How to Paint Brick in 5 Super Easy Steps

Adding a coat of paint over your brickwork is an inexpensive and easy way to spruce up the look of your interior or exterior spaces.

However, painting Brick is not deemed a simple task and can be very time-consuming. It requires close attention to detail, as if the proper prep work isn’t done correctly, you can end up with peeling and cracking paint.

Determining how to paint Brick is a topic that sparks different opinions. While some homeowners cannot wait to add a fresh coat of paint to revitalize their classic brick style, others cringe away at the thought of covering up their stylish original Brick.

This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to paint Brick, including crucial steps of preparing, cleaning, and painting.

For those skeptical about painting your Brick, we will outline some key benefits and drawbacks to help you make a knowledgeable decision.

If you are wondering how to remove paint from brick or the cost to paint a brick house check out our articles which will guide you through some simple steps!

Why Should You Paint Your Bricks?

Most DIY paint jobs produce a quick and easy way to give your home a new lease of life and can always boost your curb appeal.

Also, paint is a protective measure and helps to deter natural outdoor elements such as heavy rain. It’s essential to understand the positives of painting your Brick, so let’s delve into each benefit.

Layer of protection:

Whether you are painting other surfaces such as siding, garage doors, or even shutters, they can be exposed to natural elements which cause the materials to deteriorate, and Brick is no different.

Although it’s solid and sturdy, brick walls with no protection can begin to deteriorate, fade, and wear down. Moisture intrusions, fading from the sun, and mold growth are the most common attackers to this material.

Adding a coat of paint can create a more durable barrier protecting your home’s exterior and the original Brick.

However, if your surface is in really rough shape, then painting it might cause more problems such as trapped moisture!

Your Homes Appearance or Curb Appeal:

Enhancing your home’s appearance or curb appeal can help you out immensely if you plan to sell your home in the future and is ultimately one of the most significant benefits of painting over your Brick.

If you notice your brick wall looking unpleasing to your eye, paint can change the appearance in a matter of days. Perfectly executed preparation can transform your home’s look without spending a considerable amount of money- and it can increase your property’s market value.

?Experts Recommendations: Try out a lighter color to create a sharp, professional look, or if you are trying to make your house stand out, then pick out a darker color.

Easy to Clean:

Any surface that you paint, including your brick walls, is a lot easier to maintain and clean than an unpainted surface.

The nooks and crannies that are visible when left unpainted are noticeably decreased once painted, which means there are fewer places for dirt, grime, and debris to hide.

If you notice your freshly painted Brick begin to look dirty, all you need to do is hose down the areas and use a sponge with warm water and a few squirts of liquid detergent, and it’ll be sparkling in no time.

?Hot Tip: Stay away from pressure washing- this can damage your paint and create another job to repair.

How to Paint Brick: The Drawbacks

When considering how to paint Brick, if you are a little indecisive and frequently change your house design ideas, you may want to reconsider painting your brickwork.

Getting your original brick texture back is practically impossible once you’ve painted over it. As well as it being tough to revive your authentic appearance, if you make a mistake when painting, whether in the prep stages or with your choice of paint, the Brick can trap moisture and cause relentless damage.

It’s essential to grasp the drawbacks of painting your Brick, so let’s delve into each of those.

Big Job:

As mentioned, painting a brick wall is one that proposes several challenges and necessitates extensive prep work to remove all traces of dirt and grime to ensure you have a smooth, perfect paint surface.

You’ll need to ensure your products are suitable for Brick, whether they are cleaning products or primer and paint products, and make sure they are used closely following the manufacturers’ guidance.

?Bear in Mind: It’s a time-consuming job. Your attention to detail needs to be spot on! It’s a task that requires determination.

Wrong Paint Will Cause More Damage:

There is a wide range of brick types, and ensuring you pick out the most optimal product will help you achieve long-lasting and professional results.

Choosing the right product is essential, and you need to ensure it can withstand the varying climates in whatever state you are in.

If you choose the incorrect paint, it can result in existing moisture being trapped, and the Brick will lose its natural ability to repel moisture. This will damage the adhesion between two bricks- commonly known as mortar.

Once you begin to notice chipped paint, cracks, or hairline cracks in the bricks, it could indicate deterioration. The moisture will have nowhere to escape and could make your brickwork susceptible to damp issues.

