Painting the outside of your house isn’t cheap.
For instance, the cost of painting a home’s exterior can reach up to $6,000 in the United States. Larger houses could face even greater sums. Clearly, that paint job you want amounts to a hefty home investment.
However, money isn’t the only factor to consider. The material that your home is made from should also come into the decision making process. Simply put, some materials are easier to paint than others.
Brickwork is one particular building material that can cause difficulties. You may be determined to have that brick painted over, but there’s a thing or two you should stop and think about first.
Here is a list of things to consider before painting your exterior brick.
Prior to Painting
- There’s No Turning Back
Good news: Paint is rarely permanent.
You can go ahead and paint anything with the confidence it’ll come off if you need it to. However, that doesn’t make the removal process easy. In fact, unfortunately for you, brick is one of the most difficult materials from which to remove paint.
It isn’t impossible. However, painted exteriors usually require serious chemicals to strip it away from the surface. Pressure washers also work, but you risk damaging the brick as you go. That makes it too risky. All in all, stripping paint from brick can be a laborious, costly process.
As such, be aware that painting your house is something of a commitment. Once it’s done, it’s pretty much done. There’s no going back, at least for a while.
- Time Can Impact Appearance
If you are considering painting, you probably hate the appearance of your brickwork.
You might be absolutely certain that the right paint combination will fix the problem. After all, the houses on your street all look the same, and you want to stamp your personality upon yours.
The paint you apply could look fantastic, and you might be the envy of your neighbors, at least for a time.
We say “for a time” because paint has a nasty habit of flaking, fading and peeling away after a while. Now, that doesn’t happen all the time, and often depends on the quality of the initial work. Still, it’s a definite possibility.
Improving the aesthetic of your house is probably your sole purpose of painting it. Imagine doing so and having it be detrimental in the long run.
- There’s the Potential for Damage
Brickwork is a living organism. Not really, but what we mean is that essentially your brick “breathes.”
Imagine a raincoat. A breathable raincoat stops the elements from entering, while continuing to allow heat to escape. A similar process happens with your bricks.
It adapts to the weather and climate, providing protection from the elements, while staying “breathable.” That’s good for your house.
The application of paint successfully puts a stop to that. Likewise, applying paint can trap any moisture that’s already inside the brick. As the temperature increases and decreases, the brick and mortar can start to degrade.
- It Won’t Be Cheap
This one’s worth mentioning again.
As we talked about before, painting your home isn’t cheap! The cost of hiring a pro to do a proper paint job of your home can run into thousands of dollars.
Remember the risks that we’ve just talked about? Are you still willing to invest the necessary money with such potential problems around the corner?
The Decision is Made
Now let’s imagine you’ve made your mind up already. With the decision made, here are three more practical brick painting considerations.
- Check for Water Damage
Remember how moisture in the brick can cause problems under a layer of paint?
The best way around that is to check for water damage beforehand. Spots of damp and mold suggest there’s water coming through somewhere.
It’s a slippery slope if you don’t fix the issues first and let the masonry dry. Failing to do so will lead your paint to peel and your bricks to crack. Those cracks let more water in, and the problems get worse from there.
- You’ve Got to Prepare and Clean it First
Your brickwork must be cleaned and prepared properly for the paint job to be successful.
Take the issue of efflorescence, for example. Your home’s brick and mortar have water-soluble salts in them. The water will evaporate over time. As it does, the salt gets left behind on the surface of the brick.
That might not sound like much of a problem. However, the result is a brick that paint won’t stick to as strongly. Cleaning is imperative.
- You’ll Need Ongoing Maintenance
Your first coats of paint won’t be enough.
Sure, it may look good for a while. However, you’ll almost certainly need to repaint your exterior at regular intervals. As we’ve seen, the appearance of the paint can suffer over time. A fresh lick of paint will help spruce it back up.
However, poor quality paint-work can be detrimental to the brick as well. Fresh layers of paint will help maintain the level of protection provided by it.
Obviously, ongoing maintenance can be a hassle, as well as a financial issue. Reduce the need for it by being diligent with the first coat. Use a high-quality primer and paint for the job.
Time to Wrap Up
There you have it, what to know before you try painting brick.
Painting the outside of your brick home could feel like a necessity. You want to spruce up the exterior, show off your style, and be the envy of your neighbors. However, it isn’t cheap, and as we’ve seen, it isn’t straight-forward. Be sure to think carefully about the decision before committing to it.
Hopefully, the information here has been of help in making your decision!
Decided to go ahead with the paintwork? Looking for expert support in NW Florida? Contact us today and spruce up your brick home without breaking the bank.