How long is too long for the masonry paint to dry? Four hours, six, an entire day? I've been doing a lot of decoration myself; hence I know frustrating low-quality paints can be.
Not just that it takes them way too long to dry, but shortly after, they start chipping off, and the layers are no longer homogenous.
For today, I have prepared my list of the best exterior masonry paint, with one best masonry paint for exterior walls specially discussed.
You can find the positive and negative comments, so take a look if you're planning to repaint your home soon.
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Top 3 Recommendations
7 Exterior Masonry Paints of 2022 - My Reviews
The first product we'll review today comes from Leyland, a reputable brand known for its affordable prices and focused offer. What it actually means is that they have a somewhat limited offer that's reduced to high-quality essentials every handyman needs, instead of a billion things that are poor in quality and never used.
This smooth masonry paint was specially formulated for exterior surfaces, such as brickwork, pebbledash, concrete, etc. It has excellent coverage; hence, many customers were delighted with the results they achieved applying only one coat.
Approximately the pain covers ten square meters per litre, and it's highly durable, protective and weather-resistant.
According to consumers, the Leyland paint is significantly thicker than what we're used to and spreads fairly well. Importantly, it lasts long, and little goes a long way; hence, it's perfect for painting exterior walls.
You can order it in two sizes: 2.5 litres, and 5 litres, with a smooth or textured finish and in a wide variety of colours. It's honestly affordable, exhibiting a fantastic quality-per-price ratio, which is probably the reason for three thousand customer ratings, of which 76% five stars.
- Durable
- Easy to apply
- Water-resistant
- Smooth finish
- Designed to protect
- Customers complained that the package leaks
What we have next is one British favourite, affordable yet incredibly protective masonry paint, designed to provide years of protection and a stunning outlook. Its secret lies in the acrylic resin formulation that defies all weather conditions and keeps the expensive, smooth look on your walls.
What makes acrylic emulsions so effective is the water resistance. Not just that it won't change under the influence of weather conditions, but it also prevents cracking, peeling and flaking, thus maintaining the original design of your walls.
The Dulux paint is UV-resistant, and it includes an algaecide and fungicide to prevent mould formation. I like that this paint is environmentally friendly and very flexible. It dries in thirty minutes, and due to its micro-porous, breathable structure, it allows the moisture and air to be released.
Customers are honestly satisfied with the quality of the product, and since this is a mid-range paint price-wise, it's incredibly well-formulated, leaving a clean, nice-looking wall.
The Dulux paint is supposed to provide fifteen years of protection, so it's fairly durable, and some surfaces, such as pebbledash, require one layer only.
- Mould-resistant
- Excellent coverage
- Environmentally-friendly
- Acrylic-based paint
- High performance
- Long delivery
Here we have a masonry paint from Basildon Paints, and it's not as popular as the previous bands we reviewed. What makes it attractive is the huge pack it comes at, offering fantastic coverage for the value, and importantly, the tin is well-sealed, so it's great for long-distance deliveries.
This pack measures 20 litres of paint, and the expected coverage is up to fifteen square meters per litre. So, with only one 20litres pack you can paint 300 square meters.
What customers love about this paint is, first of all, affordability, ease of use and coverage. The Basildon Paints paint can be used on multiple surfaces, but it looks exceptionally good on woodwork and pebbledash.
When it comes to durability, this is not the best paint you can buy. Consumers complained that after a while, the paint cracks, so they had to apply three layers of paint just to get even, smooth results.
However, not even the additional coverage did make the situation better, as it completely changed the colour they were trying to achieve.
As much as this Basildon Paints paint is affordable and easy to use, it's not that effective on exterior walls, so I wouldn't consider it for the tasks where durability matters.
- Large tin
- Affordable
- Well-closed
- 300 square meters coverage
- Not very durable
Next off, we have one water-based, high-quality masonry paint that can be used on multiple different surfaces, including stone tiles and brick. It has around 650 customer ratings on Amazon, and they're predominantly positive comments.
