Painting Brick Wall and What You Should Know

Painting Brick Wall is a reliable and durable feature .it is well worth the time and effort to make it an attractive feature for your home. Many paint manufacturers offer primer, paint or a primer/paint combination product specifically for brick or concrete, so this will make transforming it into a thing of beauty relatively easy.

Painting exterior brick wall ideas: You can paint the wall all one colour, or if you want to be uniquely creative with changing the look of your brick or concrete wall, consider painting the bricks or blocks different colours or in a checkerboard or other pattern or design.

Painting most masonry, such as brick or concrete, is a permanent decision, so think carefully about what you want to do with this feature. You can always paint over it again, but removing paint from brick or concrete is generally tricky.

Read this Blog If you want to Paint your Brick Wall yourself.

Not everyone has dealt with painting a concrete wall or brick wall before. It isn’t as difficult as some may think though. When dealing with exterior or interior walls, the process is mostly the same. So don’t worry too much! There are a few things you can do to make sure you don’t run into issues though. We will talk about those steps, and a few others; plus tips and pointers during the whole process. Always remember as well, there are skilled professionals still available to you. If your list of tasks is already a lot to handle, don’t sweat it. You can contact a home painter for your paint needs. Painting concrete walls and bring walls is part of the job.

What you should know about painting Brick walls

There are a few things you will have to take into consideration. When you are painting a concrete wall, it isn’t like painting a common wall or painting aluminum siding. When dealing with drywall, or sheetrock, you generally take the same steps. Fill cracks with putty. Sand and make sure everything is flush and scuffed for paint. Apply your primer, and then your paint. So knowing the basics of these steps, here are some differences.

With painting concrete walls, you may have to ignore some smaller cracks and pits. They will get filled by the primer. While painting brick walls, you don’t have to fill the grout lines. You could, if you wanted to, take your time with fillers and putties to make a perfectly flat surface. We will assume though; you are taking a “let’s get this job done” attitude into the task, shall we. You will want to fill in the significant cracks and chunks.

Now, when it comes to sanding, the spots you filled will be your focus. Concrete walls already have a rough enough surface that the paint will be able to grab on just fine. Making sure you have a smooth surface around your filled cracks will help with a softer finish in the end. Any massive build-up of grout on brick walls, you may have to chip away and sand.

With painting concrete walls, it comes down to the paint most of all in the end. You will need a primer that a specially made just for this kind of job. Concrete is very porous, just like a big sponge. With any regular primer or paint, your walls will end up pulling a lot of the paint into itself. Even with this primer, you may have to do a few layers. Taking this step as well with your paint, and it will help with a more beautiful finish. You will want to use a 100% acrylic latex paint.

Time to Start Painting Your Brick Wall Or concrete wall 

Ok, so now let’s put our knowledge to work. What you will need, will be a crack filler, heavy-grit sandpaper, concrete primer, and acrylic latex paint. Use a brush or roller sized for the area you are working in. Painters tape, and drop sheets or paper. Wear gloves, and glasses if needed. In tight spaces, you may get some spray back while using a roller. Always keep your area ventilated, and if fumes from paints or any cleaners you are using bother you, wear a mask.

Clean the surface before you start painting bricks

As with any painting job, a clean surface is necessary for the paint to adhere. Wash the brick or concrete wall with water and vinegar, or detergent, to remove dirt, debris or mould with a scrubbing brush or wire brush. Power washing may be suitable for concrete (if outdoors), but generally, it’s not recommended for brick because it can cause chips and other damage.

• Start with your crack filler. Fill in all the large surface crack and pits you can find. Remember, by filling in the larger cracks and holes before any exterior house painting projects, you will save your self on paint usage. After you have filled and flattened, let it dry as the product instructs.
• When all the filler is dry, start to sand down all the rough spots. As said before, with brick walls you may chunk on grout to deal with. Knock them off with a hammer or chisel of some kind. Sand around those areas as well. The wall is already quite porous remember, so you won’t have to work too hard after that.
• Lay down your drop sheets and tap off anything you don’t want to be painted. Acrylic latex paint is not the easiest to get off of, well, anything. So when painting concrete walls, this is a crucial step.
• Apply your first layer of primer, and let dry. You will most likely need to apply a second coat. With your primer you may be able to fill in most of the smaller pits and cracks.
• When your layers of primer have dried, take the same step with your paint. The concrete will absorb a lot of the primer and paint, so you can be generous with your amount at times. Try not to overdo it though! This stuff does not come off quickly.
• Let dry, and clean up.

The Best Paint for Painting a brick Wall Or Concrete Wall

What is the best paint for brick wall painting? If you only want to paint the brick or concrete wall one solid colour, then use a roller with a long nap to get into the grooves and holes. Or use a spray gun if the area is appropriate and you can cover everything that might get in the way. However, masonry paint is generally thicker than ordinary paint — which allows it to expand and contract since masonry is porous and breathable — so get advice on what paint is best for a spray gun.

You’ll likely need two coats of paint since brick and concrete absorb it so well. As with all painting projects, be sure the first coat dries before applying the second coat.

Painting brick or concrete not only provides the pleasure of the new colour to space, but the texture of masonry is maintained so adds to its beauty.