Painting Bricks

Like any surface, it is important to prepare your canvas.To make sure brick surfaces are properly prepared:

1.       You should wait 28 days before painting new brickwork constructed with cement mortar.

2.       Strip the brick wall of any existing paint by using the flat edge of a trowel to scrape away any flaking areas, then follow with a disc sander. Be sure to use protective gear to avoid breathing in any dust. For any residual paint leftover from the sanding process, using a paint stripper solvent with 2 parts warm water to one-half cup trisodium phosphate to scrub the bricks. 

3.    Check all brickwork for defects. White crystal salts called efflorescence can build up on brick surfaces and must be removed before painting. To clear away any efflorescence, wipe down bricks with solution of 5% white vinegar in water, then a damp cloth or paper towel.

4.    Check for any water damage on the bricks. If there’s excess moisture from recent rain, damp rising, or signs of leakage you’ll need to address that before painting too.

Paints go on smoother when applied to a wall that has been prepared with priming. Priming makes the paint last longer too. After they’ve been thoroughly washed and rinsed, the wall should always be allowed plenty of time to dry before continuing with painting.

Outdoor surfaces tend to be rougher, and grittier. When surfaces aren’t level, you might need to sand them down gently, and use a levelling compound before painting. You can improve this by adding an additional coat of weather protection sealant on the brick surface right before applying paint.

1.    Clear the surface of any loose sand or cement. Fill holes and cracks with grouting cement or another surface levelling agent.

2.    Wash the wall with water and a brush removing any other loose material. It should be safe to use a high-pressure hose at this stage to blast away any remaining fine debris or dirt.

3.    Use masking tape along the edges where you don't want to paint, including trims and windows.

4.    Choose a suitable paint designed for the job at hand, and start painting!

5.    With a little bit less need for precision outdoors, you have the freedom to use a larger roller, or even a paint sprayer, if you’re confident. Try to cover the largest areas first with a painting free-for-all, then focus on the smaller areas for finer touch-ups.

An important thing to consider is selecting the right type of paint for brick exteriors. Choose paints that are formulated to give your bricks a more natural look and feel while protecting colour from the elements.

Taubmans All Weather is engineered with Nanoguard® Advanced Technology, which has an interlocking molecular structure that works to create a protective shield. This lets you keep washing away dirt without compromising the quality of the paint or damaging the finish.

Tip: Don’t wait too long between coats when painting exterior bricks, especially if it's a hot day outside.

For painting, brick has one common problem: it's porous. This means that while paint will adhere to the textured surface, it will also absorb a lot more paint than other materials would. Luckily, there are ways to overcome this issue.

Preparing cracks and gaps in advance will be more important indoors than out, to achieve a less rustic feel. Padding the cracks with filler, sanding to get rid of rough edges, and touching up paint in the small grooves between bricks will all take more time and attention to detail.