Stone walls are amazing to look at. The rustic feeling and close-to-nature vibe cannot match any other. Sometimes the question comes to mind, can we paint our cinder block walls stone-like?
The answer is yes, you can. Cinder block walls are made of a combination of cement and ash. So they are lightweight and absorb water. So better stay away from any water-based paints.
Fun thing is, you can use oil-based paints to give your wall a stone-like finish. This might require some patience, but the outcome is magnificent.
We are going to take you through the steps of how to paint cinder block wall to look like stone in this article. The best part about it is you can do it on your own. Without prior knowledge or anything. And the results will amaze you.
How to Paint Cinder Block Wall to Look Like Stone
Here are the few things you will need and the steps you will have to follow to bring the stone look to your cinder wall.
The Items You Need
- Four color oil-based paints. (grey, brown, beige, white, or cream)
- Paintbrush. (3 inches)
- 3 Cardboard boxes.
- Painting tape.
Step 1: Clean Your Cinder Block Wall
First of all, you need to clean the wall. Using a high-pressure water pipe or whatever is available, give the wall a wash and a scrub.
The cleaner the wall, the better the paint will stick onto it. So you can use wall cleaning agents and let it dry out for a day.
Remember to clean off the access foams and other particles. Because once dried off, they might leave a spot on the wall that will affect the paint.
Step 2: Prime the Wall if Needed
We are going to start with the painting now. The first step is to prime your wall with a primer. This helps the paint to stick to the wall and pop out more.
Without a primer, your paint won’t be sticking to the wall evenly. And the cracks and brick line out will show up. The primer will cover all of the cracks and lining and give you a whole wall of canvas to paint on.
Some paints come with primer in them. If you have chosen the one with a primer, you can skip this step and go on with painting at this point.
Step 3: Paint Your Wall with Oil Based Paint
Before you want to paint your wall, use paint tapes to bring in the shapes you want. And after that, you can do your painting. You don’t want your brick shapes to show up. So tape will help paints drip into the brick stacks.
Now, take the cardboard boxes and mix the paints. Together as in not totally blending them, but combining them with your brush.
And start painting the shapes you want. Go on from small shapes to bigger ones.
A note of caution, don’t go on painting twice on a spot. This will damage the whole design. Rather go vertically from the start and move on from that point. You want to have a stone shape design, not abstract art.
Step 4: Take Off the Paint Tapes
Once you are done with the whole wall, let it sit for 12 hours or more. Depending on the weather, the paint will dry by this time. If not, let it sit for some more.
After it is dried off, take off the tapes. Now glance at the masterpiece that you have created.
No one will believe that you have a cinder wall behind the paint at this point.
Color Combination
The color combination is not so difficult. Match two dark colors like black and brown with lighter tones of them like brown and grey. Stone colors differ from one another. You can even go wine red, shades of pink, yellow and dark green. But the combination should be two to two all the time.
Painting Tips
Wrapping the cardboard boxes in plastic garbage bags or any plastic bags will help you with painting. This will not only let the paint stick to your brush nicely, but you will need less paint.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use watercolor on a cinder block?
Cinder blocks are made of cement and coal ashes. They absorb water. So if you use watercolor on them, they will absorb the color too much and you will have almost no color on the surface.
What type of paint is better for a cinder block wall?
High-quality acrylic latex paint is better for cinder block walls.
Can spray paint or roller bring in the stone-like looks to a cinder block wall?
No. Only using a paintbrush you can bring the stone-like look to a cinder block wall.
What happens if I don’t use a primer before painting a cinder block wall?
If you don’t use a primer before painting a cinder block wall, the cracks, cinder block stacks will show up after the paint. The primer fills in these gaps for you to have a smooth open surface.
Conclusion
Bringing a stone-like look to your cinder block wall requires time and patience. If you want to speed up the process, it won’t end up as you want it to be. So take your time, follow the steps and the results will astonish you. Remember to combine the colors perfectly and only use a brush to paint your wall.
