You may notice a painted brick home as you drive around Mobile and Baldwin counties. Or five or ten. Maybe a hundred. They are everywhere, and white or cream painted brick has reached fevered pitch. It’s become the go-to house exterior update, and many of my clients are asking my opinion about painting their own brick.
By way of a public service announcement, my opinion is: Don’t go painting your brick house, at least not without thinking really hard about the implications first. And if you do paint your house, white painted brick is at the end of it’s trend life, so proceed with color/trend caution. But first, her are a few practical things to consider before you opt to paint:
Painted brick is high maintenance compared to bare brick. Brick is kiln baked and is an extremely strong, long-lasting building material that requires little maintenance. It doesn’t bubble, chip or fade like paint will, even in the harsh weather conditions of the Gulf Coast.
Natural brick “breathes.” Natural brick absorbs and disposes of excess moisture, which is a big darn deal where we live. Painted brick traps moisture that can damage the mortar joints of the brick, as well as interior walls and insulation and wiring contained within them, in as little as 5-10 years.
Should you ever change your mind, removing paint from brick is a huge undertaking, one that most homeowners are not willing to pay for.
If you’re still not convinced, consider this: As with any trend, painted brick is all the rage right now, but how long will it last? Is it a timeless design choice? One that won’t timestamp your house 2016-2019? Trends move fas,t and the choice of painted brick shouldn’t be made as lightly as buying a new style of sofa or rolling the cuffs of your favorite skinny jeans. It’s a choice that could end up costing you thousands of dollars in maintenance in the long run, so be sure it’s the right choice for you. Consider the amount of maintenance you can afford on the exterior of your home to keep it looking its very best.
Like more information to paint or not to paint? Check out these articles and decide for yourself what is best for you:http://www.masonryofdenver.com/2014/08/shouldnt-paint-brick/ and https://www.networx.com/article/the-problem-with-painting-a-brick-house.
