Masonry paint is a highly useful covering for rough surfaces such as brickwork homes or concrete. It lets the masonry breathe as it needs to avoid water damage over time.
It also adheres to the coarse surfaces better than other types of paint. However, masonry is not the limit of this paint’s use.
You can use masonry to paint on wood surfaces. Wood needs to breathe just like most masonry, so the paint is useful and also won’t damage the wood. However, you can find more colour and protective options if you opt for a wood-specific paint.
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Can You Use Masonry Paint On Wood Surfaces?
While the main purpose of masonry paint is to cover rough substrates, it’s a versatile product.
You can use masonry paint on indoor or outdoor wood without fear of damage. It will offer about the same protection as it would to concrete, brick, and other masonry.
However, one of the main uses of masonry paint is to cover the exteriors of houses. The colour ranges tend to be softer and more neutral. Because of this, you may find a limit on your colour options.
Wood paint will also have a formula better suited for wood surfaces than masonry paint, and vice versa. It’s always a good idea to use a paint that matches your surface.
What Is Masonry Paint?
Masonry paint is an exterior paint designed to protect and decorate various substrates. This includes concrete, stonework, brick, and more.
Masonry paint exists because these surfaces have specific needs that normal acrylic or oil paints can’t meet. Namely, masonry needs to breathe to avoid damage and hold on to its resiliency.
Moisture is inevitable, especially on outdoor surfaces. The key to protecting substrate from moisture damage is to allow the moisture to evaporate.
Using the wrong type of paint, such as a basic film-forming acrylic, will seal over the substrate. This film doesn’t give any avenue for the moisture to escape.
Masonry paints also have formulas that allow them to adhere better to the often-rough surface of concrete and other substrates. It will also have additives that protect your surfaces from the outdoor elements.
Types Of Masonry Paint
Like most types of paint, masonry paint comes in different varieties. Not only can you choose what colour you want, but also the base material.
Water-Based Acrylic
This is the most common type of masonry paint. It’s widely available and cost-effective. It’s breathable, but because of its acrylic content, it may not have the same breathability as other types of paint.
Oil-Based
Oil-based exterior paints are less common than acrylics. This is because they’re both more expensive and not that much different from acrylics. They don’t last any longer or provide more adequate protection.
What they oil paints do offer are fast drying times and better stain blocking.
Mineral Or Silicate-Based Paints
Unlike acrylic or oil, these masonry paints use silica or other minerals to form the base. They don’t form a layer on top of the masonry like acrylic.
Instead, a chemical reaction absorbs the paint into the masonry. It becomes part of the material rather than just a film.
This provides extra durability, and, most importantly for masonry paints, breathability. However, these paints are difficult to find. They also tend to be more expensive than other forms of masonry paint.
Limewash
This is a much older and less commercial form of masonry coating. It’s difficult to find in stores and you typically have to mix it yourself.
However, it’s a traditional method for covering exterior masonry. It’s also appealing due to its natural ingredients, as well as its high breathability.
However, it also needs to be reapplied every few years, as it’s not as durable as modern commercial paints.
Tips For Applying Masonry Paint On Wood
If you’re in a pinch, you can safely use masonry paint on your wood projects. It’s always a good idea to prep your wood before painting, no matter the type of paint you use.
Follow these tips to ensure you get the best possible paint job even without a wood-specific paint.
1. Sand Your Surface
Sanding your wood projects serves multiple purposes. First, it removes any old paints or finishes that will inhibit the adhesion of the new paint. Second, it smooths out any irregularities in the surface of the wood.
Finally, sanding creates a rough surface to which the paint can adhere better.
2. Clean The Wood
It’s important that your masonry paint adheres to the surface of the wood, not anything lingering on that surface. If you paint before the wood is clean, the paint will stick to the dirt, not the wood surface.
If you’re using any kind of liquid cleaning solution, be sure to let the wood dry before painting. A wet surface can prevent adhesion and alter the consistency of your paint.
3. Apply Thin Coats
Thin coats of paint are almost always better than thick. First of all, it ensures you get the smoothest coverage possible. Using a thin coat first will make it easy to see any gaps or streaks that need addressing.
Secondly, thin coats dry faster than thick ones. It’s true that more coats may still take some extra time. But you won’t have to guess if the paint is dry all the way through.
And finally, thin coats will give you the longest-lasting finish. Each coat has adequate time before you apply the next one.
If you use one or two thick coats, you might apply more paint before the lower coat is completely dry. A skin of dry paint on the surface isn’t durable if the paint beneath it is still wet.
In Summary
It’s always best to use a paint that corresponds to the surface you want to cover. However, you can still use masonry paint to cover wood.
Masonry requires durable paint that can stick to its rough surfaces. It also needs to breathe in order to prevent moisture damage. Masonry paints provide both of these qualities, and they’ll apply to your wood as well.
Even so, the colour range of masonry paint is not as extensive as wood paints. Wood paint may also offer wood-specific benefits that masonry paint can’t provide.
But if you clean and prep your wood surface, masonry paint will work if you’re unable to get wood paint.