The Leading Masonry Stain Specialist Serving Architects and Designers Nationwide
Changing the color of absorptive masonry with THE Right product applied the Right way and in the Right conditions
They Are Not Us
Some of our competitors claim their products bond with masonry and last for decades like ours does. Yet, throughout the industry, there have been masonry coloring products that have peeled or faded in just a few short years. We have seen the evidence.
Some of these products may be excellent for some types of jobs but our process is the best in the industry for absorptive masonry like most brick, block, mortar and stone and has stood the test of time.
Our Competitors
This clock tower in Iowa was stained by a competitor. Originally, the range was a tight, almost monochromatic, color. A representative of the owner told us within the first few years the color began to fade and the color range widened making the appearance blotchy-looking.
Seven Years Later, This Job in Chicago is Not Holding Up
This competitor’s job in Chicago was featured in a magazine article, a time-lapse YouTube video and on our their on-line photo gallery.
When we photographed it in 2014, (as shown here), it was our opinion that the color was just not holding up. After only seven years, the color is not the same as when stained.
Architectural Specifications
We have come to believe that some firms that appear in architectural specifications with Masonry Cosmetics Inc. do not belong there because they do not offer proven masonry staining. In the past, we have found ourselves bidding against firms that use paint, or that spray on their product, or whose jobs fade, peel or crack in a few short years. Our product is not like our competitor; They Are Not Us and We Are Not Them. Because our process is not like our competitors, we should not be put into their specifications; they should not be put into ours. Click here for a download of our detailed architectural specifications.
How Our Process Differs
Our product must be skillfully applied with a 100% polyester brush, allowing the brick to “drink in” our stain one at a time for maximum absorption and bonding. This technique is particularly difficult to use with large precast panels, such as those often used in parking garages, because of possible overlapping brush strokes. Therefore, for such applications you might choose a product that is less long-lasting but can be sprayed on.
Our translucent stains allow the natural color variations of the original material to show through. Therefore, a job requiring a change from natural looking, multi-hued masonry to something with a flat, monochromatic finish—like a layer of paint—will require repeated applications of our product. For the same reason—translucency of our stains—changing masonry from Black to White is difficult but there are times we can apply multiple applications to build the color because our product does not seal the masonry and can easily be reapplied.
Diluted Paint - Not Stain!
A different competitor was using paint and watering it down in 5 gallon mixing pails from Lowe’s on a school in Pittsburgh that we were also working on in a different area.
