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Can I paint my brick veneer home?

I’m looking to paint my brick veneer home. I’m located on the Central Coast NSW. The walls are maintained well but iv been told a mix of do’s and don’t. My wife is set on me painting the house white.

iv been told that if I do the bricks will no longer be breathable and I will be faced with repainting every 6-7 years, I will be up for frequently washing the walls with a pressure hose. Paint will chip, I will get mould build up inside my walls and the brick will deteriorate.

I have been told to prime the walls first after washing, no need to prime if using a breathable paint. It’s all very confusing.

iv seen videos on this site and other chats on here saying do it but it all looks to be garage walls I’m looking at.

If anyone has any advice, tips, experience or resources that would be awesome.

Cheers

iv attached an image of the side of my home.

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Comments

Dave-1

Good Evening @shanedc

The house next door to me was painted white when the perious owner "flipped" the house. Must say it does look good and the paint hasnt deteriorated in any of the weather that its been handed over the past couple of years. Maybe 3 years even.

I havnt heard about stopping the house breathing or creating mould. Nor have the neighbours washed their walls. They dont look dirty and are still brilliant white.

The one thing id love to know is if the white reflects the sun so the walls stay cooler? 🙂 It would be interesting to find out.

The walls of the neighbours house are the same as yours. When painting brickwork you use a fluffy roller as it will fill the mortar easily as it rolls over the uneven surface. They did have a team doing the walls and it only took them a few days.

Dave

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @shanedc. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about paint a birck home.

Painting a brick veneer home is absolutely possible, but it’s important to understand that it is effectively a lifelong decision. Once you paint textured brick, there is no practical way to remove the paint completely, so it is not something you can undo if you change your mind later. On the positive side, a fresh coat of paint can drastically transform the look of your home, and if white is the look your wife wants, it can really brighten and modernise the exterior.

There are some considerations to keep in mind. Brick walls are porous, and one of their natural benefits is that they allow moisture to escape from inside the wall cavity. Painting over the bricks can limit that breathability. In most well-maintained and ventilated homes, this is usually not a problem, but in situations where the home has high humidity or moisture issues, blocking the brick’s natural permeability could trap moisture and create issues such as paint flaking or, in worst cases, internal damp. That said, if your walls are currently performing well and you do not have known moisture issues, painting is unlikely to cause harm.

Regarding preparation, many modern masonry paints are self-priming, so you often do not need a separate primer if the bricks are clean and in good condition. Some people talk about breathable paints. These are more porous and allow moisture to escape, but they are not very common, and many standard masonry paints, such as Weathershield, are not truly breathable. They do, however, provide a durable, weather-resistant finish if applied correctly.

It is also worth considering that, although painting can modernise the look of your home, a significantly more involved option is to cladding your home. Cladding can have a much greater visual impact and can be finished in a lighter colour like white if that is the style you are after. In addition to transforming the look of your home, cladding can potentially add to the value of the property, something that painting alone is unlikely to achieve to the same extent. Cladding over your brick veneer still allows the underlying walls to remain breathable and protected while giving you a modern, fresh exterior finish.

In summary, the benefits of painting are a refreshed, modern look, protection from superficial weathering, and the ability to match your home to your preferred aesthetic. The drawbacks are that it is permanent, may require maintenance like repainting or pressure washing over the years, and could reduce wall breathability in specific moisture-prone situations. If you decide to go ahead with painting, focus on thoroughly cleaning the bricks, repairing any cracks or damage, and using a quality exterior paint applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions. With proper preparation and application, painting a brick veneer home can be successful and look fantastic for many years.

Here's a helpful guide: How to paint your house's exterior with a spraygun.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

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