Should you paint your brick house?

Columbia has a lot of brick, and painted brick has never been more popular. It also cannot really be undone, so it is worth understanding before you commit.

Why people do it

A mid-century brick ranch in Forest Acres or a brick two-story in Blythewood can look like a completely different house in white or a soft gray with dark trim. It is the single biggest visual change available on an exterior, and it costs a fraction of re-cladding.

It also solves a real problem: brick in a color you cannot live with, or brick that has been patched with a batch that never matched.

Why it is a serious decision

Stripping paint off brick is difficult, expensive, and often damages the face of the brick. Practically speaking, once brick is painted it stays painted, and it joins the maintenance cycle. Unpainted brick needs nothing for decades. Painted brick needs repainting like any other surface.

What makes a good candidate

• Brick that is sound, with mortar in good condition.
• No ongoing moisture problem, no efflorescence, no spalling faces.
• A surface that can be cleaned and dried properly before coating.
• Brick that is at least a year old, so it has finished curing.

If any of those are off, painting traps moisture in the wall and the coating fails in sheets. We would rather tell you that at the estimate than take the job.

The process, briefly

Proper masonry work is a wash, any needed mortar repair, a masonry primer, and a breathable masonry coating. Regular exterior wall paint on brick is a short-term answer. Brick has to be able to release moisture, and the coating has to let it.

The trim work usually matters as much as the brick itself. On most brick homes, fascia, soffits, casings, shutters, and porch structures are what set the whole look.

Not sure?

Ask at the estimate. We will look at your brick, the mortar, and the drainage around the house and give you a straight answer, including when the answer is that we would leave it alone and put the budget into the trim instead.