In Bay Wall Paint Color

[gshick]

Looking to repaint my 4-bay self serve this spring. The walls are painted cinder block, and right now the color is white. However, I'm looking to repaint the walls a color that doesn't show as much dirt/grime but still looks decently bright and inviting especially at night. Also, for the vacuum Islands, possibly something even darker considering people love to beat out their floor mats all over them. Thoughts or suggestions? Thank you!

 

[mac]

Good question. Being a color blind guy I don't have any good recommendations, but I would suggest getting opinions from people who paint for a living..

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Since paint on SS bay walls usually ends up as a disaster in the long run, I would stick with the same color. When it starts coming off (and it will), the original color will show through. Bay walls don't handle freeze/thaw cycles well and tend to turn loose of paint.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

I would nix the idea on re-painting and just put up white FRP.

 

[mjwalsh]

Before you change color ... you might want to go somewhere that has a color other than white & compare the daytime-nighttime lumen light level measurements with a light meter. The usable light reflection factor may be more than we think ... not sure. White does have more reflection than mirrored stainless steel ... we found that out when we put a solar light inside of a 4'x8' curb size that we rebuilt. In hindsight we would have used white instead of shiny aluminum tape on the interior surfaces.

 

[Rfreeman]

I wouldn't repaint either I was you. One of my washes has tile walls and I really like it and they clean up nicely with muriatic acid each time we clean them which is about the first of each month. I would look at installing tile as a long term solution unless you don't plan to hold onto the wash for the long term. The washes that I have seen with painted walls, cinder block, brick, etc. haven't come out well or they don't hold up well to the wear and tear of the business. Repainting may turn out to be more work for you down road in the near future.

 

[gshick]

I wouldn't repaint either I was you. One of my washes has tile walls and I really like it and they clean up nicely with muriatic acid each time we clean them which is about the first of each month. I would look at installing tile as a long term solution unless you don't plan to hold onto the wash for the long term. The washes that I have seen with painted walls, cinder block, brick, etc. haven't come out well or they don't hold up well to the wear and tear of the business. Repainting may turn out to be more work for you down road in the near future.

What kind of tile did you use? Industrial? What about grouting? How well has it held up over time? Do you have any pictures?? Thanks. Love the idea.

 

[Rfreeman]

Its an outdoor porcelain tile. With grouting the biggest issue is to make sure if any does chip away that you refill and seal it properly. I'm in Tx so it isn't that big of a deal down here but I had 1 or 2 come off when the grout chipped away, water got behind and it and froze during winter. There again it will be the pricier option but if you are planning to hold onto the wash for a while I think its the best alternative. If you are planning on getting out in the near future 5 to 7 years I wouldn't make the investment.

 

[bigjws]

I've been thinking about using tile also, so it's good to hear from someone who has had a good experience. I know MEP has a post showing a wash with tile that I think he said is 10+? years old. How tough is it to drill into for wand holders, signs, etc? You mentioned sealing the grout .. is that something you do as a regular maintenance item, or just when replacing chipped out sections?

 

[Rfreeman]

Drilling into the grout hasn't been an issue at all. We use a standard masonry bit from HD. Our regular maintenance is acid washing the walls once a month....probably an over kill but I prefer to do it that often to keep them clean and not allow build up. Like I said though, I'm in Tx winter isn't really an issue here aside from 7-10 days of freezing temps. a year tops....if I was up North I would definitely make sure no water could get in behind the tile because freezing temps would easily pop or crack the tile off.

 

[bigjws]

I’m just south of Houston, so the winters are even easier for me than you! My main drawback to the tile has always been drilling into it. I’ve got approximately four signs per bay plus the wand holder, so not all of the holes are going to line up with the grout lines. The signs could be glued, I suppose, but then they are a mess to remove and replace...

I still really like the idea of tile though – thanks for the input!

 

[MEP001]

I've been thinking about using tile also, so it's good to hear from someone who has had a good experience. I know MEP has a post showing a wash with tile that I think he said is 10+? years old. How tough is it to drill into for wand holders, signs, etc? You mentioned sealing the grout .. is that something you do as a regular maintenance item, or just when replacing chipped out sections?

It's about 20 years old. I've drilled through tile to mount wand holders and mat clamps. There are two tricks to keep from cracking/splitting it. Start the drill very slow until you're through the tile (It also helps keep the bit from walking around on the tile since it's so hard). Don't try to drill through the wall from one side. You will do a lot of damage. Measure both sides and drill halfway from each side with an oversized bit. Don't drill and anchor signs, just use outdoor rated double sided tape. Scotch® Outdoor Mounting Tape

 

[bigjws]

Thanks MEP -- I've never really considered just using tape, never thought it would hold up to the environment! On the drilling, I assume you are using a diamond bit?

 

[MEP001]

A regular masonry bit in a hammer drill. A diamond bit in a standard drill probably won't crack the tile, but it'll be hard to start a hole without it wandering.

I used to put up signs on glazed block with silicone adhesive with a few pieces of the cheap white tape to hold the sign while the adhesive dried, and when I went to change the signs later the tape had disintegrated and the adhesive left residue that doesn't come off. The next time I used a few small pieces of the outdoor tape and the same silicone adhesive, and the next time I pulled the signs down the tape was holding better than the adhesive.

 

[Keith Baker]

I would nix the idea on re-painting and just put up white FRP.

I agree on the white FRP. I covered my painted walls over 20 years ago and they still look good. Clean them with an acid bath twice a year and never paint them again.. The whiter the better.