How to Paint Brick

There can be no doubt that brick can be a great example of a building material that’s as elegant as it is durable. On the one hand, brick plays a big role in Tudor English homes and other domicile styles that attempt to capture a sense of age and elegance. On the other hand, brick doesn’t have to appear to be a decades-old aesthetic choice, either. When you care for it the right way, brick has the potential to look brand-new and beautiful year after year.

One of the big choices that any homeowner employing brick in his or her décor must make is determining whether or not he or she wishes to paint it and, if so, how to go about it and which style to choose. With that in mind, let’s take a quick look at how to paint brick.

Clean and Repair the Surface

First things first; you’ll want to clean the surface and you’ll want to make sure to do it before you apply a single drop of paint. The last thing you want is to paint over dirt and have it show through or cause bumps that you’ll then have to remove. This can be a pain to do if it’s even possible so you’ll want to make sure to scrub down the brick beforehand and allow it to dry. You’ll also want to make sure to repair any flaws and fill any cracks ahead of time.

You’ll also want to be sure to apply some primer.

Paint Type

You’ll want to choose a paint that is latex or mineral-based. It should be porous or vapor-permeable.

Paint Application for Exterior Brick

You’ll next need to decide whether you’ll be using a brush, roller, or paint sprayer. If you are using the first two, you’ll want to roll over large swaths of the brick with the roller first and then do touch-up work around the edges and anywhere you might have missed with the brush. If you are using the paint sprayer, be sure to go over each area evenly.

Paint Application for Interior Brick

If you are painting a brick wall or edifice inside your home, you’ll want to change up some things from your exterior approach.

For starters, you can opt for acrylic paint instead of or in addition to latex paint. Whichever paint you choose should be low-odor. While this isn’t as much of a concern with exterior paint jobs, interior spaces can trap odorous paint fumes, which isn’t good from a safety or housekeeping perspective.

Staining your brick is also an option. It is typically a low-maintenance option and can do a great job of adding some class to your brick. Transparent staining can be quite translucent while allowing the nature of each brick to shine through, creating a very characterful edifice. In addition, it is also a quite affordable way of upgrading your brick’s painted appearance.

With these tips in mind, you can bring out the full character of your brick edifice with a fantastic paint job.