Hi!!!!! Question for you! We just put up faux brick on our wall. Have tested some scrap using paint/drywall Compund ...and just Compund alone...it was yellowing in between the “grout”...we cannot figure out why. It is only in the spots where we used our finger to smooth out the lines. What did u use for the “schmere”? Thank you!

CC There should be covers for the base of posts. (newel post). the covers hide the screws/fsteners at the base. Maybe call the supplier of the railing or the hardware store, big box store. I will try and find a photo for you. Thompson's will last for a year and is easy to apply will roller. The benefit is it doesn't build up and a quick sand with a drywall pole sander will have it ready to seal. I wouldn't seal the parts that haven't greyed down. It will peel if it is not ready. it appears that whoever built the railing forgot to finish it. They snap on and finish the job. do you know where he purchased railing supplies. below is an example https://www.homedepot.ca/product/railblazers-aluminum-railing-post-base-cover-in-black/1001006802 https://www.homehardware.ca/en/search?query=aluminum+post+base+cover

FYI Romabio is good at what they do ... no argument here.... but they have a limited range of only whites & very light grays and it cannot be applied to anything with conventional house paint on it, only raw unpainted masonry or other mineral paint applications. There are several other mineral paint (aka potassium silicate) paint co's in the US, a couple of which have a sort of "primer" product which can go over conventional paint - try this is one : https://www.beeckmineralpaints.com/ For best results though I think Id still want to get off as much of the paint film as possible .... but without going too far and damaging the brick. Then the primer product, and then the mineral paint. Of course this would be hugely labor intensive or expensive to hire out, that is assuming you can even find anyone who has heard of mineral paint or would want to do it. At the very least find a person who understands the science about this and doesnt shrug off the concerns - maybe there are some other types of breathable coatings that I dont know about. Michelle above is correct - any coatings need to be breathable, or there WILL be damage, its only a matter of time. The brick bldg across the street from me was painted only 12 yrs ago and is already spalling (ie brick cracking and disintegrating) terribly in some places near bldg exhaust vent and other places Its really sad how the big box, do it cheap mentality of the last 30-40 yrs has resulted in so much shoddy workmanship that is now considered the norm.... and actual physical damage. Not many people thinking long term any more, beyond 10 or 20 yrs.

Hard to say. Will the quartz look glossy and modern, while the floors looks rusticly whitewashed? Post a photo, so folks can envision your choices.