With a material as common as brick, it’s not uncommon to look for ways to spice up what can be an ordinary part of your home. Despite its simple appearance and function, brick is surprisingly complex and painting brick isn’t as simple as you may think. If you’re wondering if painting your interior or exterior brick is right for your home, we have the answers! Read on to discover whether or not you should paint your brick.
Consider Your Brick
Brick can have a number of different colors and textures that are worth considering when using it as an element in interior design. Aesthetic tastes vary, but when it comes to painting brick, there are a few instances where it makes sense to call in a professional painting contractor.
Red Brick
Interior walls brick walls can be tricky. Left unpainted, those walls can become a prominent feature that dominates the room and distracts from other interior design elements. You can tame this effect and give yourself greater freedom in decorating by painting your brick wall.
Similarly, if a room with brick walls has other assets that are supposed to be the main focus of the room, you should consider painting the brick. This will prevent your brick from hogging the attention and will allow the other design element to breathe, keeping the room from feeling too “busy” in the process.
Low Lighting
If a room has low or dark lighting, consider painting the brick in the room. Manipulating its color and getting rid of its typical dim look can help avoid a “basement” feel. Use a light color shade to help brighten up the room and make it seem more welcoming. Not to mention, painting your brick a light color will make your room feel bigger!
House Renovations
Wanting to make your old house more contemporary? Brick walls might be the place to start. They can be a reminder of behind‑the‑times‑styles and disrupt the overall atmosphere that you’re going for. Painting brick walls not only fixes this problem, but also provides another modern design element that reinforces your home’s modern vibe.
Children’s Rooms
Whether it be a playroom, a bedroom, or something else entirely, the objects in a child’s room are most likely going to be a wide variety of vibrant hues. In this case, painting the brick can create a neutral background, allowing individually colored accessories to stand out in contrast and make the room feel more playful!
Material Reasons
Some forms of old brick actually need to be painted to maintain structural integrity. More porous or handmade brick might benefit from a coat of paint to protect the porous surface from mildew or other types of water damage.
Remember, once paint is on brick, it’s pretty much permanent. Stripping paint off of brick is difficult and costly. If your brick has already been painted, you shouldn’t try to strip the paint before painting, rather, you should just paint over the existing coat.
Structural Concerns
It’s important to remember that painting your brick may not be smart, especially if it’s on your house’s exterior. Brick “breathes,” because it is porous. Water enters through the brick and mortar joints, and then evaporates. Painting over brick traps that water inside, which can lead to water damage and other structural damage to your home. To avoid any potential moisture issues, be sure to ask your painting contractor about any concerns you might have.
Contact Curb Appeal Painting
For your brick painting project or any other exterior or interior residential painting project, call Curb Appeal today, or contact us here for a free online quote!
