Should I Paint my Brick House?

Painting the exterior of your home is an exciting project that has endless possibilities. Many homeowners don’t realize that it is possible to paint more than just siding! A brick home can be painted, just like any other type of exterior on your home. However, painting brick requires a very specific type of preparation so it is best to hire a professional if this is something that might interest you. Many people decide that they want to paint their brick house simply because it is a great way to update the look of your home and can completely change its appearance. Some types of brick can really date an older house, since not all styles of brick have remained in style. Therefore, painting your brick house can make it look newer even though the house could really be quite old.

The Pros of Painted Brick

There are many positive aspects to painting your brick home. For example, painted brick is much easier to keep clean than brick alone. Without paint, brick is one of the most porous materials that the exterior of your home can be made of, other than stucco. Porous materials hold on to dirt, grime and mold much easier and can require significant maintenance to keep clean. However, a painted surface removes the porosity of brick and provides a slick, smooth surface instead. An annual pressure washing is sufficient to keep painted brick looking its best for years to come. In fact, most paint jobs on brick homes last about 7 years with proper care and as long the paint job was done properly in the first place. Painted bricks are also protected from the elements and erosion that can be caused by heavy rains and the sun. If your brick was starting to fade, painting over it is an even better idea than having the brick replaced altogether. Lastly, a painted brick home can be very stylish when the right color combinations are chosen. The transformations are often dramatic and leave homeowners absolutely thrilled with how modern their home can look.

Hiring Professionals

If you have decided that painting your brick home is something that you would like to do, make sure to hire a professional painting company. Painting the brick on your home is a permanent transformation and you want to make sure that it has been done properly the first time. Poorly painted brick is incredibly difficult and costly to remove. A professional painting company will clean the brick with a pressure washer set to an appropriate setting in order to avoid damaging the bricks or the mortar between them. They will also be able to fix any small cracks or damage to the bricks that may allow water to leak in and ruin the paint job as well as the bricks behind the paint. Professionals will also make sure that your windows aren’t leaking where they meet the brick so that water doesn’t get in that way either. The correct primers and paints are also important for this type of job, as the brick needs to breath and it needs the right kind of primer for a paint to be able to stick at all.

How to Care for Painted Brick

Once you have decided to paint your brick home, the occasional pressure washing should be more than enough to keep it looking clean and tidy. Of course, lighter colors such as beige and white will show mold and dirt from rain much faster than darker colors like maroon or slate grey. If you are concerned that your painted brick will require too much cleaning to look good, choose a darker tone and accent with lighter colors for a dramatic effect without as much maintenance. Of course, you should still have your painted brick washed at least once per year so that the paint doesn’t become damaged by the elements and so that any issues can be dealt with before they become major problems. For example, if you see chipping or flaking anywhere on painted brick, it is best to call a professional and have them find the source of moisture infiltrating the brick before the entire paint job gets ruined. Overall, it is quite easy to maintain if cleanings are done at least once per year.

Painted brick has become a trend these days and really does modernize a brick house. As long as you are aware that painting brick is a permanent decision (you can always change the color though), then you should definitely consider having your home painted. Professionals have all the right equipment to make sure that this type of paint job lasts about 7 years and that it looks fantastic. Completing this kind of work on your own can actually cause damage to the bricks since there is a considerable amount of prep work and very specific types of materials are required for a quality paint job.

If you’d like to know more about our Orlando, FL painting company, feel free to contact us here or call us directly at 407.256.8610.