Painting exterior, pebbledash house advice please

[themajor7]

Hello there,

I was hoping to get some experienced advice please before going ahead and painting our 1950s pebbledashed house.

Some paint systems suggest cleaning the exterior walls with sugar soap first, but is this practical in reality? I.e can you really get the surfaces clean without going at the whole house with a toothbrush?!

Also, I get a VERY slight chalky residue if I run my hand over the wall, but I believe this is mainly from the pebbles themselves. Would anyone recommend the stabiliser solution, pre-painting, or is that really for the wall surface itself, if indeed the masonry is porous?

Lastly (!), I've read so many conflicting reviews of Dulux vs Johnstons vs Sandtex vs Wickes-own paint, so any hands-on experience of using a few of these, and their lasting results would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Chri5]

is it pea, pebble, chips or flint dashing?

Pea a hd pebble are easier, less voids that need paint smashing in.

Buy a pressure bottle, pump type that you would use to dispense weed killer.

Buy spray on sugar soap and using a soft brush (I use a dust pan brush) massage the dashing and let it stand for half an hour. Then rinse off with water via the pump, brushing as you go. Obviously start top to bottom, do sections at a time.

Leave to droit for 48 hours and paint. I still use Dulux masonary trade, diluted by 10% and apply 3 coats.
Diluted paint runs better and is better at getting in to voids, gaps and holes.

As for a stabiliser, post washing you should be able to see if the surface is powdery, or if the power was simply some previous paint breaking down.

Finished mine last week, done to the method I suggested. Last lot lasted 14 years.

 

[themajor7]

Thanks Chri5 - 14 years is the kind of target I like!

Great advice regarding the cleaning, and you're right, it will do 2 jobs - one as a good clean prep anyway, but it will also tell me if a stabiliser is needed.

I can paint the back of the house off a flat roof extension, so that's quite a decent size to experiment with and get a feel for the paint. After that it will be on to the big bit!

The dashing is pebble, so not as snaggly to get into, which is a good thing I guess.

Thanks again for the advice, much appreciated.