The first thing you'll love about this Rustins paint is quick drying. It takes very little time to set; hence you can apply layers quickly and finish the job in no time.
As I already mentioned, this Rustins paint was designed for different types of masonry, so it can be used for both interior decoration and exterior painting.
Since this is a water-based paint, the smell is not that unpleasant, and it's effortless to clean the paint from brushes and rollers.
The price is genuinely budget-friendly, yet for the best results, you'll need two or three layers of coating, so when we do the math for demanding tasks, it's not that affordable after all. Another negative aspect is that there are only four colours available.
- Water-based
- No smell
- Quick-drying
- Easy to apply
- It needs more layers
Here we have one economical masonry paint that's suitable for both interior and exterior, looks beautiful and has fantastic coverage. With this high-quality paint, there will not be the need for a second and third layer, as it perfectly covers the surfaces with only one coat.
Polar masonry paint is a water-based paint with low odour and fantastic coverage. It was designed for ceilings, inner walls and surfaces, and exterior walls as well.
The pain creates a matt finish, and it's available in grey, black, and white colours. For best results, all walls and surfaces must be clean, dry with no grease residue before the application.
According to Polar, a 500ml tin can cover up to 7.5 square meters, and since a single coat is enough for spotless results, the offer is very budget-friendly.
Another great advantage is fast drying. It takes only 1-2 hours for the first layer to dry out and 2-4 hours for the surface that's previously painted once.
Importantly, Polar is a British manufacturer focused on making hard-wearing, durable products. Their prices are very affordable, given the quality, so I do recommend them as one of the best exterior masonry paints.
- High performance
- Excellent coverage
- Durability
- Matt finish
- Only three colours
- Small package
Here we have one high-end masonry paint that puts way more pressure on your wallet than the previous kinds we reviewed, yet it comes with a set of fantastic advantages that make it worth the cost.
First of all, unlike the cheaper alternatives, this paint is available in twenty-eight hues. Bear in mind that most brands make paint in only two, or four colours, so you can't even compare the choice you have with HQC with, for example, Polar.
The paint is highly resistant, offering full protection against all elements. It's a smooth masonry paint, leaving spotless, smooth results.
Since I mentioned resistance, I find it important to mention that this paint exhibits fantastic scrub resistance and lasts long.
This HQC paint is effortless to apply. It takes around two hours for the first layer to dry, and then you can add another one that dries for around four hours.
Finally, the paint thickness was formulated to allow six square meters of coverage with only one litre of paint.
- Durable
- Smooth masonry paint
- Heavy-duty
- Resistant
- Many colours
- Expensive
Johnstone Weatherguard is another exterior masonry paint available in a range of colours, easy to apply, quick-drying and formulated to provide protection to many different kinds of surfaces. As the name itself suggests, this paint represents a weather shield, so it lasts considerably longer than the alternatives.
What customers stress as the best feature of this Johnstone's paint is that little goes a long way. Namely, the pain is designed to provide maximum coverage with only one coating.
It stays on the brush or roller, with no excessive dripping; hence the application is very convenient and practical.
As I already mentioned, Johnstone paint is designed to last, so it's estimated that it stays on your walls intact for around ten years.
Besides durability, this Johnstone's exterior masonry paint exhibits flexibility, so it fits any surface perfectly. And due to its smooth, water-resistant finish, it prevents dirt accumulation as well.
In conclusion, this is one of the best water masonry paints, available in tins of five litres, so although it seems a bit costly, it pays off.
- Colour range
- Designed to protect
- Weathershield
- Smooth finish
- A bit expensive
Buyer's Guide
Besides contributing to the overall appeal of your home, masonry paint has a protective role as well. Many brands make climate-resistant masonry paint that repels water and protects your walls from the elements.
Besides that, it also lasts longer, for it has better durability, so it maintains the beautiful outlook of your home. Also, some brands manufacture environmentally-friendly formulations, which is a highly significant argument for eco-conscious people.
