Exposed or unpainted brick conveys warmth and character to a house exterior, and can add texture to walls that would otherwise look plain. However, you might want to give your home a new look with a fresh coat of paint. In today’s post, Masters Roofing weighs the pros and cons of painting brick exteriors.
Pros
Painting your exposed brick exteriors presents some advantages.
- Easy to keep clean. Exposed brick has higher maintenance requirements than most other types of exteriors. Its naturally porous composition easily traps dirt, making it difficult to clean and maintain. Painting exposed brick surfaces makes them smoother and easier to keep clean.
- Boost curb appeal. Exposed bricks are beautiful as they are, but sometimes they might not fit with what you’re planning – perhaps the natural red hue isn’t working with your planned color palette. Painting over the bricks will let you achieve your desired look for your exteriors, but you want to retain the pattern and some of the texture.
- Protection from the elements. Bricks can be worn down by the elements if left unprotected. Paint can create a protective layer that works very much like a sealant.
Cons
Before you commit to having your brick exterior painted, there are a few possible setbacks that you should consider.
- Paint is difficult to strip from brick. As a porous material, brick holds paint well – too well, in fact, that one can’t remove paint by simply scraping it off. Professional paint removal is costly, involves use of various chemicals and specialized equipment, and doesn’t always guarantee perfect results. You can always have your brick exterior repainted if you wish to change its color.
- It still requires regular maintenance. We’ve described above how paint helps make brick easier to keep clean. However, constant exposure to heat and humidity can cause the paint to crack, blister, or chip, making it necessary to repaint the brick exterior every five years or so. Also, depending on the color you choose, the paint may highlight dirt and mold on the wall surface, which means you still have to have them cleaned every once in a while.
Masters Roofing provides exterior renovation services to customers in Memphis, TN, and the surrounding communities. Give us a call at (901) 871-7663 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.