Sealing an exposed brick internal wall

[dave_s13]

Now then.

Part of my ongoing extension is a mezzanine bed deck in the new 4th bedroom. Done to maximise the limited width available but has also turned into a proper cool kids bedroom, thankfully.

On the lower level we removed the outer leaf of brickwork to make a bit more space and this lower section is being boarded over and skimmed. the upper level retains the entire thickness of the old external cavity wall so the plan is to leave the brickwork exposed as a). it actually looks pretty cool (1930s brick) and b). adds 20mm or so to the room width.

Question is - what to seal it with. I was thinking just plain PVA/water mix and see how it turned out but has anyone done this. I wouldn't mind it leaving a slight glossy/wet look finish. Anyone done this before?

[sidekickdmr]

A quick google brings this up which seems to be for exactly what you want and its breathable

https://www.kingfisheruk.com/interior-brick-and-du...

[bingybongy]

I used PVA and water on an exposed brick wall in a bathroom 10+ years ago. It looks great and has never needed touching up.

[dave_s13]

Nice one bingybongy.... I've got a st load in the shed so will give it a bash.

[DEN3B]

I am also doing a similar type of thing to my bathroom wall (a very small area)

Would it work on this?



What sort of mixture between PVA/water would be best?

Thanks

[dave_s13]

50/50 I reckon.

[Bairn]

Cheers Dave. Will give it a bash.

[bingybongy]

Yeah, I just glugged it together but about 50/50

[northwick]

I used this:

https://www.duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk/dulux-trade...

to great effect. There is absolutely no gloss / sheen to it.

[Bairn]

What would you suggest using for the holes that can be seen in the photo?

[Harry Flashman]

bingybongy said:

I used PVA and water on an exposed brick wall in a bathroom 10+ years ago. It looks great and has never needed touching up.

Me too - diluted and used a garden sprayer to apply. Looks great a decade later, no issues. Caveat - spray too much and you get a bit of a sheen, so don'y overdo it.

[Harry Flashman]

[Ahbefive]

Bairn said:

What would you suggest using for the holes that can be seen in the photo?

Mortar, sand &cement but quite cementy as it looks quite grey in the pic.

[Bairn]

Ahbefive said:

Bairn said:

What would you suggest using for the holes that can be seen in the photo?

Mortar, sand &cement but quite cementy as it looks quite grey in the pic.

The picture is a bit deceiving it's actually pretty sandy coloured but I'll make up that mixture and get them filled in then pva/water it.

[AlmostUseful]

I'd pop to a builders yard and see what sort of things they have handy, you can use dyes and different sands to get the right colour - grey will stand out and look crap if it's a sandy colour.
I've had some pointing done on my place and it stands out because apart from half the house being lime mortar, half of the pointing was done with a kind of dark yellow sand which makes the mortar look kind of green against the rest of the grey!

[Ahbefive]

Bairn said:

Ahbefive said:

Bairn said:

What would you suggest using for the holes that can be seen in the photo?

Mortar, sand &cement but quite cementy as it looks quite grey in the pic.

The picture is a bit deceiving it's actually pretty sandy coloured but I'll make up that mixture and get them filled in then pva/water it.

If it's sandy coloured then a 6/1 sand to cement ratio should work out well.

[bristolbaron]

Best way of cleaning of all the black plaster covering my bricks to make it something I'd want to seal?!

[dave_s13]

bristolbaron said:

Best way of cleaning of all the black plaster covering my bricks to make it something I'd want to seal?!

Post a picture?

Brick acid (mortar remover) might help. Or pressure wash maybe.

[surveyor]

This has brought bad memories back to my early carrier. Doing viewings on a terraced house with exposed bricks walls - I think sealed with varnish.. Condensations running down the walls in rivers.... Not a good look.