Painting a house is a big job regardless of its size. A lot of preparation is required, and multiple decisions have to be made. Most people will need to enlist the services of a professional residential painting contractor in order to get the results they are looking for. This is especially true if their home is large or is constructed with multiple stories. One question that often comes up is whether a brick house should be painted.

Pros and Cons of Painting Brick

Some people may have had a bad experience in the past when they attempted to paint their brick house. However, that could have been because the wrong paint was used, or the paint was applied incorrectly. If you are a homeowner in the Virginia Beach VA or the Chesapeake VA area and are considering painting your brick house, there are some definite pros and cons that you should consider. Here are four of the pros:

1. New Look

Painting a brick house can give it a new and trendy look. If your home is old, the brick could simply be out of style. This is especially true if the color of the brick is red, orange or yellow. You may also be faced with a roof that needs to be replaced and have discovered that there is a limited number of colors and styles that would look good with your brick.

By painting your brick and reroofing your house at approximately the same time, you will have a wide variety of colors to choose from. Professional brick painters could give you some advice on how to best match the color of your roof with the color of your brick.

2. Better Curb Appeal

If you are considering selling your house at any time in the near future, you know how important curb appeal can be. It can make the difference in whether a prospective buyer makes an appointment to see your house or not. A fresh paint job applied by a professional brick painting company can be a lifesaver in that regard. If your home has been freshly painted, it will have greater curb appeal. This will increase the likelihood that a prospective buyer will make an appointment to see it.

On the other hand, if your home looks like it needs painting or the brick color is outdated, the buyers may simply mark your home off their list and head on to the next house. Again, a professional residential painting contractor could help you choose the color that would give your house the most curb appeal. For instance, dark colors like slate gray and light colors like classic white both have good curb appeal when painted correctly by a professional brick painting company.

3. Protection from the Elements

While brick is an extremely durable material, painting the brick can actually help to protect it from the elements. When the paint is properly applied by professional brick painters, the paint will seal the surface, which blocks out moisture and protects the home from seasonal changes. Paint will also protect the home’s exterior surface from fading as well as from such things as mold and mildew.

4. Easy Cleanup

Brick is a naturally porous material that tends to trap dirt and debris, making it hard to clean. Painting the brick, though, will provide a smooth surface that is much easier to clean. Even if the surface should get dirty, it can easily be cleaned by power washing it.

Cons

Although painting the brick on your house can certainly be beneficial, there are some cons that should be considered before you begin. Here are three of them:

1. Painting Brick Is Permanent

Once you paint the brick on your house, it would be extremely difficult to go back to a natural brick surface. About the only way to remove the paint would be to sandblast the surface, which could be very expensive and could damage the brick. For all practical purposes, then, painting brick is a permanent event.

On the other side of the coin, if you paint the brick on your house and later decide that you don’t like the color, you could simply have the brick repainted. The best advice is to proceed slowly and make sure that painting the brick on your house is really what you want to do.

2. Repainting May Be Necessary

Although painting brick will seal its surface and block out moisture, excess moisture can be detrimental at ground level and can cause the paint to chip. Because of this, it may be necessary to repaint the brick every 7 to 10 years. On the plus side, periodically repainting your home will keep it looking fresh and protect its surface for many years to come.

3. More Frequent Cleaning May Be Required

Painting brick will seal the otherwise porous surface and make it easier to clean. However, the slick surface will show dirt and mildew more than the rough surface of the brick. This means that if you paint your home’s brick surface, it may have to be cleaned more often.

Cleaning should be fairly easy, though, and would most likely only take a mild power washing. You could probably get a residential painting contractor or a specialty house cleaning company to clean the exterior of your house for only a few hundred dollars.

Brick Painting Tips

If you decide to paint the brick on your house, there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Here are four tips to make sure that your paint job is successful:

1. Don’t Paint Damaged Brick

Never paint brick that is molded, chipped or otherwise damaged. While painting good brick is perfectly acceptable, painting damaged brick will only cause problems. This is because damaged brick is more susceptible to moisture, which can cause your paint to chip and peel off.

2. Use the Right Paint

Painting brick isn’t like painting wood or vinyl siding due to its texture. Brick is very porous and requires a certain type of paint to adhere properly. In most cases, you will need a high-quality masonry paint to get the results you want. You may also need to apply a prime coat. If you aren’t sure what paint to use or how to use it, you can consult with an expert at a local paint center or with professional brick painters like Hughes Painting.

3. Consider Smaller Changes

If you have any doubts about painting your brick house, you should delay the decision. Don’t forget that painting your brick is permanent and almost impossible to undo. Instead of painting your brick, you could freshen up your home’s exterior by painting the trim on your house or by painting your garage door. You could also paint your shutters and window trim. All of those things would boost your home’s curb appeal.

4. Hire an Expert to Paint Your Brick House

If you are seriously considering painting the brick on your home, give Hughes Painting a call today. We would love to discuss your project with you and advise you on whether it would make sense to paint your brick. We can also help you choose the right paint if you decide to proceed.

Our experts know exactly what paint to use and how to apply it correctly. We also have the right tools to insure a professional job. Our technicians will do everything possible to make sure that you get an upscale paint job without an upscale price.