Hi All

We had a new retaining wall built in the garden about a month ago. Job well done, anchored to footings with rebar and rebar slotted into all the hollow blocks before they filled them with concrete. Backed with crushed stones and weep holes up and weeping.

Now, it hasn't been the driest, hottest summer in memory and the surface of the (north facing) wall never gets a chance to completely dry out. I suspect the wall is also probably breathing out the water from the concrete fill.

Question: Is it OK to paint the thing with Sandtex before it is completely dry? Or will this lead to catastrophic paint failure, rending of clothes, sky falling in etc.?

All suggestions welcomed!

David

David wrote:

Now, it hasn't been the driest, hottest summer in memory and the surface of the (north facing) wall never gets a chance to completely dry out. I suspect the wall is also probably breathing out the water from the concrete fill.

presumably the south side is going to be constantly absorbing water from
the soil (or sending it back in dry spells)? in which case I'd say if
the surface is dry enough to paint now, do it before it gets soaked (again).

On Tuesday, 15 August 2017 09:52:15 UTC+1, David wrote:
Hi All

We had a new retaining wall built in the garden about a month ago. Job well done, anchored to footings with rebar and rebar slotted into all the hollow blocks before they filled them with concrete. Backed with crushed stones and weep holes up and weeping.

Now, it hasn't been the driest, hottest summer in memory and the surface of the (north facing) wall never gets a chance to completely dry out. I suspect the wall is also probably breathing out the water from the concrete fill.

Question: Is it OK to paint the thing with Sandtex before it is completely dry? Or will this lead to catastrophic paint failure, rending of clothes, sky falling in etc.?

All suggestions welcomed!

David

If it's damp a lot, impermeable paint will cause freeze-thaw damage. This is the sort of situation where lime paint works well. It doesn't need to dry to set, it won't block evaporation, and it takes the hit of any freeze-thaw damage in lieu of the wall, and is very easy to reapply if that occurs.


NT

On 8/15/2017 1:59 PM, wrote:
On Tuesday, 15 August 2017 09:52:15 UTC+1, David wrote:
Hi All

We had a new retaining wall built in the garden about a month ago. Job well done, anchored to footings with rebar and rebar slotted into all the hollow blocks before they filled them with concrete. Backed with crushed stones and weep holes up and weeping.

Now, it hasn't been the driest, hottest summer in memory and the surface of the (north facing) wall never gets a chance to completely dry out. I suspect the wall is also probably breathing out the water from the concrete fill.

Question: Is it OK to paint the thing with Sandtex before it is completely dry? Or will this lead to catastrophic paint failure, rending of clothes, sky falling in etc.?

All suggestions welcomed!

David

If it's damp a lot, impermeable paint will cause freeze-thaw damage. This is the sort of situation where lime paint works well. It doesn't need to dry to set, it won't block evaporation, and it takes the hit of any freeze-thaw damage in lieu of the wall, and is very easy to reapply if that occurs.


NT


+1 for limewash

Sandtex is not bad at this, but I suppose it depends how damp, damp is.
Youdon't want to paint it in the rain, but I seem to recall an end house
near here painted their new wall very very white very quickly due to idiots
colliding with the old one too often.
Brian

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"David" wrote in message
...
Hi All

We had a new retaining wall built in the garden about a month ago. Job
well done, anchored to footings with rebar and rebar slotted into all the
hollow blocks before they filled them with concrete. Backed with crushed
stones and weep holes up and weeping.

Now, it hasn't been the driest, hottest summer in memory and the surface
of the (north facing) wall never gets a chance to completely dry out. I
suspect the wall is also probably breathing out the water from the
concrete fill.

Question: Is it OK to paint the thing with Sandtex before it is completely
dry? Or will this lead to catastrophic paint failure, rending of clothes,
sky falling in etc.?

All suggestions welcomed!

David

Thanks Folks
Now just need it to stop raining...
David