Home » Home and Garden » DIY Tips & Ideas » How To Paint Over Outdoor Graffiti

How To Paint Over Outdoor Graffiti

Make light work of unwanted graffiti and tagging with Zinsser – our guide below will walk you through 3 easy steps for painting over outdoor graffiti, priming and sealing the substrate in one to prevent stains from resurfacing.

Quick Links

Click on a link below to jump to the respective section

The Benefits

Step 1. Surface Preparation

Step 2. Priming

Step 3. Decoration

Note

More information

The Benefits

Graffiti may be innocent and harmless to some but for businesses, having unwanted and offensive slogans painted on property will affect a hard-fought reputation and dissuade customers from visiting, reducing footfall and harming profits.

Schools, colleges and universities are also a target for tagging with graffiti; clean and tidy premises keep parents and OFSTED happier.

Dwellings and holiday homes, which can be left uninhabited for lengthy periods, can fall foul to graffiti attacks and tagging and may be prone to inviting more antisocial behaviour, especially in areas with a higher risk of vandalism.

Zinsser work with contractors to create problem-solving products that meet “real world” challenges, providing tried and tested solutions to painting problems, such as removing graffiti from brick and other exterior surfaces.

For repeated graffiti attacks, our comprehensive range of anti-graffiti coatings and graffiti removal products help prevent damage to many different of substrates.


Step 1. Surface Preparation

Make sure that all surfaces are clean and dry, free of anything that could interfere or affect adhesion of Zinsser products and materials to be applied.

Loose and failing material can be removed by scraping or brushing using a stiff-bristled brush to a sound edge, which can then be feathered with a fine grade abrasive paper.

Moisture content should not exceed 18% prior to painting.

Remove all dust and visible signs of organic growth, treating affected areas with Zinsser Mould Killer & Remover in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Clean down areas with sound paint to remove any contaminants with Zinsser Universal Degreaser & Cleaner, and remove all residues by rinsing thoroughly with clean water before allowing to dry.

Cracks and small surface defects can be filled with a suitable filler, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, allowing the surface to dry and then rubbing down with a fine grade abrasive paper.

Remove all dust and continue to step 2.

Step 2. Priming

All areas affected by graffiti can be primed with one full coat of Zinsser Cover Stain – in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions – allowing two hours minimum drying time (in normal drying conditions).

Step 3. Decoration

Suitably prepared and primed surfaces can be decorated with two full coats of Zinsser Allcoat Exterior, available in water-based Satin and Gloss finishes with over 4,000+ colours from RAL, NCS, and British Standard.

Apply in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, allowing a minimum of 1 hour between coats for drying.

Note

Graffiti can be water-soluble or solvent-soluble; therefore, some areas may need a coat of Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer Sealer if graffiti bleeds through Zinsser Cover Stain Primer Sealer.

More information

If you’re unsure about how to tackle problem graffiti and tagging on your home or business premises, including how to remove graffiti from brick, give our technical team a call to discuss your requirements on 0113 2455450 (option 2) or [email protected].

2 comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*