House painting in Pleasanton allows you to paint different surfaces, however masonry surfaces such as brick and mortar are usually left in their original appearance. Because they tend to be porous, masonry surfaces are not commonly intended to be coated with paint. You may be surprised to know you can paint a brick exterior. Homeowners paint exterior brick surfaces mostly to hide surface flaws. Yet unlike painting wood, painting bricks needs a different approach. There are challenges and risks associated with painting brick, but as long as you follow these tips you will be able to arrive at your desired result.
First, you have to decide if you really want to paint the brick (especially with an altogether different color), or just stain it.
Once you’ve decided to paint the brick, check first if the quality of the brick makes it ok to be painted. If you find out that the brick is badly chipping or deteriorating, then it doesn’t make a good candidate for paint. This instead calls for a prompt repair.
If the brick is in good shape, you should proceed to your painting job. Like in painting other surfaces, the key to a successful painting bricks lies on the cleaning and prepping.
If the brick has any loose efflorescence or “chalk,” remove it with a wire brush. Then wash the surface. A pressure washer will quickly remove any dirt and grime on the surface. If you are going to do a bit more intense cleaning, use trisodium phosphate (TSP) or its equivalent to remove more stubborn dirt.
Do you see any mold or mildew on the surface? If you do, then prepare a cleaning solution consisting of three parts water and one part bleach. Or you can buy commercially-prepared anti-mildew cleaning solutions. Just make sure, though, that you follow the label instructions closely.
Rinse the surface thoroughly and allow it to dry. You may have to be a bit patient before the brick surface completely dries. If it is not dry, the results won’t be what you want on half-dried brick.
Once the brick is perfectly dried, apply an acrylic latex (water-based) primer. Better yet, use a primer or sealer specifically formulated for brick and other types of masonry. The primer will help the topcoat to bond evenly on the surface, as well as create a barrier to prevent the topcoat from bleeding into the surface, especially considering that brick has tiny pores. It also helps in minimizing the amount of paint required. Once you’ve applied the primer, allow it to dry completely.
Finally, apply one or two coats of acrylic latex paint. Make sure that the paint you use is high-grade, quality paint. Spray-painting bricks is found to be the easiest process compared to painting with brushes. It will also ensure the surface is evenly coated.
House painting in Pleasanton has its share of difficulties, and one of them is painting a brick exterior. However, given the right materials and techniques, you will arrive at a professional-looking finish: freshened-up brick with a new color.
