We recently asked several industry experts to talk to us about their go-to concrete and masonry products. Here’s what they had to say:

ABOUT OUR PRO & HIS PRODUCT PICK

James Alisch is the managing director of WOW 1 DAY PAINTING in Vancouver, BC. He’s been in the professional painting business for 17 years and says that he likes Sherwin-Williams’ All Surface Enamel Latex Primer.

WHY HE LIKES IT

“This product offers excellent adherence to concrete and masonry surfaces, plus it provides a high degree of breathability—especially allowing water to breathe out from the product.” Alisch adds that, as an enamel-based product, All Surface Enamel provides excellent elasticity, which is an important factor when working with concrete because it expands or contracts, depending on the weather. “It’s very durable and is less likely to wear down if exposed to high-volume foot traffic. It dries to a slip-free surface, but because it is oil based, settles nicely to a smooth finish. It also has a high resistance to elemental damage, and is less likely to peel or fade.”

HIS BOTTOM LINE

“It’s a high-quality product that provides excellent value for its price and comes in a variety of colors. I use it in any situation when I am trying to add color to concrete or masonry surfaces such as steps, concrete patios, foundations of a home, cement house sidings, and for industrial construction purposes.”

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Joel Hamberg is the owner of Joel Hamberg Painting, in Portland, OR. Hamberg has been in the painting business for 38 years and tells us one of his go-to products for masonry is CTS Cement’s Rapid Set WunderFixx.

WHY HE LIKES IT

“WunderFixx is a fast-setting, durable, one-component, premium-grade hydraulic cement/polymer patching product. It can fill areas up to ½” and feathers out super-smooth. For patching concrete/stucco surfaces that need to be painted, the product mixes with ease and dries within an hour. The bonding ability and cleanup properties are outstanding.” Hamberg says he uses WunderFixx for any type of patching on concrete, stucco, steps, porches and floors. “It can be mixed with aggregates to blend in with any texture, and the strength of the material is achieved in an hour. In addition, it can be primed with any acrylic primer/sealer and, since it has a low pH, there’s no need to wait days for the pH to drop, or to have to use special high-pH-resistant primers.”

HIS BOTTOM LINE

“The product is a go-to/ must-have on all our projects. Many other trade contractors watching this product used by us on jobs have also been moved to obtain and use it themselves.”

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Noah Winkles is VP of New Life Painting in Santa Maria, CA. He’s been in the painting business since 1978 and has been running the company for the last seven years. One of his favorite go-to products is Sherwin-Williams’ Loxon Concrete & Masonry Primer. “In addition, if the job calls for waterproofing, we use Sherwin-Williams’ SherLastic Elastomeric Coating, and if it doesn’t call for waterproofing, a good 100% acrylic paint like Sherwin-Williams A-100 or Sherwin- Williams’ SuperPaint Exterior Acrylic Latex Paints will do the job right.”

WHY HE LIKES IT

“When the contractor is pouring concrete, they have probably added release agents so the concrete won’t adhere to mold. Sherwin-Williams’ Loxon Primer is key to getting the building or concrete free of contaminants before painting because, more than likely, there are moldrelease agents still present in the concrete.

HIS BOTTOM LINE

“After wash and prep, we prefer to use Loxon Primer for new and bare masonry because it tolerates the high alkalinity levels that are common in new concrete, goes on at a few mils thick, and has great uniformity while applying.”

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Sam J. Cicero Sr. is the founder of Cicero’s Development Corporation in Plainfield, IL; the company is a commercial general contractor that specializes in renovation and restoration projects across the U.S. Cicero has been in the painting business since 1970 and is also a Sherwin-Williams fan. Specifically, for this application, he likes Sherwin-Williams’ Loxon Block Surfacer.

WHY HE LIKES IT

“This product is amazingly versatile for use with every type of finish we’ve ever used, interior and exterior,” says Cicero. He notes it fills and seals pores in fresh mortar extremely well, yet is very lightweight and easy to apply. “We use it with fresh mortar—it can be applied just a week after being poured.”

HIS BOTTOM LINE

“We have had the most success in dealing with the larger manufacturers, and working with them by narrowing in on each product, in each climate, with the specific conditions of each project.”

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ABOUT OUR PRO & HIS PRODUCT PICK

Steve Weakly is the director of production for Brush Masters in Maple Grove, MN. Weakly has been in the painting industry for more than 25 years and is a fan of Sherwin- Williams’ Loxon Concrete & Masonry Primer.

WHY HE LIKES IT

“I use this product for a few reasons. It is self-priming so there’s no need for a separate product, while some other products need a primer. In addition, the price point is where we need it to be, and it can be tinted in various colors.”

HIS BOTTOM LINE

“I’ve never had one of our many painters—upwards of 150—say they did not like the performance or application.”

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Dan Ross is president and owner of Ross Painting in San Rafael, CA. He started painting 43 years ago and has owned Ross Painting for 29 years. For work over concrete, he likes Rudd Company, Inc.’s SkimStone.

WHY HE LIKES IT

“Our company has a couple of focuses: very high-end remodels and new custom homes where we are subcontractors—and high-end work where we work directly with homeowners. We have occasion to work over concrete for special effect, and for those situations, I like SkimStone, which is an overlayment that completely changes the nature and look of the surface it is applied to. For basic designs, it is easy to use, and the finished product can be very dramatic and change the whole look and feel of a room or area. It is durable, has multiple applications, both interior and exterior, and it can also be applied over wood on, say, a countertop.”

HIS BOTTOM LINE

Ross says that an example of when he would use SkimStone would be over concrete floors where a garage was converted into a family room. “The process fills/repairs cracks and chips in the floor, and creates a beautiful and interesting finished floor that does not require the added expense of installing carpet, wood or tile.”