How to paint a concrete retaining wall?

[Maddam64]

Concrete retaining wall ,1 yr old,want to colour it .Any advice for what to use & instructions?

[EricL]

Hello @Maddam64 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's wonderful to have you join us and thank you for sharing your question about painting your retaining wall.

One of the conditions necessary for painting a concrete retaining wall is that its back must be sealed with waterproofing. You can do this by using Bitumen Paint, but it will be necessary to dig out the back in order for you to apply the sealer. If the back is not sealed any water gathered up behind the retaining wall will permeate the concrete and create hydrostatic pressure. This means that if you paint the surface of the concrete, the slow water pressure from the other side will literally push the paint off the surface.    

As a possible alternative have you considered perhaps covering the front of the retaining wall with SpecRite 1800 x 902mm Pre-Oiled Merbau Alternating Slat Fence Panel or a Matrix Panel. I recommend having a look at these discussions -  D.I.Y. Merbau slat fence for courtyard screening by @CagsMac and Merbau panel screening by @WendyL.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @craftyhopper @Peggers and @redbournreno for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @Maddam64 

Now thats a nice solid looking retaining wall I was wondering if there is any branding on the concrete beams or the steel posts? It matches the spacing of the fence posts so exactly it may be easy to find the supplier and see what type of concrete they have used in the concrete beams. 

I agree with @EricL about water pushing through and pushing against any painted surface even tho it sounds surpprising. I also like his idea of the timber slats for covering the wall or maybe even just sections to break it up? I wouldnt drill into the concrete beams tho. 

I was thinking about using some bgc fibre cement 2440 x 1200 x 7-5mm 2-93sqm duratex blueboard and attaching it to the steel posts then you could paint without a problem. You would seal behind the sheet first. 

If the houses in your area all have the same type of retaining walls then maybe someone will know the supplier for some more details?

Dave

[CarmenA]

Hi, i have been in the same predicament, as those retaining walls do not look nice. I found this video in you tube and wonder if somebody has tried mineral paint as the video suggested. 

https://youtu.be/cPaHpRmeYVk?si=QwZ0WwsFOeIj3Jpj

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @CarmenA 

Welcome! Nice to have a new member and this is definently a good place to ask questions

I have not heard or found any paint that will hold back hydrostatic pressure of water working its way through a concrete or brick retaining wall. Mineral paint might come under another name in Australia but I still havnt seen it rock up in any suggestions. 

I would clad a wall with a small air gap that allows water to drain/evaporate as it comes through. By cladding I mean vertical timber slats with air gaps between each

The other members may have some knowledge on mineral paint so I would wait and see

Dave

[CarmenA]

Hi @Dave-1,

Thank you for the warm welcoming and the advice :-). Cladding it is a good idea and might look better than painting the wall. any experience with PVC?

Cheers, 

Carmen

[Dave-1]

Norning @CarmenA 

No experience with PVC, in fact I try to stay away from anything that is plastic. Mainly because of during the install and cutting it creates plastic sawdust and that will go everywhere and unlike sawdust its not going to decay away. Second I prefer timber, recyled timber even more so. 

The composite boards look great, seem to maintain their look even in the Australian heat. And even then I still cant help but mention its plastic lol 

Im currently installing a privacy fence which will have tall vertical slats, timber slats with gaps between them. I have considered replicating the same style against the bricks of my house, mainly to mitigate the heat from the sun, at the moment sun hits bricks, bricks heat up and then I have a warm house in summer at night as the bricks shed their heat. If I go the route of timber slats covering the outside then Im shading the surface and less heat transfer to the bricks, tho that also means less shedding of the heat at night maybe. Probarlly a "watch this space" idea atm.

Dave

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @CarmenA. It's a pleasure to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about painting a retaining wall.

It's great to see you've already received some helpful advice; cladding would be a good way to go. Regarding mineral paints, they would be better for breathability, but not good for staining. The moisture penetrating through them would cause all sorts of staining to them.

We have a whole range of exterior cladding and decorative panels you could consider using.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[CarmenA]

Hi @Dave-1 That is a good point!!! Thank you

[CarmenA]

Thank you