What You Need to Know Before Painting Brick
Have you been watching a lot of “Fixer Upper” and other TV shows that make painted brick look amazing? Wanting to spruce up your home to try and get it to match one of their projects? Before diving into your brick painting project, we have a few words of advice.
Factors to Consider
- Make sure that the color you choose is the color you want long term, if not forever as paint is extremely difficult, if not impossible to remove paint from brick.
- Painted brick requires a great deal of maintenance as you will have to touch it up (repaint it) every three to five years.
- Pain blocks pores on the brick’s surface and traps moisture that has seeped inside; therefore, only brick and mortar in good shape should be painted. Those in poor shape may leave you a pealing/chipping paint nightmare.
Preparation
- Ensure you thoroughly clean the exterior brick with soapy water and a stiff bristled brush or pressure washer. This can be tricky as you must follow the equipment’s’ instructions for use on brick as to avoid causing damage.
- Ensure you allow at least 24-hours to allow brick to dry completely before starting the painting process.
- Sand the brick to ensure a smooth surface.
- Ensure the brick is completely sealed to avoid moisture problems. This includes sealing cracks and repairing mortar.
Recommended Paints
- Behr: Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint (high quality, satin-finish, acrylic-latex, self-priming paint that repels water and resists mildew.
- Benjamin Moore: Aura Waterborne Exterior Paint (flat, low-luster, satin, and semi-gloss paint that self-primes and resists water, mildew, and stains. Also protects against cracking, peeling, and fading.)
- Glidden: Premium Exterior Paint (high-quality, acrylic latex paint with flat sheen – withstands severe weather and resists mildew, stains, and dirt.)
When painting brick it is important to follow the proper procedures to get the best results! To receive professional assistance with your residential painting projects or for more information in general, contact the experts from Noel Painting today!
