Should You Paint Brick or Use a Wash Instead?

Painting brick is the most obvious way to change its color — and the one masons most often talk people out of.

The problem with standard paint on brick

• It can trap moisture. Latex and acrylic paints form a film. Moisture inside the wall can get stuck behind it, leading to bubbling, peeling, and potential brick damage over time.
• It’s a maintenance commitment. Painted brick generally needs repainting every several years.
• It’s essentially irreversible. Stripping paint from brick is slow, expensive, and can damage the brick face.
• It hides the texture. Solid paint flattens the character that makes brick worth having.

The alternatives

Option	What it is	Keeps brick texture	Breathable	Reversible
Limewash	Lime-based mineral wash	Yes	Yes	Partly
Whitewash	Thinned masonry coating	Yes	Depends on product	Hard
German smear	Partial mortar wash	Adds texture	Yes	No
Slurry	Full mortar wash	Shape shows through	Yes	No
Mineral (silicate) paint	Paint that bonds chemically with masonry	Mostly	Yes	No
Standard latex paint	Film-forming coating	No	Limited	No

When paint makes sense

If brick has already been painted, limewash is off the table — but a mineral masonry paint, a whitewash product designed for painted surfaces, or a mortar wash may still be options. A mason can tell you which.

Keep reading

FinishGerman Smear Brick: The Rustic, Old-World Mortar WashGerman smear (or schmear) is wet mortar smeared over brick and partly wiped away, leaving a textured, hand-troweled look. Here's how it's done, what it costs, and why it's permanent.6 min readFinishLimewash Brick: What It Is, How It Looks, and How Long It LastsLimewash is a breathable, lime-based mineral finish that gives brick a soft, chalky, old-world look. Here's how it works, where it shines, and where it doesn't.7 min readFinishWhitewash Brick: A Soft, Semi-Transparent UpdateWhitewashing brick means applying a thinned, semi-transparent coat that brightens brick while letting its color show through. Here's how it differs from limewash and paint.5 min read