Painting Exterior Brick

[ZaneO]

We are looking into buying our first home and found one we like pretty well but don't particularly care for the color of the brick. We are looking into the possibility of painting the brick.

Does anyone have experience with painting the exterior brick on their home? Difficulty, expense, etc.

[bigltc]

I wouldn't paint. It's very hard to go back to the original brick color if you get tired of the paint. Painting brick is common around here, so it shouldn't be difficult. Check with a mason about staining or dying your brick.

[dpsorg]

Brick is easy to paint if you spray it; anything else is a lot of work (rent an airless). The paint will last forever because it gets such a good grip, so you can use cheap paint. That's good if you don't want the original brick back. In a warm climate, painting it white or a light color will make a nice difference on interior temps.

[zippymbr]

I have painted more homes than I care to admit. Painting brick is not all that hard if done right. Pressure wash the entire thing and let dry completely. If you plan to use an airless back roll over the brick to get the best coverage an allow the primer and paint to fully penetrate. Now for primers, get a good block fill acrylic primer from one of the bigger name paint suppliers. I avoid HD and lowes for paint. Goto a real paint store, their help and advice can be a real time and money saver.