Bricks are notoriously difficult to paint because they are porous and absorb paint. However, if you are willing to take the time to prepare the brick exterior of your home, the painting process will be easier. Take a look at some of the following tips for painting a brick house.
Step
Step 1. Clean the bricks
- Spray the surface of the bricks with a water hose. In general, water is effective at removing most dirt and dust from the brick surface.
- Use a pressure washer if there is scale of dirt on the surface of the house, or if there are areas covered in mud. Use a pressure washer that provides a pressure of 1500 PSI.
- Remove white stains with a stiff brush. White stains indicate calcification, or the presence of salt deposits.
- Use a solution of bleach and water to remove mildew. Leave the solution on the bricks for about 20 minutes, then scrub the surface with a stiff brush.
Step 2. Prepare the surface
- Cover windows and doors with newspaper. Tape the newsprint to the doors and windows with masking tape. Cover any other parts that you don't want to get paint on.
- Repair cracks. Use a scraper to widen the cracks in the bricks. Wipe off the dust, and cover the cracks with acrylic chalk. Dry the lime for about 5 hours.
- Apply a latex primer to the brick surface. Use a brush, roller, or paint spray. Apply a few extra coats of primer to the chalky area.
Step 3. Choose paint
- Choose an elastodynamic paint. This paint is dense enough to fill cracks in the brick, but you will need to apply 2 coats. Elastodynamic paints are also known for retaining water well enough to protect the surface of bricks in inclement weather. You can buy this paint at almost any hardware and building materials store.
- Choose an acrylic latex exterior paint. Acrylic latex paint prevents moisture on the brick surface and helps prevent mold from forming. This paint is available at almost all hardware and building materials stores. Usually you only need to apply 1 coat of paint. You only need to apply a second coat if you see white wall stains behind the first coat.
Step 4. Paint your brick house
- Apply paint with a paint sprayer. Although paint sprayers are more expensive than brushes, you can paint bricks much faster with this tool than with a brush. Move the sprayer sideways, slightly overlapping the area you've painted.
- Use the roller to paint the bricks. Rollers are larger and more expensive than most brushes, but less expensive than sprayers. Painting a house using a roller takes less time than using a brush, but longer than using a sprayer. Start at the top of the house, and move the roller up and down while slowly moving sideways to paint nearby areas.
- Use a brush to fill in any gaps that the sprayer or roller can't reach. Areas around doors, windows and trim require precision that sprayers and rollers cannot meet.
Step 5. Let the paint dry
Read the instructions on the paint bucket to determine how long the paint will dry.
Step 6. Add a second coat of paint
Apply a second coat only if recommended in the painting guide.
