How to Paint a Brick House
Painting a brick house is a great way to give it a fresh clean look and boost its curb appeal. Learn how to paint a brick house in this Lowe’s video:
If your brick is new, wait at least one year before painting it; this allows it to properly weather and dry.
1. Prep: Make sure the surface is clean and get rid of all the cobwebs, dirt, dust, mildew and efflorescence (the white powdery substance that appears on the brick surface). Pressure washing is the most efficient way to clean brick. Wait at least 24 hours after pressure washing before painting.
2. Inspect: Once the surface is dry, inspect the brick for any damage. Look for any holes, gaps or crumbling in the mortar and make repairs with mortar repair caulk. Also look for water damage like damp spots or mold growth; you will need to fix any underlying issues before painting.
3. Protect: Remove light fixtures, mailboxes and anything else attached to the brick. Seal off windows and doors with painters tape. Spray plants with water before covering them to keep them alive. Place drop cloths or plastic over any bushes or landscaping you want to protect.
4. Paint: A paint+primer product bonds to surfaces, resists cracking and seals out moisture. Use a combination of brushes and paint rollers for application; if your project is very big, you may want to use a paint sprayer. Be sure to follow the paint manufacturer’s instructions for optimal painting conditions for the product. To figure out how much paint you’ll need, you’ll need to measure the square footage of your surface area, measuring the width by the height minus the door and window openings. For the home featured in this video, the surface area is 250 square feet; two gallons are needed for two coats of paint.
5. Application: Start by painting along the roof line and around the windows and doors with a brush, working from the top down. Paint horizontally, using the end of the brush to fully coat the mortar line. Load your brush with a bit more paint than you normally would as the paint needs to get into all the nooks and crannies of the brick. Once done, switch to a 3/4-inch nap roller which is perfect for brick. Load up the roller with a good amount of paint but not so much that it drips off when you pull it out of the tray. Roll up and down in a vertical motion, making your way across the wall. The first coat doesn’t have to be perfect, but there should be good solid coverage. Wait at least four hours before applying the second coat.
6. Finishing Touches: Remove your protection and consider additional curb appeal boosters like painting your front door and shutters, getting new light fixtures and a new mailbox, and updating your landscaping.
