Burning Question: To Paint Or Not To Paint?
This is one of those topics that we just know will stir things up. Where do you stand when it comes to brick houses. Specifically: to paint…
… or not to paint?
We know some people are adamantly against painting exterior brick while others love the look of a charming painted brick cottage. And what about whitewashing, liming or sandblasting for that aged effect? Is the only acceptable brick treatment to leave it au naturale? Or do you prefer the look of brick with a bit of paint on top? We whipped up this handy little poll to keep everything tabulated, but we’d also love to hear more about why you voted the way you did, so feel free to comment away with more details.
[poll id="6"]
First pic courtesy of myhomeideas.com, second pic from a House Crashing adventure of yore.
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I love both! We’re thinking of painting our 70′s ranch for a more updated feel.
This isn’t a question about brick-painting, but I’m wondering about people’s experiences with jute rug (for selfish reasons of course–I’m trying to pick one out!). I’ve been hearing people say you’ve got to buy expensive ones because cheap ones are too rough/scratchy and can have unraveling/string type issues, but I’m hoping that isn’t the case since Overstock has some amazing deals on jute right now! Anyone have personal experiences with jute rugs that they care to share? :-)
We’ve had a cheap-o $70 version from Lowe’s in our den for years and it’s braided (which always feels softer) and lovely. It’s our favorite! We also have rougher ones in our kitchen and bedroom but we still love them (for that vacationing-in-Bali feel). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sarah’s House (oh, I love this show) stained the brick on the mid-century modern house they did – it looked amazing!! I would definitely consider that option, too.
Not for my adorable red clinker brick storybook tudor…but for those less fortunate. : )
I like the look of painted brick but I don’t think I could ever bring myself to do it. Besides brick is so easy to maintain why give your self one more thing to do on your house.
My hubz and I are absolutely ga-ga over our modest brick ranch:)
I like brick houses, grew up in one, and was convinced that I wanted a brick or stone house of my own. Not what I ended up with, but…. Both have less exterior work on the maintenance side. However, as much as I like painted brick houses, it does add to the work. My neighbors have a brick house, painted white. Looks great. Took them all summer last year to repaint. They did it themselves and did it right by scraping the loose paint first, but still. Major project! It does look great though.
paint paint paint.
I love both, as long as the painted brick is done tastefully!
I’m so glad ya’ll asked this question! We are seriously considering painting our brick house. We are a little hesitant because I’ve read how paint can trap moisture and potentially damage a house (but then again, I know that some brick structures have been painted for hundreds of years and are still being use). And add to that the increased upkeep required. Every time I research the subject I find myself more and more confused! I’m looking forward to watching your poll results and reading comments on this subject!
While I like the look of both. I think you need to consider the advantages of brick. Like that you never have to paint it.
Once you paint it you can never go back. I would imagine this also might depreciate the value of your house. Unless it adds MAJOR curb appeal… Then you will probably just even out. Both of those houses look gorgeous.
Thank you for posting this question! I have almost a twin of your house and although I like the brick retro look we have going, I go back and forth on whether to paint it! It literally drives me nuts haha. I’ll definitely check back to see what the majority think!
I’m usually against painting brick because people choose such ugly colors of paint! I do understand painting the brick if it’s a nasty shade (my least favorite is the mustard-yellow variety).
Our house used to be standard 70′s split-level: White aluminum siding on the top half, bare brick below. We covered it entirely with siding, but left the brick inside the (large) front porch exposed and painted it the same color as the siding. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ganley/234990098/in/set-72157617610468410/
I used to be opposed to painting brick, but I like the way this turned out so much that I’ve changed my mind.
We bought a brick ranch house almost six years ago. Our entire neighborhood is brick ranch houses, some are painted and most are not. Ours is not, yet I almost always prefer the look of the painted houses. However, when we bought our house, my mom who has been a realtor for over 30 years said, “Resist the temptation to paint the brick.” She finds that a lot of people buying brick houses don’t want to deal with the maintenance of having to repaint, and once bricks are painted they’re almost impossible to get back to their natural state.
I love the look of painted and unpainted brick. However, one of the benefits of having a brick house is less maintenance. Painting the brick adds a little more routine work.
Wow! This is a toughie! Because I’ve seen painted brick that looks very nice, painted brick that looks awful; natural brick that is gorgeous, and natural brick that is horrible. (Specifically the “white” natural brick of the 70′s – ugh.) Living in the Pacific NW, I never thought I’d own a brick house (wood is MUCH more common, and cheaper) but we actually did buy one. I have to say I think it looks lovely! We would never paint it, and I was actually sad about that (no choosing paint colors!) even though it’s cheaper not to paint. So I didn’t answer the poll, because it just depends on every single house, sorry!
I think it completely depends on what the brick looks like. There are some of those pinkish brick houses-those you can paint! :-) But I really like either one.
This is a super tough question because each finish has it’s place. In general I’m not a big fan of bright red brick all over a house, but I’ve definitely seen some beautiful houses that are the exception to my rule. My personal taste is a nice neutral paint color over brick or a weathered look where some of the brick tones & texture come through.
