Painting the Brick Exterior of Your Home: Everything You Need to Know

There is something about brick houses that never gets out of style. A brick exterior gives your home a modern and old-school look, but caring for it can be quite difficult. Over time, and due to weather conditions, bricks can peel and lose their shine and quality. This is why many homeowners opt to renovate their brick exterior by painting the bricks!

Painting a brick exterior is hard, but not impossible. It’s the perfect opportunity to give your house a makeover, plus it won’t take much of your time, energy, or money! To properly paint your bricks, you need to select the right paints! For those who are new to the brick exterior field, this article is for you!

If you want to give your home the renovating it deserves, but don’t know how to paint exterior brick, read on! We’ll let you in on all the secrets of maintaining bricks, and show you the best breathable paint for exterior brick, so you know how to care for your home the right way!

Can You Paint Bricks & Is It a Good Idea?

You can paint brick exteriors but approach the process very delicately. If you live in a home with a brick exterior that has been that way for a long time, you’ll notice that your bricks need refreshing.

Painting a brick exterior is recommended in certain periods, like summer through fall. Temperatures should range between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit so the paint can quickly and properly dry. If a rainstorm occurred recently, wait at least three days for the brick to dry. If you start painting on wet bricks, they will trap moisture, and you increase the possibility of the paint peeling back and leaving you with a disheveled exterior.

Painting bricks is ultimately a long-term, irreversible decision that you need to repeat every three to 5 years to keep things looking well and new. Paint your brick exterior if you are preparing to sell or if your house desperately needs refinishing.

Before painting your brick exterior, examine whether you can actually paint the brick. Some older bricks are not meant to be colored, and you might end up wasting paint and effort.

Painting your brick wall exterior is a good idea if you want to renovate for your own sake. They also provide a new effective water barrier for rainy and cold winter days.

How to Paint Exterior Brick: Comprehensive Guide

Sometimes, you only need time, energy, and the right paint to restore your home in tip-top condition! If you plan on painting your exterior brick yourself, you need to follow a set of rules.

Here’s a full, extensive guide on how to paint brick exterior the correct way!

Step 1: Preparations

Prepping the bricks and the outside area is the first step toward painting your brick exterior. This step includes removing the following items or covering them with painter’s tape:

plumbing outlets
electrical covers
address numbers
window screens
light fixtures
shutters
other household items you have on the house exterior

Don’t forget to cover your patio, shrubs, and driveway so you don’t splatter paint everywhere.

The next thing you need to do is wash your brick wall with water and mild detergent. A hose is the best thing to help you remove all the dirt and debris from your bricks, but a pressure washer guarantees better results. You can clean even the tiniest cracks and crevices in your brick wall with pressure washers.

Step 2: Investigate Mold and Mildew

If you have a few bricks occupied with mildew, try washing the wall with a bleach-and-water solution. Ensure that your wall is dry before painting.

Check for any cracks in your bricks. You can easily paint over small cracks, but you should repair large holes before painting. A paintable acrylic latex caulk for outdoor use is the best way to fill the cracks in your brick exterior. Leave the caulk to settle before getting your paintbrush. Finally, use muriatic acid to eliminate efflorescence or salt deposits forming on brick surfaces.

Follow the instructions for preparing the muriatic acid solution. Before adding it, wash the wall again with a hose and scrub it with a stiff brush. You should let the acid settle into the bricks for about 10 to 15 minutes, and afterward, rinse the surface thoroughly with water.

Step 3: Select the Right Paint

There are different kinds of brick paints for interiors and exteriors. The most important thing about painting brick exteriors is priming. The best paint for exterior brick walls is latex paint, characterized by higher durability on outer surfaces than oil-based paints.

Latex brick paint is sought-after for its fade and chalk resistance, flexibility, and gluing. Once you decide on the right paint, first prime the surface with primers or sealers.

Estimate how much you need to buy to cover the entire exterior to avoid lacking paint. Usually, a gallon of paint will be enough to cover 400 square/feet, but buy more than you need so you can later use the paint for touch-ups.

Step 4: Begin Painting

The best tools to paint a brick exterior include paint rollers. You can use paint rollers for both priming and painting indoors and outdoors. Textured surfaces like brick walls need a roller that comes with heavy-duty, 5-wire roller frames and metal extension poles. Using plastic frames and poles can lead to them breaking if you use extra force to paint tiny brick pores.

Pour your primer into a paint tray. Nicely coat your roller and start painting from the top towards the bottom for optimal results. Use your brushes in spaces where your roller cannot access them. Leave the primer to air dry completely before covering the surface with paint.

Get professional-grade paint brushes with synthetic bristles and wood handles for comfort. They are the most compatible with latex paint, and it’s advisable to have a couple of different-sized brushes for the job. Use a medium-sized angled brush for small, thin crevices, while a large-sized brush is great for overall painting.

Apply the paint starting from top to bottom. Thoroughly coat your roller and paint two coats for the best-balanced coverage.

Step 5: Don’t Forget to Clean Up

Once you finish painting, clean your rollers, gloves, and brushes. This means thoroughly rinsing the equipment when you finish painting to avoid stains. Before you store them in plastic bags, squeeze your brushes to remove any leftover moisture and water to avoid further damaging the bristles.

Remove the dry materials from your lawn and remove any painter’s tape. Be careful, though, not to scrub off any paint.

Choosing the Best Paint for Exterior Brick

The best exterior brick paint should be able to hide weathered and beaten bricks, but it should not trap moisture. Choosing the wrong paint can leave you needing more maintenance, like power-washing, which is never the case for unpainted bricks.

Besides latex, elastodynamic paint is the best paint for brick exterior. These paints are great for bricks because they have a high level of elasticity. It makes them easier to stick to brick walls, with some elastodynamic paint specifically designed for bricks. Because the paint is elastic, it is perfect for coloring crevices, cracks, and pores on brick exteriors. Elastodynamic paint is recommended because it can prevent future cracks and performs amazingly in severe weather conditions like high humidity.

You can use acrylic latex paint if you cannot find an elastodynamic paint. Some homeowners find acrylic latex to be a better alternative for bricks. Acrylic latex is the best exterior paint for brick because it can tackle grease and mildew and quickly evaporates any moisture the brick has absorbed.

Choosing paint for brick exteriors can be confusing, especially since painting bricks is an irreversible process. For guaranteed best results you and your family will be happy with, it’s best to turn to professionals.

Certified home-keepers will always know how to choose the appropriate paint for your house. If you are looking for the best services for your home exterior, reach out to AA Brite in Tucson! They offer everything from roof repair and coating to interior, commercial, and exterior painting and are available 24/7!

Painting Brick Exterior: Closing Remarks

Painting a brick exterior is not the easiest of tasks, but it’s possible. If you follow the rules and guidelines mentioned in this guide, your home will look better than ever in no time. For the best paint job, ensure you are painting from top to bottom using both paintbrushes and rollers. Pay attention to the crevices and repair any cracks before painting your brick exterior. The best brick exterior paints include later acrylic and elastodynamic paints.

When approached with dedication and care, painting your bricks can be just the thing to refresh your exterior. If you are still determining your picks, you can always trust professionals to avoid any mistakes! Repainting your bricks can be one of the best decisions you can make for your home!