Should I Paint My Brick House?

House with a red door

 

Many homeowners prefer brick houses due to their durability, strength, texture, and warm architectural aesthetic. Although with time, and as your building ages, all the beauty fades away.  Maybe your red brick home looks overly distressed, like an old institutional building, and you’re wondering whether or not painting the exterior will make a difference. If you decide that your bricks need a makeover, hire professionals who can take care of you. Robo Painting can paint your exterior brick today. 

There are various factors to keep in mind before undertaking this home project. Here are the pros and cons of painting exterior brick.

Can You Paint the Exterior Brick?

It’s entirely up to you to decide whether to paint your exterior brick. However, you don’t have to paint your brick house. Instead, you can choose your preferred color and go with bare brick to enjoy timeless beauty with low maintenance.

However, if you want to give your home a new look, painting exterior brick might still be an option. Before you do this, consider the pros and cons of painting exterior brick. 

 

Pros of Painting Exterior Brick

A paint refresh offers numerous benefits to an outdated look of red, orange, or yellow exterior brick. 

1. Boosts Curb Appeal

Painting exterior brick has a substantial visual impact on your home’s appearance. It boosts curb appeal while increasing your home’s value. Done well, the painted exterior brick looks sophisticated and modern. 

To upgrade your home’s appearance, you can choose from numerous color options, including dark gray and classic white. Typically, this is one of the primary reasons homeowners paint their exterior brick.

 

2. Protection from Weather Elements

Over time, extreme weather conditions like rain and snow wear down exterior brick. Paint protects your exterior brick from seasonal weather changes. 

Additionally, paint can help protect the brick from fading, water damage, and other elements that might degrade your home’s exterior.

 

3. Effortless Cleaning

Unpainted or bare brick has many nooks and crannies that make it difficult to clean. Paint adds a smooth surface to your exterior brick, making it easier to clean. 

Painted exterior brick also doesn’t attract dirt and debris, unlike bare brick. As a result, you won’t need to clean your home’s exterior more often.

 

Cons of Painting Exterior Brick

While it may be a good idea to paint exterior brick, you should also weigh the downsides before undertaking the home project. Here are some cons to keep in mind.

 

1. It’s Permanent

Once you paint your exterior brick, there’s no going back. You’ll never experience the beauty of bare bricks. You may strip the paint using chemicals, but it’s costly and time-consuming, and the results won’t be pleasing. The good news is you can frequently change the paint color.

 

2. Paint May Chip

Excess moisture is a big concern for painted brick, especially near the ground. Painted brick may trap moisture causing the paint to chip. Fortunately, you can prevent this problem by using breathable paint.

 

3. More Maintenance 

If you choose to go down this road, be ready for more maintenance requirements. Ideally, you’ll need to repaint your home’s exterior, perhaps after 5-10 years, to maintain the curb appeal. 

The frequency of maintenance will depend on the quality of the paint and how it’s applied. Furthermore, you’ll need to clean your home’s exterior more often to remove the painted brick’s dirt, mildew, and debris build-up. 

 

Should You Paint Exterior Brick? 

The answer is entirely up to you. You can paint exterior brick to boost curb appeal, protect it from weather elements and ensure effortless cleaning. If you’d like to paint your brick, make sure you hire a professional painter to do the job. Robo Painting can help you get started today. Contact us to learn more about our top-quality painting services.

 

Image Credit: Artazum / Shutterstock