“I want to paint my brick, but could also use something to beautify the stone.”
Do you hear this as often as I do? People say it differently every time, but the gist is always the same. You know, they want to live in a house that looks well-maintained and makes sense all around. And the less it feels like it came out of the same bucket, the better.
This is actually easy to solve if you understand what your surfaces need. Combining Romabio Masonry Flat and Venetian Glaze, for example, is a shortcut to get you there. These two were practically made to work together, although in different positions: one handles your outdated brick, the other transforms the stone. And because they’re both mineral-based and come from the same Italian craftsmanship, the house doesn’t feel like it’s in an argument with itself.
Masonry Flat is a versatile, breathable outdoor workhorse.
Masonry Flat creates a fully opaque, flat and modern surface that protects the natural brick (and lets it breathe!) It’s extremely durable too, so you don’t have to worry about peeling, flaking or chipping like more traditional latex paints.
Because acrylic paint seals your brick, and sealed brick traps moisture, and trapped moisture is what causes that peeling, flaking mess you might have seen on the house two streets over. Masonry Flat has a 300+ perm rating (non-film-forming), which is extremely high; it lets water vapor escape the way it’s supposed to. That’s one of the reasons we can offer a 20-year warranty when you follow the application guide.
Better yet, while I strongly advocate for hiring a PRO if you have a 2+story house, but you don’t need to worry about the application even if DIY. Masonry Flat works equally well with a brush/roller or an airless sprayer. On unpainted, absorbent masonry, two coats with no primer will do the trick. You can even pressure wash and paint on the same day, since the surface needs to be damp anyway.
Now, Venetian Glaze. This is where things become really cool.
Venetian Glaze is a product truly unlike anything else. When painting stone, use heavy dilution (100%-300%), and then you can create a semi-transparent “veiling” effect that color-shifts without masking the stone altogether.
Coating stone with acrylic paint compromises its natural breathability and diminishes its natural beauty. Instead of showcasing the stone’s unique textures and variations, it creates a uniform surface that often appears artificial—almost plasticky—masking the very qualities that make stone so distinctive. Venetian Glaze is subtle enough to shift the color without ruining the organic look and feel.
Our tip: Sample a small area to see how it looks. Start by using the highest dilution—300% (a 3:1 ratio). Apply it to a small test area and let it dry for about 15–30 minutes to see how opaque the finish will appear. If you’d like more coverage, you can easily build it up by adding additional product.
One of the advantages of working with natural stone is its inherent variation. After coating the entire surface, you can go back and touch up individual stones that may need a bit more coverage, allowing for a more balanced and natural-looking result.Venetian Glaze won’t hide the stone, only shifts the color. That’s what makes it so good for chimneys, garden walls, anywhere you want an accent with a character instead of a flat look.
They make so much sense together
Just look at these homes that @highlandpaintingdfw has transformed in Texas using this combo:
This house felt very visually heavy, with the multi-colored stone and brick, there was simply too much for the eye to consumer. @Highlandpaintingdfw swooped in with Venetian Glaze on the stone and the matching Masonry Flat on the brick to create a much calmer, monochromatic look.
This is what I am talking about when suggesting diluted Venetian Glaze on the stone. The surface is color-shifted to lean lighter, but the natural undertones are still there.
This home also had way too many mismatched visual elements. By pairing the brick and stone in the same color and letting the shutters pop, the owners gave it a brand new, modern rustic identity.
Ready to get started? Find a Romabio retailer near you, or fill out our Hire a PRO form to connect with trusted applicators in your area. Got questions? Reach out to our team anytime at info@romabio.com.
Photo Credit: Caldwell House, TN