Before we start, I know it's cute. I know it's trendy. And I know home improvement shows promote it. By the way, home improvement shows are terrible ways to learn about building. They are on a budget and a tight schedule. They do what they need to to get the show done on time and under budget, so many of the things you see are half done or done quickly for the show. When the trend was the farmhouse look and all white, they tended to paint the brick. Paint is cheap compared to other options, and there was no wait for materials. Thus, thousands of people followed the trend.
If they haven't regretted it already, eventually they will.
Brick is quite likely the best protection from moisture compared to any type of siding for your home. Brick is a natural product and is porous. To protect your home from moisture, the brick soaks the moisture up and then wicks it away from your interior. Some of the moisture evaporates, and the rest turns to water vapor and drips out of your weep holes. We call this breathing. Your brick needs to breathe. So when you cut off that natural cycle, and the brick can no longer breathe, what happens? What moisture that is already in the brick gets trapped, and any moisture that gets into the brick also gets trapped. The paint may bubble and peel, and then the faces of the brick will spall (pop off) or crumble. You may also begin to have issues INSIDE your home, including mold and mildew or water stains on the walls.
Then there is the maintenance issue. Unaltered brick will need little to no maintenance at all. If you decide to paint the brick, it will need to be repainted every 1-5 years. Some will need it more often and some a lot less, depending on many factors, including climate. I know there are questions, and I will answer some of them here. If you have more questions, feel free to email me at :
What about mineral paint or masonry paint?
Not the Best idea. While masonry paints do allow for some moisture wicking, it just takes a little longer for the detrimental effects to show. ANY coating, whether it be painting, waterproofing, or primer, will disrupt the natural moisture-wicking process. The use of mineral and masonry paint is a bit controversial even among the masonry community; I have, however, seen the detrimental effects of this type of paint, as explained two questions down.
If paint traps moisture from escaping, won’t it also keep moisture out of the walls?
No.
Well, yes and no. It seems that if you “waterproofed “ your brick wall, it would prevent damage. However, moisture will eventually seep in somewhere, and the brick may be unable to wick it away. It may come in from the outside, where the paint is peeling or compromised. Or from some other source. However, brick also prevents moisture damage from the interior.
Yes, the interior.
Plumbing can leak or sweat, or you may have a leaky roof. If your home does not have proper drainage, brick can soak up water from the ground, which is called rising damp. Moisture is an opportunist, and it will find its way in. Don't compromise your home's ability to protect itself.
My House, fireplace, and walls have been painted for years, and there is no visible damage!
The keyword here is visible damage.
Damage to your masonry may not show up for years, particularly indoors (fireplace) or in a drier climate. It is still compromised. Eventually, the damage will show up. Recently, I saw a lady who had bought a building that had been painted with masonry paint. The building had no visible damage. She was getting ready to power wash it. I explained to her that the power wash might just be enough to bring out the damage in the brick. She had no intention of listening to me. Sure enough, as predicted, many of the brick faces had popped right off the next day! So, she decided to repaint it with latex. UGH!!!
What about limewash or whitewash?
Whitewash is a combination of water and drumroll... PAINT. It is definitely better than pure paint, but it is still not recommended. Limewash is a type of whitewash; however, it uses a tint instead of paint. It is very breathable and recommended more than whitewashing.
I hate the color of the brick; what CAN I do that will not damage the brick?
Good News.
You can change your brick color safely. Brick stain is an option. Brick stain comes in most of the colors paints do. It's safe, does not harm the brick, and does not have to be redone every few years to keep it looking good.
German Schmear is also an alternative, as it is made with mortar and is more breathable than paint. The thing to be careful of with the schmear is that it should not be applied too thick and that you must use the correct formulas.
Using modern hard mortar on an older brick building may also cause damage.
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Very informative and well written
Well done
Alan Pettingale