Painting a Brick House

If you want to revamp your brick house, consider painting the exterior. Painting a brick home is an excellent way to revive a home’s look. Painting brick is possible — however, it requires extra time, care and materials to ensure you don’t damage the brick. If you’re interested in transforming your home’s exterior color, check out this guide for the do’s and don’ts of painting a brick house.

Can You Paint a Brick House?

While wood houses are relatively easy to paint, you should paint a brick house with a bit more planning. Painting a brick house exterior depends on many factors, like budget, brick, paint type, and several other conditions. Brick can be a delicate material, so if you’re going to paint it, always use a professional service.

You can paint a brick house, but brick needs extra steps and care to ensure it stays strong and attractive for years to come. Brick needs to breathe, so painting over it with regular exterior paint can trap moisture, leading to mold. Avoid this by using exterior paint that lets the bricks breathe.

With proper paints and care, you can absolutely paint a brick house. Painting brick adds new life to a home and lets you customize your house in a creative, eye-catching way. When done correctly, painted brick looks stylish and unique, showing off all of your home’s best features and giving you a striking exterior. There are advantages and disadvantages to painting brick, so weigh them carefully before deciding.

Why You Should Paint Your Brick House

There are many reasons to paint a brick home. Brick is a classic material, and painted brick can give your home a timeless look that will elevate its appearance and curb appeal. Here are some reasons to paint brick:

• Weather protection: Painting brick can provide some exterior weather protection. When painted with the correct technique, paint and preparation, you can defend brick from the elements, fading and water damage. Brick paint creates a protective barrier around the bricks, allowing them to breathe while keeping out moisture and wear.
• Easier cleaning: Painted brick is smoother and more even than unpainted brick since paint covers and fills brick’s natural nooks and crannies. This makes the surface easier to clean since debris and particles can’t get into the brick’s crevices and cracks. Painted brick is easier to pressure wash yourself, so you can quickly and conveniently keep your house sparkling year-round.
• Repainting existing brick: If your brick currently has a paint layer, give it a new coat. Painted brick needs retouching every few years to maintain its look, so painting over the already-painted brick is the best way to revive the exterior and exercise your design skills. Paint is challenging to remove from brick — it’s much easier to simply paint a new color or refresh the existing paint on your house.
• Damaged brick: If your home is older or the grout is turning to sand, repainting is cheaper than adding new mortar. Replacing the mortar — called brick repointing — can quickly become an expensive project, especially if you’re fixing up the entire exterior. Opting for a professional brick repainting can help seal and cover old spots and wear, making your home look brand new for a lower price.
• Indoor brick: Indoor brick is less exposed to the elements and needs less maintenance than exterior brick. Your home keeps out moisture and natural debris, so you don’t need to worry as much about trapping moisture and harming the brick. Indoor brick fireplaces and other feature pieces are perfect options for professional painting since they can become highlighted statement pieces with some expert help.

Why You Shouldn’t Paint a Brick House

While transforming your brick home with a new paint color can give your house a stylish look, there are some potential drawbacks to painting brick. You should always consult a professional painting service first. One of the benefits of hiring paint professionals is that they have the experience and training to paint brick without damaging the exterior. Here are some reasons you may want to avoid painting brick:

• Structural damage: As mentioned, the brick needs to breathe so moisture doesn’t get trapped, causing damage. If you paint brick with moisture trapped inside, it can break down after experiencing a freeze-thaw cycle. Avoid this by using a professional painter and special exterior paint that allows the brick to breathe.
• Frequent power washing: Brick has light and dark tones and a rougher texture, making it easier to hide dirt on the home’s exterior. Painting your brick, especially with a lighter color like white, lets debris, dirt, pollen and mud show up more quickly. To keep your house looking clean, you’ll have to wash it more frequently. However, paint also makes cleaning your home’s exterior less complicated, so it won’t be a challenging chore.
• Permanent color: Removing paint from brick is incredibly difficult and much more time and cost-intensive than simply repainting it. Once you paint your brick house, getting rid of all the paint will be challenging. You can always choose to paint over the existing color, giving your home a new look without the cost of removal. Because of this, you should make absolutely sure you want to paint over your brick. Old, handmade brick can lose its value if painted, so keep that in mind when making your decision.

How Much Does It Cost To Paint a Brick House?

The cost of painting a brick home varies depending on several factors. For the United States, the average cost to paint a brick house is $7,000, but it can range anywhere from $3,500 to $10,500. The actual price of the paint job will depend on your location, house size, labor and paint prices. Brick can be tricky, and you’ll likely have to spend more money on professional touch-ups and repairs if you don’t use a professional painter from the start.

If you paint the brick yourself, you’ll need to purchase the proper paints, brushes, primer and supplies for the job. Additionally, you’ll have to repair damaged and cracked bricks since painting over them can cause even more damage. A professional paint job might seem expensive up front, but you’ll save money by not paying for damages or supplies yourself. Professionals also have the skills necessary to repair the brick and look for moisture, giving you the best-looking, most durable paint job possible.

What Color Should I Paint My Brick Home?

When exploring your design options, the only limit is your creativity. You can paint your house whatever color you want, but you should consider curb appeal and resale value to get the most out of your paint job. The best paint colors for brick houses are neutrals and cool tones since they provide aesthetic appeal without overwhelming the eye. Some excellent paint options for brick include:

• Creamy white
• Soft gray
• Navy blue
• Statement black
• Forest green
• Soothing beige

Most brick houses are one color, but feel free to spice up your home with different tones to give the color depth. Complementary colors on shutters, doors and trim help make your house pop and give it a modern, attractive appeal.

Contact Rent Painters to Paint Your Brick Home Today!

Brick can be tricky to paint and easy to damage — that’s why you should trust Rent Painter’s professional painters with painting your home exterior. Painted brick can give a home a classic, timeless look without sacrificing the material’s texture. Our trained team can repair and paint your brick house quickly and expertly, giving you a luxurious new exterior that lasts. To schedule and appointment or ask us questions, contact us today!