Special Uses For Our Products

Find out how to use Sico products for many painting applications

Special Uses For Our Products

Special Uses For Our Products

Special Uses For Our Products

Find many useful tips regarding special or particular use cases for our products.

Find Paint Products For Your Project

Acoustic Tile

Acoustic Tile

When working with Acoustic Tile, seal brownish rings with GoPrime all-in one 150-135.

Brick, stone, blocks and other masonry

Brick, stone, blocks and other masonry

Eliminate all foreign matter and mortar burrs. Remove salts, dust and sand with a broom or stiff brush. When asbestos-cement sheets are used for the exterior, coat both sides of the sheets to prevent any absorption of water that triggers alkalinity and can cause efflorescence.

Clean with muriatic acid (not sold by Sico).
 

Ceramic Painting

@bernardhermant

Ceramic Painting

Because kitchen and bathroom walls are exposed to a wide range of contaminants (soap, oil, dirt, grime, etc.), meticulous surface preparation is essential. Note that these recommendations exclude shower walls.

Follow these steps:

  • Clean the surface using a cleaner such as TSP (product not sold by Sico).

  • Rinse with clear water.

  • Using a circular movement, rub down the surface with 120 to 150 grit sandpaper. This takes off the surface sheen and allows the paint to adhere to the surface much more easily.

  • Apply a coat of the primer GoPrime All-in-One alkyd emulsion (150-135).

  • For a topcoat Sico 360 or Sico Kitchen & Bath are great choices. 

Concrete And Other Masonry

Concrete And Other Masonry

Before painting concrete, it must cure for at least 28 days and be thoroughly dry.
Here are the steps to follow to prepare the concrete before painting:

  • Remove all spatters, rough patches and burrs by scraping.

  • Eliminate dust with a broom or stiff brush.

  • Use cement mortar to fill in holes, cracks, honeycombing or other obvious defects, and allow curing.

  • If there are efflorescent salts, brush with a diluted solution of muriatic acid(product not sold by Sico), rinse with clean water and allow to dry.

  • Eliminate all grease, tar and oil stains by washing with TSP(product not sold by Sico), rinse and allow to dry. 

  • Smooth concrete surfaces like floors and stairs must be treated with diluted muriatic acid(product not sold by Sico to obtain better paint adhesion. Allow the acid to work, then rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Flaking Paint

Flaking Paint

Scrape and sand the edges of the flaking areas and if needed smooth the surface with the appropriate filler compound. Thoroughly clean and prime the bare surfaces with the recommended GoPrime primer. 

Interior Wood

Interior Wood

Follow these steps before painting interior wood:

  • Smooth rough surfaces with 80-120 grit sandpaper, then remove dust.

  • Fill nail holes and grooves with wood filler.

  • Sand off excess and remove dust with a damp cloth.

  • Apply a coat of GoPrime primer 150-135, 170-135 or 200-135. For cedar and redwood apply GoPrime 200-135.

  • For vertical surfaces, apply an interior paint as a top coat.

  • For floors, apply Sico Floor Paint.

 

Paint Exterior Wood

Paint Exterior Wood

Follow these steps before painting exterior wood: 

Before painting wood that has been treated with a preservative, be sure to wait 4 to 6 weeks for all the solvent to evaporate.

  • The wood must be perfectly dry, with a maximum moisture content of 18% measured with a hydrometer. The surface must be clean, free of dirt and greasy stains.

  • Burn or scrape off resin and sand rough surfaces.

  • Fill holes and grooves with putty and sand away excess.

  • Apply a coat of GoPrime primer 150-135, 190-135 or 200-135. For cedar and redwood apply GoPrime 200-135.

  • For vertical surfaces, use exterior paint as a top coat

  • For floors, use Sico Floor paint

Stain Exterior Wood

Stain Exterior Wood

Follow these steps before staining exterior wood: 
Before staining wood that has been treated with a preservative, be sure to wait 4 to 6 weeks for all the solvent to evaporate.

  • The wood must be perfectly dry, with a maximum moisture content of 18% measured with a hydrometer.

  • Sand rough spots.

  • Clean surface with Sico Cleaner, Brightener and Conditioner.

  • Rinse and wait 24h until surface is completely dry before staining.  


Find Stains For Your Deck

Painting Melamine

Painting Melamine

For lasting adherence and finish, the preparation of a melamine surface is just as important as the painting job itself.
Here are the steps to follow:

  • Clean the surface using TSP or TSPe (products not sold by Sico).

  • Rinse clear with water.

  • Using a circular movement, rub down the surface with 100 to 150 grit sandpaper. This takes off the surface sheen and allows the paint to adhere to the surface much more easily. Wipe with a damp cloth to remove any surface dust left over from the sanding.

  • Apply a coat of one of the following: GoPrime All-in-One alkyd emulsion (150-135) or GoPrime all-in-one latex (190-135).


When the base coat is completely dry, lightly sand and clean the surface again before applying the finish coat. Follow the how-to-use instructions of the product.

The Sico Furniture and Cabinets paint with alkyd emulsion is ideal for this kind of surface. It is applied with a professional quality brush or a short nap roller. It fully meets the requirements of furniture and cabinets and provides better leveling than regular latex paints.

Plaster

Plaster

Ensure that the plaster dried and hardened in favorable conditions (minimum temperature of 12 °C or 55 °F) and that the room has been properly aired.

  • Thoroughly dry plaster should contain no more than 6% moisture when measured with a hydrometer.

  • Smooth rough spots with sandpaper and remove the dust. All GoPrime primers can be applied on new plaster.

Prefinished Exterior Siding

Prefinished Exterior Siding

No primer is needed on prefinished siding in good condition, but for good results, the surfaces must be properly prepared.

  • Scrub with a liquid solution of  Sico Cleaner, Brightener and Conditioner for exterior wood and rinse to remove chalking, dirt, etc.

  • Scrape to remove any loose flaking paint and sand to smooth the surrounding area.

Pre-painted Aluminum Siding

Pre-painted Aluminum Siding

If the aluminum siding is still in good condition, but has become discolored, follow these steps to paint it. 

  • Touch up areas of worn paint with an oil-based exterior primer, such as Sico GoPrime 200-135.

  • Using a brush, wash with a cleaner such as TSP or TSPe (product not sold by Sico) and rinse.

  • Use an exterior paint as a topcoat.

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl Siding

Before painting, clean thoroughly with TSP (product not sold by Sico) and rinse well. 

Important note: As vinyl siding is a heat-sensitive material, it must be painted the same colour as the original siding or a lighter color. If the siding is painted with a darker colour, the sun's heat will permanently damage the siding.
 

Previously Painted Surfaces

Previously Painted Surfaces

Previously painted surfaces must be clean, dry and free from dust, dirt, grease, oil, wax, rust, flaking paint or any other contaminant that may prevent paint adhesion (see section on surface preparation). Depending on the current colour of the surface, the colour you wish to use and the type of paint present on the surface, primers from the GoPrime series can be suggested.

Water Marks, Food Stains, Graffiti

Water Marks, Food Stains, Graffiti

Use the appropriate GoPrime 150-135, 190-135 or 200-135 to seal stains before painting the surface.

How To Fix Greying Wood

How To Fix Greying Wood

If the wood has become grey due to prolonged unprotected exposure to the weather, clean the surface with the Sico Cleaner, Brightener and Conditioner for exterior wood 771-333A.