Frank wrote:
What type of paint should I use for a block retaining wall. In wet
weather the wall gets fairly wet so I would be worried about using
standard exterior wall paint (Weathershield/Sandtex etc) because the
dampness seeping out from the wall may lift the paint. The paint is
for decorative purposes. Is there a more permeable exterior paint.
Would a whitewash type finish work?

How about painting it with a bitumen-based (black) paint, then covering
that with an exterior paint?

Just floating it as a suggestion to be shot down; I really don't know if
it would work (especially the bit about overpainting the bitumen paint)

David