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jordanl_gw

Experience with painted brick?

jordanl
18 years ago

Our house is brick on bottom, siding on top. We need to replace the siding and I would like to do a tan color and paint the brick to match. I hate the color of the brick. I really like the look of painted brick, but am wondering about maintenance. Would appreciate any experiences anyone may have with this.

Thanks!

Comments (14)

  • lrb_tx
    18 years ago

    No experience with painted exterior brick, but have some interior. I'd like to smack whoever painted it! My understanding is that once it's been painted you can never "go back", you will have to repaint, you've basically changed your brick to siding. When purchasing my current home I passed on any house with exterior brick painted. Really love my home, but sure wish that interior brick hadn't been painted.

    By the way, the paint wouldn't be so bad on the interior, like mine, except that around the fireplace it's blistering & peeling. Not real sure how I'll "fix" that.

  • ventupete
    18 years ago

    I personally dislike the look of painted brick. You can remove it, but it needs to be professionally sand blasted to do so. However, if you are set on doing it, it's very easy. The brick just soaks the paint up which is why you should first prime it with a brick/masonry primer, then put on your finish coat (you may need two finish coats).

  • dumaspup
    18 years ago

    lrb tx
    you can have the mistake fixed I have sand blasted the paint off it is messy but comes off quite easy

  • brickeyee
    18 years ago

    Sand blasting brick to completely clean invariably damages the brick and the mortar. Power washing is not quite as bad, but can produce the same problems.
    While pointing can then be used to attempt a repair of the mortar the face of the bricks is damaged and the softer core exposed. This then alows moisture penetration and results in spalling failure of the brick.
    In a non-freezing climate this is not as much of an issue, but increased vapor movement through the wall can be expected.

  • barb7901
    18 years ago

    My neighbor's brick house was painted. He spent years striping the brick, one side a summer. He used a chemical stripper and it looks great now but I'm not sure I would have had the patience. I don't like painted brick either and would not consider buying a painted brick house. Resale is something you may want to consider if you decide to paint your house.

  • ottawood
    16 years ago

    Hi everybody,
    There is a solution available that can make your painted brick look exactly like it should... UN PAINTED!

    Go check out The Brick Painters .Com

    Here is a link that might be useful: The Brick Painters .Com

  • jmhjgh
    16 years ago

    I am planning on staining my chimney and avoiding paint. We changed the color of our house and shingles, and I am planning on using the stain below in the spring.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Stain for brick

  • ccecilm
    16 years ago

    Ohhh, please don't paint it. Once it's painted the maintenance never ends. Many people in my area have painted their brick exterior and it really pains me to know they will never get to stop painting. Wife hired an interior decorator a few years ago and it was suggested to paint our big brick wall around the fireplace. That was the last day the decorator worked at our house.

  • martina0619
    14 years ago

    Paint it! If you like the look of painted brick, go for it. Make your house stand out from all the other boring brick houses on the street. The days of "keep your house neutral" for resale are over. What's selling now is unique, designer touches, character, color.

    The increased appraisal value of my home and the sale of several "flips" of remodeled/modernized/updated [painted] brick ranches in my neighborhood is proof enough for me. Also, we have not had any problems with maintenance or peeling, chipping, cracking, etc. I would never go back to plain, boring brick.

    Here is a link that might be useful: East Nashville Atomic Ranch

  • jmg632_gmail_com
    13 years ago

    My fireplace and a a 3 ft room divider are both made of painted brick. Is their some technique that I can use to spruce up painted brick?

  • brickeyee
    13 years ago

    "My fireplace and a a 3 ft room divider are both made of painted brick. Is their some technique that I can use to spruce up painted brick?"

    Paint it again.

  • AHomeWest
    13 years ago

    I've heard that the way to keep paint on brick from peeling is to water it down before painting. You'll have to then apply more coats but with thinner coats, it's not as likely to pull/peel away. Think about it...if you spill a glob of thick paint on a wood floor and let it dry a bit, it comes off in a big glob since it has all stuck together. But if you get just a smudge on the floor, its much harder to get off once it dries (you actually have to scrape a lot).

  • suzieque
    13 years ago

    I absolutely love the look of painted brick. Now, I've never owned a house with interior or exterior painted brick, but I love the looks of it, especially exterior.

    Red (country red) or white is especially appealing to me. To each their own!

  • macv
    13 years ago

    This thread is 5 years old. I hope the OP has resolved this issue by now.

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