?Key Insight: Try to spot any cracks or chips in your paintwork immediately, as if it goes unnoticed, it can be an expensive problem to resolve.

Hard to Remove Once Painted:

The permanency of painting over your Brick is a decision you should not take lightly. Reversing and stripping the paint to regain the original authentic look of your Brick is a difficult task and requires a lot of work.

Just remember, if you attempt to strip your paint to restore your Brick, it can cause heavy damage, and your Brick may never look the same as it did before paint application.

Requires Maintenance:

Like several other painted surfaces, painting brick walls will need to be regularly cleaned and properly maintained to last an extended time and stay in good condition.

Once a few years have passed, you’ll start to notice your paint fading, peeling, and chipping away, and as soon as you notice these signs, you should apply a fresh coat.

⭐Fact: To effectively maintain your painted Brick, you should reapply a fresh coat of paint every 3 to 5 years. If you wonder about other structures in your house and how often you should paint your home, check out our blog post.

Depending on your climate, for instance, if you experience high temperatures and humidity like Florida, you may need to repaint your Brick more frequently, so around every 2 to 3 years.

Our Step-by-Step Guide:

Wrong Paint Will Cause More Damage: — **Photo Credits: Pixabay.com**

Now you have considered the benefits and drawbacks surrounding how to paint Brick- if you’ve decided that you want to paint your brick home, it’s time to look at the preparation and what paint is most suited to offer you the most durable finish.

How to Paint Bricks

Inspect Bricks

Take a look at the bricks you are planning to paint and make sure they are all in good condition. If you notice any crumbling brick around your house, this usually signifies a moisture issue.

If it’s a moisture issue, you’ll usually have to call a professional to examine your Brick and assist you in making sure the damage is correctly dealt with.

Minor problems that can easily be fixed, such as small holes, can be filled using acrylic caulk.

?Note: If your Brick was recently installed, you must give it time to dry and acclimate fully. It’s recommended that you wait around one year before painting over your Brick.

Cleaning and Prepare

Before you can even consider applying any paint to any surface, whether it be a laminate cabinet, or for this purpose, your brick wall, it’s important to thoroughly clean over your surface to get the best possible adhesion.

Usually, depending on how harsh or stubborn your grime is, using some warm water and a liquid detergent (dish soap) alongside gently scrubbing with a stiff-bristled brush should be enough to remove any dirt.

If it’s not budging, you can use Trisodium Phosphate (TSP), use half a cup of TSP to one gallon of water, and use your scrubbing brush to gently remove any left-over dirt.

⚠️ Caution: If you end up needing to use TSP, you must wear protective equipment such as gloves and a mask.

While pressure washing is a suitable method to remove grim for hidden areas and pores of the Brick, it can severely damage your Brick. If you opt to use a pressure washer, ensure you use lower pressure to minimize any damages.

Where there is mildew or mold, you’ll need to create a solution using this ratio- one part bleach: three parts waters. Apply to the affected areas and leave it to soak for 30 minutes, then scrub lightly over the area with a wire brush.

Stay away from acid cleaning solutions that could damage your Brick and negatively impact your paint job.

Primer

First of all, you need to ensure your surface is completely dry before applying a primer or paint. You should leave the Brick to dry for at least 24 hours.

Whether the Brick you plan to paint is outside or inside, new or old, you must use a primer. The primer will help fill in the bricks’ pores and get into every nook and cranny so the paint can adhere effectively.

If you can pick out a latex-based primer that is formulated for Brick and masonry, like Dulux Gripper, you’ll have the best surface to paint on top off. Another exceptional latex-based primer for masonry and brick is Zinsser 1, 2, 3.

These speciality primers tend to be slightly thinner, so it helps the primer to sink into the porous brick surface and fill in any chalky or loose materials.

Analyze the size of the area that you are painting first. This will allow you to decide whether you use a brush, roller, or paint sprayer. For smaller areas we recommend using a brush application, as it creates less cleanup. Also, keep in mind that wether you spray or use a roller, almost all paint manufacturers recommend back-brushing the product into the surface.

If you have spots affected by mildew or mold, you should apply extra coats to those sections.

