Should I Paint My Home’s Brick Exterior?

Painting the brick exterior of your home is a great way to freshen up and add curb appeal, especially in a neighborhood full of other brick houses. There is no consensus as to whether you “should” or “shouldn’t” paint brick – the decision is entirely up to you. We’ve painted brick before, and it looks great. However, there are some important factors to consider before diving in headfirst.

There’s No Going Back

The most important thing to consider is that painting brick is pretty much permanent. It is possible to remove paint from brick using chemicals, but it is costly, and your brick won’t look the same after. So, assume that once your brick is painted, it will always be painted and, therefore, need to be maintained. Unpainted brick is basically zero maintenance, but to keep your exterior looking fresh, you will need to repaint every five to 10 years, depending on the condition of your brick and the harshness of the seasons.

Curb Appeal

With that said, if you want to refresh the look of your brick home, then do it! There are no rules. If you are more traditional, stick with classic white, gray, or neutrals. If you want to stand out or are on the playful side, go with a bold color to show off your uniqueness in a sea of red brick. Painted brick generally does not affect the resale of a house, but if you are concerned about how a more daring color will play with perspective buyers, remember that you can always paint over it with a more traditional color.

Do It Right

Exterior painting is generally not a DIY project, and this is especially true for painting masonry. Choose a painting contractor that has experience prepping and painting brick and masonry. In any painting project, preparation is key to a long-lasting and beautiful results, and this is even more true with brick. Poor preparation could mean the difference between repainting in three years and the paint lasting 10 years. It is also necessary to use a paint specially formulated for brick. If your contractor says that any exterior paint will do, RUN! It won’t look good and only last a few years.

If you’ve considered everything we said above, done your research, and concluded that you do want to paint your brick exterior, go for it. It’s a cost-effective way to totally transform your home. And when hiring a painting contractor, we hope that you consider Lauro Painting. We are the most skilled, experienced, and professional painters around for painting masonry.

To schedule a consultation and estimate, call us at 215-886-2212 or fill out our online form.