You may be thinking about it, but you just don't know how to paint brick and if you even should.
Painting brick could be the best decision you've ever made.
Don’t believe us?
Let me tell you, it can take an old and outdated surface and transform it into something that’s revived and modern.
Regardless of your skill level, painting brick can be simple when you follow these steps and use the right tools.
But first, let’s answer the one burning question you might still have…
Why Paint Brick
First, painting brick is a quick way to instantly modernize and add value to your home. You can paint both interior or exterior brick, just make sure to choose appropriate colors.
The main benefits to painting brick include:
Raise the value of your home
Brighten a room and set a completely different mood
Add an extra coat of protection
Let’s face it, freshly painted brick looks amazing
If you want to take advantage of these benefits, follow our four-step brick painting process and remove any fears you may have.
The Four-Step Brick Painting Process
Cleaning and prepping the brick is like setting the foundation of a house, if it's not done properly you will see the effects in the future.
Why Is It Important To Clean The Brick?
If you don’t remove debris, the paint will not stick properly. From our experience, most painting mistakes happen from rushing the preparation process.
Keep in mind that you should wait up to a year before painting on new brick. After you’ve cleaned the brick, wait about 24 hours for it to dry.
How To Clean Brick:
Clean the brick with soapy water and a stiff-bristled brush. It’s important you stick to just soapy water instead of acidic solutions, which can cause the paint to chip.
If it’s exterior brick, you can use a common pressure washer.
Once prep-work is completed, it's time to start priming. This is necessary to get the perfect shade and texture.
Priming brick for the exterior will also be another form of protection from the rain.
Something else to keep in mind when priming is to look for any mildew, water stains, or mold. This can solve underlying issues that are important to solve immediately… unless you enjoy wet basements!
Be sure that the brick is dry before applying primer, this will allow for better hold. Depending on the color of brick it will take anywhere from 1-3 coats of primer before the paint goes on.
Once the primer is on, it's smart to keep up with the paint every 3-5 years. Let's get into what colors may or may not look good on your home!
Selecting the perfect paint can be overwhelming. Take note that you may want to keep it lighter for interior or else it could create a dark and depressing mood.
Keep it light, with lighter colors it will improve happiness, eliminate stress, and boost daily energy. Lighter colors will also remove the heaviness of a brick wall.
Here are some of the best colors for painting brick:
White
Cream
Gray
A pop of red could look good as well
No matter the color it's very important to know where it's going and how to properly apply the paint.
The easiest, fastest, cost-efficient way of painting brick is using a paint sprayer, not only is it quick but it also has great coverage. This can be done in interior or exterior places but if it's just a small area it might not be worth the money to just use a simple roller and some brushes!
For beginners, it's actually recommended to use brush and rollers. Choosing this route it will be best to use a brush with a thick nap. This will be sure to get all the little grooves in bricks.
To get this best finish it's recommended to choose a semi-gloss or gloss paint.
Painting interior and exterior paint are two different stories. It's important to be prepared for whichever you may need.
How To Paint Interior Brick
Painting brick is typically a lot smaller area than the exterior. This means it will be less expensive and easier to accomplish.
But...
It will take more precise painting. Brick has a lot of cracks and areas, so it's important to fill every space or it might be visible. A simple brush and roller will work perfectly for interior spaces.
Also, keep in mind if you’re painting a fireplace, be sure to use fireproof paint.
The exterior is completely different and requires less attention to detail but more coverage.
How To Paint Exterior Brick
Exterior painting can be a trick, there are a lot more factors such as weather, heights, and coverage. First of all, pick a day or weekend that won't have any thunderstorms or you'll get to watch all your hard work wash away.
A very underestimated factor with exterior painting is heights. It will require a lot of moving ladders and manual labor.
Covering the exterior and sealing the elements out is extremely important. So be sure to use exterior paint. The best way to cover the brick is by using a paint sprayer, this will cover a lot quickly.
Materials And Tools
There isn't a ridiculous amount of tools needed. It all depends on preference and how quickly you'd like to get the job done. Most listed below are optional but not required.
Wire scrub brush (Removes debris)
Soap and water (For cleaning the brick)
Paintbrush/roller
Masonry or latex paint
Primer
Drop cloths
Painters tape
The most required tools would be paint, primer, and a brush. Everything else will just boost speed and prevent messes.
Tips, Tricks, And Mistakes To Avoid
The biggest tip would be to check for any water damage, mold, crumbling brick and prevent those issues before applying paint. This will save loads of money, time, and effort. Just think about a beautiful job well done that just crumbles away within 6 months. If you notice anything wrong be sure to call a professional.
Tip #2.
Never paint wet brick, the paint just won't work well and will take more time in the long run. Also very important – take the time to properly prep the brick, this will save so much time in the end.
Tip #3.
Be patient, take it slow, and have fun with it. It can be tedious but in the end, will look amazing
Final Thoughts
All in all, painting brick will be flooded with emotions, it can be scary, exciting, stressful. But in the end, it'll be worth all the time and effort. Always keep in mind any issues and resolve them early.
And if it gets hard just remember the final product and how much better your space will look!