Regardless of how many coats of primer you apply, ensure the primer is fully cured before you move on to the next step. Here’s a short how-to video explaining how a professional painter would apply primer to brick surfaces.

Choose your Paint

Most professionals will recommend using Elastomeric paint as it has a high level of elasticity. The elasticity levels make the paint perfect, filling in any hairline cracking your bricks, and acting as a preventative.

Elastomeric paint is also recognized for its diversity. The paint performs to a high standard in all weather conditions, from rain to high humidity.

If you do not wish to use Elastomeric paint, you can always use simple acrylic latex exterior paint- as long as it’s 100% acrylic latex.

Acrylic paint is breathable and durable, and they are also designed to combat mildew and mold and quickly evaporate any moisture that it absorbs.

Paint

You may be wondering what the best way to apply paint is when figuring out how to paint Brick.

The easiest way that we recommend is to use a paint sprayer, mainly covering a large surface area.

✅ Extra Tip: If you use a paint sprayer once you have finished applying your paint, go over it with a slightly damp roller. This will work the paint into the surface of the Brick.

However, using brushes and rollers is enough if it’s a small area such as a brick surrounding a fireplace.

If you are using a roller, pick one that has a thick nap. This will help to produce a nice smooth finish on your Brick.

ℹ️ Brick that’s chipping, deteriorating, molding, or in overall poor condition is always a lousy candidate for paint. Paint blocks the natural pores in the Brick’s surface, which can cause existing problems to become exaggerated over time.: A thicker nap will allow you to get into all the crevices.

Any finish type or sheen will work fine on your Brick- as long as you have adequately primed your surface. Typically, people will pick out the paint with a high sheen because it’s more resistant to staining.

But if you fancy a flat finish, you can choose that paint, and it’s down to personal choice.

We Hope You’ve Learned How to Paint Brick

There is a lot to think about when contemplating How to Paint Brick.

It’s paramount that you thoroughly analyze the benefits and drawbacks, as once your paint your Brick, it’s challenging to restore it to its authentic state.

Suppose you decide you want to paint your Brick after considering the pros and cons. In that case, you must follow a step-by-step guide or consult professionals who have experience with this project to ensure you select the suitable primers and paints.

As with all paint tasks, the preparation of your brick surface is a crucial factor in determining the result of your project.

Thoroughly inspect, clean, and prepare your surface before you consider applying any primers or paints.

If you spot any minor issues that can easily be fixed, such as small holes, these should be filled using acrylic caulk.

Brick walls or surroundings that have recently been installed need at least one year to completely dry and acclimate, so keep this in mind before your journey on your next DIY endeavor.

Frequently Asked Question On How Paint Bricks

Do I need a paint sprayer to paint bricks?

The short answer is no; however, a sprayer makes the job go faster.

What is the best paint for bricks?

For exterior bricks, use elastomeric and 100 percent acrylic latex paints of the brands of your choice.

What sheen should you paint bricks?

Eggshell or Satin is an excellent sheen for masonry materials like bricks. Satin works great for textured surfaces such as Brick and other types of masonry. Brick gets dirty on homes, and Satin makes it easy to wash with just a garden hose. Some prefer the look of Eggshell; however, it is harder to clean!

Is painting your bricks a bad idea?

At the end of their lifetime, Brick that’s chipping, deteriorating, molding, or in overall poor condition is a lousy candidate for paint. Paint will block the Brick’s natural pores, which can cause the current conditions to become exaggerated over time.

However, if your bricks are in good overall condition, then, by all means, paint them!

Can you use masonry paint on bricks?

Of course! Masonry can be applied to surface exterior types such as bricks and stucco.

Is acrylic paint better than oil paint?

The fact is, acrylic and oil paint serve two totally different purposes. Acrylic paint tends to have better color retention and is more flexible. Oil paint tends to level better (fewer peaks and valleys in the finish) and dries harder for a more durable finish. Acrylic paints tend to have lower VOC (volatile organic content), are safer to use inside your home, and can clean up with soap and water. Oil paint tends to be smellier, contain more toxic ingredients, and clean up with paint thinner or mineral spirits. While most residential applications use acrylic paint, industrial and commercial paint applications use oil-based paints which help last the test of time.