We had a terrible pinky purple brick so we painted that for sure!!! We get compliments from neighbors all the time. Now our house is one of the best looking ones in the ‘hood whereas before it was barely noticeable — and when you did notice, you wanted to throw up a little.
Apparently there was a “salmon-pink brick” fad in my hometown in the 1960s. My parents AND my in-laws both own homes built with pink brick. While I generally love brick and think is is an atrocity to paint, pink is an exception– cover it up, please!
I absolutely adore painted brick and I like it whitewashed, too. But I hear it’s a pain to keep up! I’d like to know more about it…
Painted brick can look great – if done correctly and with flattering colors. But I beg anyone out there considering it to think before they paint!
As someone who moved into a house with a half brick front painted baby blue and spent an entire summer removing it with every substance known to man pumped through a power washer – well, I can tell you that it’s an absolute PAIN to remove.
Some of the chemicals we used to remove the paint destroyed the soil in our front garden and we’re just now getting it back to the point where it can sustain life two years later. Our water bill that summer was outrageous, and if you look close enough, there are still tiny blue paint specks on some of the bricks.
I LOVE the photo of the painted brick home you posted! I have no problem painting over brick fireplaces like we did in our home, and we’ve talked of painting the brick patio we have, but I honestly don’t know if I would have thought to paint an entire brick home (like yours)! That photo though has changed my mind FOREVER–unless the brick is particularly stunning on it’s own! I love the texture of the brick and how it brought in so much personality! Thanks for posting!
This comment is for harmony! I just bought two jute rugs from Overstock, and while I can’t attest to their quality yet as they are brand new – I absolutely love them. They look amazing, and I am really excited about them. Definitely worth it. Hope this helps! Nina
Depends on the brick. I’m with Erin, I hate the mustard yellow brick, so I would not mind that so much. My own house is brick, multicolored shades of red and brown (click on my name to see it) and I would never, ever paint it.
That said, I love the look of limed or whitewashed brick when some of it has started to flake off and/or you can still see some of the brick color.
I love all brick, painted or not.
Inside my home, it’s painted, the outside is au natural..
And my sons love it because “the big bad wolf can NEVER blow our house down, right?”
I think it depends not only on the color of the brick, but the size of the brick and mortar. That first looks so cute, but I think that the size of the brick and the thick mortar lines on the second house wouldn’t nearly as good if they were painted. I’m not generally a huge brick fan to begin with, but it can be really cute!
We just moved into a rehabbed 1840′s brick townhome in Boston…and while the brick homes here definitely hold there value…I don’t mind painted brick on the right house, in the right color and in the right neighborhood.
Does this mean that you’re rethinking painting your house??
Nope, we love our house in all of its unpainted glory thanks to the whole zero maintenance thing. VA has terrible green mold that grows each season (and it’s especially noticeable on painted brick houses, which have to be scrubbed clean with bleach to remove it). So we definitely will not be hopping on the painted brick bandwagon anytime soon (although we agree that it’s a totally charming look for places without the dreaded green mold issue). But you know we love painting interior brick though!
xo,
s
I voted to keep it as-is, b/c the whole point of owning a brick home is the low maintenance and upkeep!! :-) That being said, we are casually house hunting as we renovate our own home, and I’ve seen some brick fireplaces I’d love to paint over. So my final vote is: indoors, yes; outdoors, no.
Just when I thought your posts could not get any more boring.
ZZZZZZzzzzz
I am drooling over that gray brick house (AND the yellow door) – - I want to put the two together! :)
How about painting a brick fireplace? Ours is from the 70′s and I am thinking about giving it a makeover…but what color??? The walls are Glidden Water Chestnut…The mantle is crisp white, and we have black gas fireplace insert…Any suggestions? Regular primer first??
Here’s a post all about that: http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/01/how-to-paint-a-brick-fireplace/
xo,
s
I’d never heard of this until I saw it on a HGTV show a few weeks ago, and I love it! Though that’s only from seeing two houses, and both were painted gray. I love brick as-is too but I will say that of those two pictures, I much prefer the painted version.
I love brick houses. I really like different colors of brick — red, dark burgundy, shale, lighter colors. I like the raw, natural look of brick, and though sometimes it’s just so.much.red., I wouldn’t ever paint it (on the exterior).
I love when brick houses aren’t painted… however I do see the charm in some painted ones. One of the awesome things about brick is the low maintenance and after you paint it once it will need to be painted again.
I have a similar (but different:)) debate going on in my house right now. We have a knotty pine den (the real wood paneling) and it has taken so much abuse through the years (scratchs,etc) that I think a coat of pain will freshen it up.. my husband loves the wood look… everyone we ask seems to have a strong opinion one way or the other.. so I can’t decide. Like the brick.. once it’s painted that’s it.
Decisions..decisions:)
Depends on the house and the paint color chosen. I think it’s a great way to make an older house feel new and fresh. My husband and I are about to paint our house which was built in the 1950′s. It is going to make it look SOOOO much better than leaving like it is. But that is not always the case. Love them both :)
We painted our over 100 year old row home and never looked back. It really updates the outside =)
I’m with you guys, Sherry. No paint for our pretty brick ranch! Just needs a redo on the trim paint this summer, which is well overdo, and I’m sure a pressure wash over the whole thing will have it looking good as new! I love the low low maintenance of the brick and am scared to ruin it or have to upkeep any paint job over top of it.
