masonry and restoration contractor Brick stain Services

Even the most skilled contractors face issues beyond their control. Reduce delays and extra items on your dreaded punch list by permanently correcting color issues, before anyone notices the problem in the first place. Whether it's brick, mortar, block or stone, Masonry Cosmetics' proven masonry staining system can help you make more money, and help your reputation. All while giving you a more competitive edge by having a skill that others in your area lack.

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Business in a Briefcase

An affordable investment to fix unsightly repairs and color issues in your community. All-in-one brick stain kit comes with multiple pigment colors to solve any problem, and all the tools to succeed.

Order Brickman Kit

Certification

Become the exclusive certified brick staining expert in your area with a two day training course at our facility in South Bend, Indiana. We refer jobs to you ongoingly, and offer support every step of the way as you start your business.

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Project-Specific Custom Kit

We'll customize a brick stain kit specifically for your project with custom recipes and directions for use. Email us pictures of your project, and we'll consult before getting started.

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Resources for Certified Staining Contractors

Mismatched brick on a commercial building before brick stain

Staining brick for a better blend on a commercial building

After staining brick on a commercial building

brick matching 101

Nothing ruins the natural beauty of masonry than mis-matched additions and repairs. Think of brick staining as a tool or option to use anytime you need. “Brick” Matching 101 also applies to block, mortar and stone.

Step 1: finding the original brick

Are the brick still made today? If yes, is it still made at the same plant that the original brick came from? Manufacturers from time to time have to change which plant they make brick at although they still call it the same name, type and size. This, at times, can cause a change in color. Just be sure to get a current sample first. There are many variables brick plants have to deal with. Any one of these variables can effect the color from run to run. Again, getting a current sample is important. Be sure to double check the height, length, depth & texture of those brick. If the brick are not made anymore—Ask your local distributor to do a search. The actual brick could be sitting somewhere! Should the run still be off in color, We Can Help! If you still cannot find the correct brick, masonry staining can solve the problem, continue onto Step 2.

Step 2: finding a donor brick

The most important step to a successful brick match is to find a replacement that has the same size and texture. The color should be as close as possible. One of the most common mistakes that happen is that the size of the brick vary (especially if more than one style of brick will be used). Be sure the face height, length and bed depth of the brick are compatible in size to each other.

Step 3: calculating the blend

Another common mistake in matching is that the overall percentage and placement of colors do not match up with the existing wall. Most brick have a range of color. Even one color being off in a blend of 4 different ones, can result in a bad match. The right percentage mix of colors and how they are spaced in the wall is the key to matching. Therefore, you must calculate the percentages of colors.

To find the percentages in the original wall, find a section of the wall that looks like what you want. Then use tape to mark a rectangle containing 200 full sized bricks. Now count the number of each color brick (i.e., don’t count brick that are “cut off” by the tape). The picture above is a 50 brick area for an example (using 200 brick gives you a better overall range of color in the wall). As you can see, we have 29 red, 9 brownish gray, 7 dark and 5 white bricks.

Therefore, if your project requires 15,000 brick, you will need (58% x 15,000) 8,700 red, (18% x 15,000) 2,700 brownish gray, (14% x 15,000) 2,100 dark, and (10% x 15,000) 1,500 white. As always, Masonry Cosmetics Inc. can add color to whatever blend to get a great match!

Step 4: consider the mortar

In a wall with modular sized brick, the mortar represents 18 to 20% of the total wall which can have a major effect to the brick color and overall color of the wall. In the pictures to the left, only the mortar was stained. 20% of a wall is a noticeable difference. If the mortar does not match after being laid up, masonry staining can help. However, most of the time, mortar is usually not an issue.

Step 5: Matching the pattern

Now that you have the closest donor brick available and know the percentage of different colors, you need to see if a pattern should be matched. Sometimes a geometric pattern is noticeable but random patterns are the most common while some other patterns have clusters of the same colored brick together. Using test panels is important to achieve successful results.

before

AFTER

Step 6: Masonry Staining

There are many ways in which your repair or new construction can still fail to match the existing masonry. As soon as you notice a color issue, consider brick staining.

The first requirement is absorption. Run a simple water test on the brick by throwing some water on the wall. If the water soaks in and darkens temporarily, then our process will work for your project.

The second requirement is getting the closest donor brick available (don’t forget size and texture are very important). Smaller color changes can be less expensive than dramatic ones.

When our professional brick staining installers get to a job site, they create a test panel to be approved by the appropriate person. Within hours we can show you how successful our process can be. After approval, we can immediately (if needed) expand that test area over the entire project because all of the planning is already done.

Certified Contractors

Become a certified Brick staining contractor

Expand your business by becoming the exclusively trained and certified brick staining expert in your area.

Add another stream of revenue to your mason or restoration contractor business. We offer two-day training courses that include classroom and hands-on training.

Learn to stain masonry the right way with the right product, and never leave your clients with an inferior match again.

Training overview

1.5 days of training

1-3 trainees

Enough product to earn $20k-35k

Meals provided

WHAT to expect

Hands-on brick staining training with different masonry types
How to stain masonry
Learn color theory and how to create endless brick stain colors
Tips on quoting projects and how to set yourself up for success
Field trip to local jobs
Leave with certification, pigments, bonding solution and tools to stain brick and other porous masonry