PROVEN MASONRY STAINING
Permanent Brick Stain.
Weather-Tested.
Maintenance-Free.
Unlimited Stain Colors.
distributor and manufacturer Brick Stain Services
The short of it:
Brick staining helps you sell brick.
Masonry Cosmetics' cutting-edge brick staining solutions designed specifically for brick manufacturers. With our innovative technology, we can effortlessly correct off-colored brick runs and seamlessly match discontinued brick. Say goodbye to costly replacements and hello to a cost-effective and efficient solution. Enhance the aesthetic appeal of your brick products and maintain a consistent color palette with our reliable brick staining services.
simplistic convenience
We know how busy you are, which is why we take every step to simplify the brick staining consultation process to fit your needs. For your convenience, we can build a test panel for you in many different ways, such as:
On-site with loose brick
On-site brick staining on the building
At our facility with sample of brick to be used and mini board to match
take pride in your work.
A failed brick stain is more than that - it's a failed brick project. Most of the time, unfortunately, manufacturers and distributors are blamed for a bad look, rather than the brick staining company. Boost your profits, your reputation and your pride.
masonry cosmetics Brick staining project
We stained the brick columns to match the main brick on this commercial building. 24 years later, the columns still match. Trust the proof.
Before staining brick
Exterior brick stain
Stain brick
our competitors Brick staining projects
This was only one year after the block concrete was stained, reflecting poorly on everyone involved
The brick stain company stained and sealed the brick, which voided their warranty. When the stain faded, no refund or re-stain was given
This is in the heart of St. Louis, and a visible failed brick stain to many tourists and residents
The performance
Masonry Cosmetics Inc. offers the best stain for brick on the market. Because they are translucent and completely absorbed, our brick stain preserves the natural tone variation and texture of the pre-existing masonry. The brick stain never seals masonry or produce an unnatural shine. We can mix multiple brick stain colors to match a single shade expertly, or create complex patterns by applying different brick stain colors to different parts of a single brick or stone.
The professional brick stain installers at Masonry Cosmetics Inc. have been color correcting masonry of all types for various manufacturers and distributors for 28 years using our proprietary system. Once the brick stain is applied, the pigment and the bonding agent chemically attach themselves to the masonry pores. Because the oxide’s molecules are smaller than the pores, they do not impede evaporation of water from the unit. These physical properties render the brick stain permanent while not altering the pore structure, therefore the durability of the brick.
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 brick staining 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 brick staining 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. 20% of a wall is a noticeable difference. If the mortar does not match after being laid up, masonry staining can help. View mortar staining jobs to see the difference.
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 brick staining 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 crews 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.