How to Remove Graffiti From Brick
If your neighborhood is plagued with graffiti, you've no doubt tried various methods to remove it. Unfortunately, the non-hazardous paint remover you tried left stains on the brick and code enforcement maintains shadowing is an invitation for repeat graffiti. The city advises removing graffiti in 2 days or less to deter repeat tagging and hiring a professional is costly. Renting a power washer to remove the paint from the brick yourself is an effective and more economical solution. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic bags
- Waterproof tape
- Paste or gel paint remover
- Stiff brush
- Hose
- Pressure washer
- Biodegradable cleaner
- Chemical absorbent mat
- Brick sealant
- Safety glasses
- Gloves
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Instructions
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Rent a pressure washer; look for 900 to 1200 p.s.i. and a 2-gallon per minute flow rating. Using more power can damage both the bricks’ surface and integrity. Look for an electric model as gasoline models are much more powerful and discouraged for private maintenance uses.
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Locate the water runoff drains for your property and put a chemically absorbent mat in the catch basin to avoid poisoning the ecosystem.
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Use plastic bags and waterproof tape to seal all electric outlet and fixtures making sure your seals are watertight. Make sure all the windows and doors are tightly closed to avoid inadvertent water damage to the interior of the building.
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Apply paste or gel graffiti remover to the painted brick according to manufacturer's directions. Cover with plastic to prevent drying. Be patient; give the graffiti remover time to work.
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Remove the plastic from the prepared wall and scrub the affected brick with a stiff brush. Remember leftover shadowing is a temptation to taggers, so pay careful attention to the mortar.
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Standing about 3 feet away from the wall, pull the trigger and start the pressure washer.
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Work from top to bottom. Use a 900 to 1000 p.s.i. spray and broad back-and-forth strokes to remove the graffiti from the brick.
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Use a sealant to protect against mortar crumbling and strengthen weakened brick. Apply to the previously painted brick according to package instructions.
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Tips & Warnings
Soap, even biodegradable soap, is toxic to fish; ensure no chemically tainted wastewater seeps into the sewer.
Always put safety first. Wear safety glasses and gloves while you remove the paint.
