Are you scared to paint your brick?
The right paint can help a brick home feel more modern. Or, it can add an unexpected pop of colour to draw people to a storefront. However, using a standard exterior paint can cause your exciting update to look like an arts & crafts project gone wrong. With the right type of paint and following proper technical recommendations, the outcome can be stunning and enduring.
Additionally, a brick exterior coated with the right type of paint allows the inherent qualities of brick to remain intact. The brick remains low maintenance, reduce energy costs, doesn’t burn, and can protects against severe weather like tornadoes, hail and hurricanes.
Brick’s built-in drainage system
To explain why specially formulated brick paint is recommended, here’s a little “Brick 101.” One of the wonderful benefits of brick is brick itself doesn’t leak. However, if the mortar cracks, this allows moisture to get in your wall. Thankfully, masons build in a moisture management system during installation. They leave a 1-inch gap between the brick and the wall and install drainage – also known as weep holes – at the bottom of the wall. This way if water gets in, it drains down the back of the brick and out of the weep hole. (The things you never knew about brick…and why it’s so important to hire a brick mason to lay brick rather than a handy generalist.)
Painting over this marvelous material and built-in moisture management system could cause problems if you use the wrong paint. Let’s say you painted your brick wall a few days after a storm or right after you cleaned the brick exterior with a hose. While it appears dried out, there may still be moisture you can’t see. If you paint over damp brick with no air flow, you trap any remaining moisture and the paint will bubble and chip.
Breathable paint for brick
The good news is there are paints and lime washes designed just for masonry and have breathability characteristics. One phenomenal exterior masonry product is called ROMABIO. The specially formulated mineral masonry paints are highly durable. The long-lasting paint won’t peel or flake off, has high-UV resistance and is naturally mold-resistant. The paint is available in smooth or textured variations. If you want a more textured look, you can use the textured product. But there’s another surprising thing people can do with this product. Using the textured paint on textured brick causes it to appear smoother. Additionally, ROMABIO is not only suited for exterior use. Created with people and the environment in mind, the products are free of solvents and toxic emissions.
Questions to ask about brick paint
People often want to know about brick paint durability. The answer depends on which brand and coating you choose. For example, ROMABIO offers a 20-year limited warranty when applied as a 2 coat system.
When you’re shopping for brick mineral paint or brick limewash, be sure to ask:
Is it UV-Resistant?
How long will it last?
Do I need to use a primer?
How many coats will it require?
Is there a warranty?
Achieve your look
If you love the limewash or painted brick look, we want you to have the right information so you can be fearless. While the clean, crisp painted look is a current trend and gaining popularity, people also love the creamy, aged limewashed look too. When the light farmhouse colours allow the brick to peek through, homeowners can enjoy the beauty of the brick’s natural aging over time. Before you embark on this exciting project, we have more helpful tips on how to match your personality to your painted brick project and how to properly clean the brick before you get started.
Visit a Canada Brick location near you for ROMABIO and to discuss everything about your painted brick project, from paint to even buying the perfect textured brick to paint over for a new build or accent wall.