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How to remove paint from old limestone wall?

Hi all,

we recently removed overgrown hedges from our garden bed and the previous owners seem to have painted the retaining limestone wall. It looks terrible. Any ideas on how to remove the paint, we are looking to make it more appealing temporarily. Option on the table is to remove the garden beds and build a new retaining wall as we need more lawn space. Thanks

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EricL

Hello @jsteps79

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's marvellous to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about your limestone wall.

Looking at the photo you posted, it seems that the paint has embedded itself into the limestone. this means that the paint has travelled down into the pores of the stone. Even if you were to remove the topcoat, you would never be able to get to the paint in the pores. Hence the options are to wash the limestone wall with 30 Seconds 5L Outdoor Cleaner Concentrate and clean it as best you can so that you can repaint it.

Another way to hide the limestone wall is by covering it up with timber panelling. You can also build a vertical garden display to totally hide the wall. The last option of course is to demolish it and start all over again.

Here is a link for ideas and inspiration: Top 10 most popular garden makeovers.

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

Eric

jsteps79

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/23533#Comment_23533

Thanks Eric

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/74414#Comment_74414

Hi @jsteps79,

I'm not seeing much that would indicate that the rear limestone wall has been painted. Unless, of course, you are referencing the wall in the foreground. The rear wall appears to have been constructed with a fairly liberal amount of mortar, which they've smeared out onto the limestone at the joints of the blocks. Alternatively, it could have been rendered if you've seen flaking from the surface of the blocks. Render can tend to delaminate from limestone due to porosity.

Apart from the haphazard mortar job/failed render, I actually quite like the wall, but it definitely needs a scrub down with 30 seconds and a stiff bristle brush. Before you do so, I'd recommend you hit the wall with a high pressure washer which hopefully should dislodge that grime in the pores.

It all comes down to your tastes and how you are styling the area, but it holds some rustic charm to me. You don't often get to see limestone block walls, and it seems a shame to cover it. If you were to take some inspiration from @LaCasaDIY's Mediterranean-inspired outdoor renovation project, you could incorporate this wall into an awe-inspiring outdoor space. I'm sure they would be just thrilled to have a wall like this in their yard. Though it's all in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

If my suspicions are correct and this is mortar, then once clean, you shouldn't have any issues painting over it. However, due to the texture, you will have a rough paint finish.

Please let us know if you have further questions.

Mitchell

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