Brick is a low maintenance exterior. Why make more work for yourself by having to paint, and later repaint? You can update style via other external features: shutters, trim, etc. Once you paint it, it cannot be undone. You’ve cursed yourselves and future owners to brick painting maintenance forevermore!
I love whitewashed brick, or limed brick or even raw brick that is a tan color (I’m from Maine and every ‘original’ brick that we have up here is lipstick red. YUCK! But when I’ve visited Southern states y’all have a lovely tan colored brick (must be different clay or something).
Anyway- I’ve heard you shouldn’t paint structural brick walls because the mortar and the brick need to ‘breathe’ or else they will crumble over time. Which is why people started whitewashing (a sheer, not completely covered color ‘wash’-not always using white paint- I’ve seen a pale teal wash that was b-e-a-u-tiful!) or liming their bricks (which should only be done on exterior surfaces b/c it is very dusty even after it’s been finished)
It’s so funny you put this up, it’s been a topic of discussion in our house right now. We’re painting the trim and replacing with hardi plank wood, and I’ve been adoring painted brick but can’t decide. We may have to sell the house come October, now that manned space flight is ending :( I don’t want to do anything that can deter buyers. Any advice on painting a home that will potentially have to be sold? Is it more likely a buyer would want brick rather than painted brick?
This is how it currently looks http://jamroz.shutterfly.com/606#606
Thanks!
Hey Laura,
We’re betting that you can get a good grip on what the majority of buyers would want (painted or unpainted) by checking out this poll in a day or two to see which side more people stand on. Of course every house just needs one buyer, and we’re sure that while some people love the look of something painted others love it unpainted so you can probably find someone who backs your decision either way. Hope it helps!
And as for painting your sidewalk, we’ve seen some lovely stained concrete walkways so perhaps that’s something to consider (just visit your local home improvement center to see what tickles your fancy).
xo,
s
Also, what about painting the sidewalk in front of the house? Would it be bad since the driveway is right beside it?
How very true! Thanks for putting this poll up, it seems like perfect timing :) While we’re at it, if you don’t mind, in your professional opinion–I’m loving the gray brick house you put up and that’s the color I had thought for our house, with white trim. What do you think? Or if we paint trim and garage door only, what in your opinion would be a nice hue?
Not much longer til the bean is here is it? :-D
Hey Laura,
We love that gray painted brick house (hence the reason why we picked it)! We say go for it. Inspiration images are always an easy way to visualize what you want to do (and pick color combos that really work). Good luck!
xo,
s
I’m with Lore — paint looks great, but you’re setting yourself up for a lifetime of more maintenance, and it doesn’t appeal to everyone.
I love the look of painted brick, and I really want to paint our raised rancher, but none of the other brick houses in our neighborhood are painted, so it would really stick out. Plus my parents’ brick is painted and they’re about to repaint for the second time in 17 years of owning the house.
And, like others have said, you can never go back. I’ve seen one house in my life go through a complete sand-blasting to take it back to the original brick, and it was a long, messy job. And you never know when the trend tide will turn, so it seems safer not to paint.
For me it depends on the color of the brick. I adore red brick, and would never paint it.
Our house, however, is composed of a really ugly tan brick with dark brown swirls in it. I hate it. I’d love to paint it.
But a friend who is a realtor said not to, because then there is just more maintenance and upkeep on the exterior.
And since I don’t plan to live here forever… ugly brick shall stay natural.
Many houses in our neighborhood (all composed of various colors of bricks originally) have been painted and look terrific.
The brick color I wish was available in the US, but I don’t think it is, is Staffordshire blue. These bricks are made from a special clay in England that changes colors when it bakes into a vivid, amazing blue.
Depends on the brick! I love keeping things au naturel and looove brick (and stucco, which is what we have), but my parent’s 50s ranch had a hideous orangey-yellow-colored brick accent to the front that really had to go. They painted over it (everyone thought they were nuts and that it would instantly peel) and it has made a load of difference in updating it – plus, it’s required fewer touch-ups than the wooden parts of the exterior!
Our current house features an orange, very dated brick that does nothing for curb appeal, while our old house had a lovely red brick that I never would have dreamed of painting. We’re having people stain our exterior this Fall. I can hardly wait!
We have a brick Victorian (built 1870) that I would never paint; the red brick is perfect with the white gingerbread porch. But I think more modern brick houses (especially mid-century modern or ranch-styles) can look really sharp in white. Not a fan of shabby chic peeling paint on brick though… I think it should be one or other.
Definitely prefer the natural. It’s not that I think painted brick (if done right, like your den) looks bad – I think it’s more the that painting brick seems so… irreversible! I’m sure you can power wash it off or something, but that’s an awful lot of work. So I’ll put it this way: Prefer it not painted on the outside, but it can be painted on the inside (in cases like your den, where the brick was so dark and made it look incredibly dated).