonry paint
  • Leyland masonry paint
delivery banner