If you were to ask us whether we like our brick painted or not, we'll go with as it looks when it comes out of the kiln every time - and, these days, that means having a whole host of colours and textures to choose from.
However, some people like the idea of painting their brickwork and we're not entirely against that - after all, it may be exactly what your building project needs.
In the right location, and assuming it's been done well, painted masonry can look great. But we don't want you whipping out a paint brush and slapping it on willy-nilly.
There are a few things you should consider before you get started - and our team is always standing by to help with your brick-related enquiries.
Contact the teamWhy not...
As a design choice, painting existing masonry work isn't really all that common - but it's not a complete rarity either.
And if you're currently weighing up the pros and cons before you make a decision, it's worth considering the following:
⦿ Bricks are beautiful When you've got a building material as beautiful, versatile and durable as brick, why would you even want to cover it all up?
⦿ It's a long-term change It might be a cool idea that's front of mind right now (and it may look great in certain locations), but are you going to regret it further down the line?
⦿ It'll need repainting Another downside to painting brick is that, much like any painted surface, it will need maintaining. Of course, if it's painted well it won't need redoing too frequently, but it will need to happen at some point. That's a given.
⦿ It holds moisture One of the reasons why brick usually lasts so long is its porosity. Water that gets into the brick, generally makes its way to the surface and evaporates. If water still manages to get into a painted brick surface, it may struggle to leave the brick, causing the brick to deteriorate quicker and the paint to crack.
⦿ It's hard to remove Painting brick is very much a permanent change so you should absolutely be sure it's what you want. There are ways of removing it by using special solutions and getting professional help, but it'll never be removed completely and there will usually be some residual paint.
When you've got a building material as beautiful, versatile and durable as brick, why would you even want to cover it all up?
The benefits
We don't want to completely dissuade you from painting your brickwork, that's not what we're about! Plus, there are a couple of perfectly good reasons for doing it:
⦿ Aesthetic appeal Done well, it can add major visual appeal, depending on where your house is. For example, in some locations white painted brick is quite common. Equally a more urban dark grey paint could look very classy indeed.
⦿ Easy to clean Another benefit is that the painted surface does protect the brick from some weathering and is also easier to clean. Again though, this is all assuming it's done well in the first place.
Be prepared
If you've decided to go for it, you're probably wondering how to go about getting started. As with any other surface, the most important step when painting brick is the preparation. So, before you do anything else, you need to make sure your wall is ready:
⦿ Fix existing issues It's no good trying to paint brick that is chipping or deteriorating in some way. In fact, anything that can be sorted out needs to be done first: mould, moss or existing moisture needs to be cleaned up and dried, cracked needs to be sealed and tired-looking mortar needs repointing.
⦿ Keep it clean Regardless of the condition of your wall, it should be cleaned with soap and water before painting. Don't use acid-based cleaning solutions as this could linger and result in paint chipping, and wait 24 hours for it to dry before doing anything to it.
⦿ Beware of efflorescence Efflorescence is a salt deposit that can build up from moisture in the brick. Cleaning this off is essential before painting. Paint is also affected by the alkaline properties in mortar so this needs to be primed.
⦿ Prime the surface Once the wall is clean and in a good condition, you can set about prepping it for paint. Applying a conditioner and primer to the wall will provide a decent undercoat so that you're not sticking paint straight onto the exposed brick - just make sure you use products for exterior masonry.
What about the paint?
Once you've prepped, it's time to get painting - although we'd recommend getting professionals in to do this. They will ensure that parts of the brickwork aren't missed out, leaving you vulnerable to future damage from moisture.
If you want to paint brand-new brickwork, it's recommended that you wait at least a year before painting to allow for drying, weathering and leaching.
With the paint, it's best that you spend a bit of money on some high-quality masonry paint. It will usually have latex and acrylic in the name. If you want it to last, don't go cheap. That said, there are a variety of paints available for different budgets and desired textures.
The other option is to get your wall professionally tinted rather than painted. This is more expensive again but what it does do is properly penetrate the pores of the brick, leaving your masonry with a deep colouring. The paint doesn't just sit on the surface, so you avoid a lot of the long-term risks associated with paint.
We're here for you
If brick tinting is something we've got you thinking about, we work with the very best people in the industry when it comes to these kinds of specialist brickwork services.
In fact, our expert team is standing by to help you on your journey to successful brickwork right now - get in touch and we'll get to work!