If you're a complete newbie, here comes a simple guide you can follow to buy the best masonry paint for you.
1. Type of Masonry Paint
Before you buy certain masonry paint, you need to check if it's suitable for the surface you need to cover. High-quality masonry paints are efficient in covering stone, cement, brick, pebbledash and wood.
Moreover, there are two types of finishes a masonry paint can have: smooth masonry paint and textured masonry paint.
Smooth masonry paint is easier to apply to large areas as it is not as viscous as textured masonry paint is. On the other hand, textured masonry paint is better in covering cracks, uneven surfaces and bumps.
2. The Base
When it comes to the base, exterior masonry paint can either be oil-based or water-based.
Generally, water-based paints are better for exterior wall painting, for they are more UV-resistant, they dry faster, and they are more flexible.
What it means is that water-based paint can expand and contract in accordance with different weather conditions, which makes it less susceptible to damages, and more suitable for the exterior facade.
3. Viscosity
Another important feature to differentiate different masonry paints by is the viscosity. You can check the feature by paying attention to the coverage per litre that the paint has.
The more square meters the paint covers, it's easier to apply and more efficient. Smooth masonry paints generally have a higher coverage.
4. Weather Protection
The final and most significant feature is weather protection.
High-quality paints are suitable for pebbledash, concrete, and every other type of external masonry, and they represent a weather shield that protects the structure of the walls from rain, snow or sun.
They should also be mould-resistant as that is one of the frequent cases with external masonry. And when the paint is that durable and protective, it's also resistant to flaking and peeling.
A nice addition is when the paint is available in a wide range of colours. Many brands make only two or four colours of paint, hence limiting your creativity and not giving you the options to choose from.
So, I often decide on the more costly brands such as HQC that give me all the choice I need to decorate my home perfectly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best exterior masonry paint?
Leyland 303139 Granocryl Smooth Masonry Paint is the best-rated masonry paint and the most popular exterior masonry paint on Amazon.
It's available with textured or smooth effect, has fantastic coverage and resistance. Besides all the qualities, this paint is very affordable and comes in a wide variety of colours.
What is the longest lasting exterior paint?
HQC Smooth Masonry Paint is a high-end exterior masonry paint that's formulated to resist damages, elements and last considerably longer than the competing products.
Johnstone's Weathershield paint is also very durable and hard-wearing, as well as Polar Masonry Paint.
Should I use smooth or textured paint?
What type of finish you should choose depends on the purpose you will be using the paint for. If you need a flexible coat that's easy to apply; you should opt for a smooth finish.
On the other hand, if you need to cover cracks, uneven surfaces and damages, opt for the textured finish since it's more suitable for different types of walls.
How do you paint a textured exterior wall?
First of all, it is essential to prep the surface. Remove nails, plug covers or anything that could be on your way. Make sure the wall is dry and clean with no grease spots on it.
Purchase a paint that's specially formulated for textured walls and prepare your roller and brush.
From there, you can just follow the steps from this tutorial. It is very detailed and simple.
Final Thoughts
Once again, what matters in different paints is the quality and durability. If your paint doesn't provide even the lowest level of weather protection and doesn't act like a weather shield, it won't last long. These paints are prone to chipping and flaking, hence degrading the overall outlook of your home.
I suggest buying masonry paints that are mould-resistant and act like a weathershield, for they will most definitely maintain the beauty of your home longer.
The best exterior masonry paint in the UK, to my mind, is the Leyland 303139 Granocryl Smooth Masonry Paint.
This is the best masonry paint for both smooth masonry and textured walls. It's easy to apply, hard-wearing and durable.
- Specially formulated for use on exterior brickwork, concrete, roughcast rendering
- Excellent covering power and flexibility, providing a durable, protective and weather resistant finish
- Smooth masonry paint approximately 10sq.Metres per litre depending on the nature and porosity of the surface.
- Available in more colours and sizes.
Last Updated on February 24, 2022 by Sean
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