We’ve all seen interior brick walls given new life with a fresh coat of paint, but doing the same with your home’s exterior is a whole different story. There are numerous points to consider before you undertake such a task. To make an informed decision, let me share a few pros and cons on painting a brick façade.
I’ll begin by showing you before and after shots of Toronto design guru Arren Williams‘ home:
This is a great example of a beautiful painted brick makeover. but before you whip out the paint brush, consider this:
Pros:
Paint can give your home a sleek updated look.
It’s less expensive than changing the home’s siding.
Painting brick does not require a lot of time or planning, it’s essentially a quick fix.
When correctly sealed, painted brick is simpler to clean than raw brick, which is porous.
Cons:
Upkeep, upkeep, upkeep. paint will eventually fade (red paint will take on a pinkish tint, yuck!), chip and peel, requiring a fresh coat within 5 years — especially in Canada, where weather can cause a lot of tension to your façade.
Painting brick takes away its natural ability to breathe and expel moisture from the wall.
You might as well say goodbye to the natural brick, because stripping the paint off is a painfully laborious process.
So there you have it. What are your thoughts (or expert opinions) on painted brick? have you tried it on your own home?
Interested in knowing how to paint brick? check out this link from Behr.
Photo credits:
House & Home, photography by Angus Fergusson