How to bag or texture paint a damaged brick wall?

Winniemac

Hi

I have a small brick walled garden bed. I didn't build it and I didn't render it but it seems to have been rendered in the past with a very rough textured finish and then painted. Some of the mortar between the bricks has broken away.

I thought about just repainting it but I think it needs some sort of patching up and the brick holes filled before I do that.

I am therefore thinking of either bagging it with a render mix or using a medium textured paint. I was thinking with either option that I would apply it with a lambswool mitt to keep the rough and ready look.

I have removed loose render and the surface is not smooth. The wall won't be any sort of feature wall so I don't need to make it look pretty. Just better than how it is.

What I want to know is:

1. Can I bag render over the existing render? If yes, what pre-mix mortar product should I use? Do I need to prep the surface (either the existing painted render or the bare brick)?
2. Can the render be used to plug the gaps between the bricks where the mortar has come away?
3. If I use a textured paint instead, can I apply it straight to the existing render or does it need surface prep?

I don't want to spend a lot of money on this because it is a small amount of wall which almost no one sees!

Thanks :)

EricL

Hello @Winniemac

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us and thanks for sharing your question about your brick garden wall.

You’re on the right track, and for something like a small garden bed that doesn’t need to look perfect, bagging it with a render mix is usually the simplest and cheapest way to tidy everything up while keeping that rough, rustic texture. You can absolutely bag render over existing render as long as anything loose or flaking has been removed, which you’ve already done.

The key prep is just a good stiff brush to remove dust, then dampen the wall lightly before applying the mix so it doesn’t dry too quickly. Because the surface is partly painted and partly bare, it’s a good idea to use an acrylic-modified premix that sticks well to mixed substrates. Something like the https://www.bunnings.com.au/dunlop-20kg-multipurpose-acrylic-render_p0760242 or the https://www.bunnings.com.au/bastion-20kg-mortar-mix_p0038286 from the store works well for this type of patchy bagging finish and both can be applied thinly with a sponge, brush or lambswool mitt to keep that rough look.

Yes, the same render can be used to fill the gaps where mortar has fallen out. Just push the mix firmly into those joints first, let it firm up slightly, then bag the whole wall so everything blends together. Because you’re not chasing a perfectly flat finish, you don’t need to be too fussy, and the uneven surface actually helps the new coat grip. If some areas are deeper, you can do a quick first fill and then go over it again while bagging.

If you decide to use a textured paint instead, it can work, but it won’t hide missing mortar as well as render. You would still need to patch the gaps first with mortar or exterior filler, otherwise they’ll still show through. Textured coatings like Dulux Texture Medium or similar can go over existing render, but the surface must be clean and any chalky paint needs brushing off, and bare brick patches should be primed first with an exterior sealer or masonry primer, so the finish doesn’t flash. For your situation, bagging with a premix render is usually cheaper, faster, and more forgiving, and applying it with a lambswool mitt will give you exactly that rough, “good enough” finish you’re aiming for without spending much money.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric