Best way to paint brick?

[pronstar]

We have a bit of unfinished red brick in our house, wife wants it painted white.

What’s the best way to go about this...without using a paint gun?

Best way to clean & prep it?
Best pint to use - she wants bright white.
Do I need primer?



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[CarolynandBob]

20 years ago when I did it I used TSP to clean it. Then used killz primers. Don't remember what paint I used but was probably from home depot. Worked well and was still looking good when I sold the house 5 years later.

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Pressure wash it.....oil based Kilz....paint. You can probably use a muriatic acid/water mix to etch it. And using a paint gun will probably get all the crevices better....especially between mortar joints.

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Oh shit.....its in the house.....good luck without a pressure washer....

 

[Mandelon]

There are paints made for brick and stucco. Is this interior or exterior? Does it get damp?

If you want it to be white washed go at it with a mix of paint and water, and just keep recoating until you get the depth of color needed. Could take three coats.

If you are going for a straight up white, then a good primer would be the ticket first for sure.

Home Depot Behr paint is decent stuff. Otherwise go to Sherwin Williams or Dunn Edwards. Tell the counter guys, they can help pick what you need.

 

[Mandelon]

Paint gun definitely best, you can rent them at equipment rental yards. For a small area, use 3/34 nap roller and some cheap brushes for the mortar joints. It will likely take multiple coats no matter what.

 

[Gramps]

Best way to paint brick?

Hire a painter

 

[mitch6601]

Brick sucks up a lot of paint - so if at all possible a paint sprayer is the way to go for less time doing the task, ease of application and complete coverage as someone else stated. I have done a few walls myself and I honestly believe it is money well spent to hire a pro. Lots of good owner/operator guys out there - just check their reviews first. Last wall my pops went with a friend that referred a guy. Again money well spent for the amount of work that has to be done.

 

[Yellowboat]

Is she 100% sure she wants it paint? Once it is Pinter, striping it is jot really something you want done.

Glazed or in glazed brick?

For prep warm water and a soft nylon brush is your best bet.

Get a good Masonic primer( Dunn Edwards effstop for example) then top coat.

If it's glazed brick, just prime it. If it's unglazed, take a Hudson sprayer and mist it with water 1st. Not a lot, just a very fine mist. It will help you get better coverage and help it soak in. A roller and a brush works fine, just make sure you roll in all directions, up down, side to side and diagonal. The better you prime it, the easier top coating will be

 

[termiteguy]

Yes kilzs primer oil based a heavy nap roller go to dun Edwards and ask for arista shield paint the sticks the best it's a hybrid paint good on metal and wood lays down like like oil based paint and minimal brush marks. Fyi wear gloves does not wash off easily. And a good purdy brand brush. I wouldn't use a sprayer inside the house and good luck remember pics or it didn't happen

 

[Yellowboat]

I would actually not recomend de artisa line. It's a good product, but it is a hybrid product, the alkyd resin will yellow over time. He mentioned she wanted it white. The last thing he wants to hear, is " honey, why does the brick not match x any more?" If it is near a fire place, alkyd products can also absorb carbon and sulphur from smoke and discolor

Also kills oil is the wrong product for this application.

 

[wallnutz]

God damn you guys want him to work his ass off. It’s interior brick that I am taking has been there a while. Take a stiff bristle brush and dust it off taking your time with the grout. Make sure there is no loose grout, fix it if there is. Decide if you want any sheen to it, if not grab yourself a good grade of flat paint and a 1” roller and go to town. Plan on a couple coats to fill in all the voids. You can work the roller with that thick of nap to fill then in. Just go back and roll over any thick roller lines and heavy spots with a semi dry roller. If you want some sheen to it, grab some water based Kilz and roll a coat on like described above. Then roll a good coat of the enamel on. You should do all the brush cut in first.
If it is glazed brick, you will need a little more prep and use a primmer like Glidden Gripper.

 

[pronstar]

Thanks fellers. I like the low-level of effort approach LOL

My wife volunteered her parents to do the work, so I need to make this process as “in-law proof” as possible.

Unglazed, indoor.
I’m thinking a semi-gloss, with the caveats notes above, will do the trick?


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[nuckingfuts]

Better yet talk the wife out of painting the brick at all. Painted brick looks like crap imo.

 

[Yellowboat]

Thanks fellers. I like the low-level of effort approach LOL

My wife volunteered her parents to do the work, so I need to make this process as “in-law proof” as possible.

Unglazed, indoor.
I’m thinking a semi-gloss, with the caveats notes above, will do the trick?


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You will hate the semi gloss. If you want some shine, I would go velvet.which is just up from flat. When it comes to paint, low after it always gives low results. Do it right once, not several times. If you prime it well, you should only have too paint it once, then come back with a brush and touch up the mortar.

 

[pronstar]

Better yet talk the wife out of painting the brick at all. Painted brick looks like crap imo.

I already lost that discussion LOL


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[wallnutz]

Thanks fellers. I like the low-level of effort approach LOL

My wife volunteered her parents to do the work, so I need to make this process as “in-law proof” as possible.

Unglazed, indoor.
I’m thinking a semi-gloss, with the caveats notes above, will do the trick?


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Yep, same process I described above Water based Kilz for first coat , then finish coat. I do agree with yellowboat to go with less sheen. Velvet or eggshell. I would prefer velvet.

 

[wsuwrhr]

Just don't.

Some genius painted our fireplace brick white. I have always hated it.

Brian

 

[wallnutz]

Yep, same process I described above Water based Kilz for first coat , then finish coat. I do agree with yellowboat to go with less sheen. Velvet or eggshell. I would prefer velvet.

You can also use the Glidden Gripper for first coat, it might be a little cheaper. You can also get it at HD.

 

[lbhsbz]

I'm not big on brick, but painted brick IMO looks lousy. Both of the house I've owned have had lots of brick...and the one nice thing about it is, it never looks dirty or dusty. If you paint the bricks white, you will then be cleaning them, as the mortar lines create steps that will attract dust. Cleaning individual mortar lines on a brick wall constantly doesn't strike me a good time.

 

[rivermobster]

I already lost that discussion LOL


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This is what I did...

Maybe run it by her and see what she says. The old ugly red brick is underneath it. Nothing looks worse than pained bricks!

 

[Ultra912]

Lot of homes are painting the stucco these days. Look for an epoxy based paint designed for exterior stucco

 

[Ziggy]

Yeah, I'd be going with some sort of overlay of stacked stone, tiles or something else other than paint. Painted bricks look cheap to me, i assume usually someone is wanting to cover an ugly part of the house.
A stylish textured or patterned white tile would be much nicer.

 

[Classic Daycruiser]

Go ahead and paint it.
He live in Dallas, and for that area of the country, I believe they call it white washing, and is popular around that area.

 

[teded]

Flat white with a brush, then a semi gloss and a three inch short nap dry roller, wasn’t that hard

Sent from space

 

[D19]

I painted the brick in my old house. I think I just used a semi gloss. I didn't plan to stay long or else I would have have ripped the cabinets out and put marble over it.

Before

View attachment 689300



After

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Go ahead and paint it.
He live in Dallas, and for that area of the country, I believe they call it white washing, and is popular around that area.

White wash and painting white are very different end results.

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[Yellowboat]

White wash and painting white are very different end results.

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painting is actually easier. with white washing you have to be right on top of things in consistency and dry time or it will come out uneven. its not hard, but it is more work. the good news is if you try white washing and mess it up, you just paint over it.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

painting is actually easier. with white washing you have to be right on top of things in consistency and dry time or it will come out uneven. its not hard, but it is more work. the good news is if you try white washing and mess it up, you just paint over it.

They make whitewash particular products that are supposedly much easier to apply tham the traditional meathod. Ive been looking into it for my natural stone fireplace. Its but ugly stone though.

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[Yellowboat]

Look up milk paints. Very easy too use, just kind of spendy.

 

[rrrr]

You will hate the semi gloss. If you want some shine, I would go velvet, which is just up from flat.

No no no. Eggshell, not velvet.

I had to throw in my $.02.

 

[pronstar]

I think white brick can look great, this is the theme / colors she’s picked out.

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[Yellowboat]

I just hope she likes it cuz once she goes there she really can't go back.