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Saturday, December 31, 2011

How to Paint Exterior Brick

Learn how to paint exterior brick in order to further protect your home from the elements and change the look of your home at a reasonable price. When painting, follow instructions and make careful preparations to avoid costly mistakes.

Tools and Materials Needed

• Pressure washer
• Detergent
• Ladder
• Scrub brush
• Wire brush
• Circular sander
• 80-grit sandpaper
• Acrylic mortar patch
• Foam backer rod
• Acrylic or latex Primer
• Elastomeric Paint
• Paint sprayers
• Brushes
• Roller
• Drop clothes

Step 1 - Clean the Brick

Wash the surface thoroughly with a pressure washer, 1500 to 2000 psi. Don’t use any more pressure than that because too much force might damage the mortar. Add soap to stream for more difficult efflorescence and mildew deposits. The point is to get rid of all dirt, grime and loose paint—nothing else.

Once washing is completed, be sure to allow the brick plenty of time to fully dry. This will take a few days at least because brick is a porous material that traps moisture.

Step 2 - Remove Loose Paint and Fix Mortar

Remove all loose paint or else it will cause early chipping. Use a hand scraper or wire brush. Then sand the brick smooth using either a palm or circular sander with a minimum 80 grit paper.

Repair all missing and damaged mortar. You can use a premixed acrylic mortar patch that enables you to prime and paint as soon as it is dry. Alternatively, you can mix a powder mortar yourself, but this will take a few days to dry before you are able to begin priming.

Step 3 - Prime the Brick

Always use a high quality acrylic or latex masonry primer for painting exterior brick. Remember all mortar as well as brick should be primer. It typically takes 1 to 2 hours for the topcoat to dry. Prime those places where efflorescence and mildew occurred first so you can give an extra coat if needed. Give time for primer to dry completely before moving on to painting.

Step 4 - Caulk and Seal

Caulk any area that can let water in, as small as a sixteenth of an inch. This includes doors, windows, trim as well as places like chimney caps. Before beginning remove all the dust with a brush or vacuum. Be sure to use 100 percent acrylic caulk and a foam backer rod for bigger cracks. You may need to repeat this process after 3 to 5 hours.

Step 5 - Painting Exterior Brick

When choosing exterior house paint elastomeric or 100 percent acrylic latex are the best. Apply two coats in order to achieve its highest durability. For best results, spray the first coat of paint and then back brush it. You can then simply spray the second coat without back brushing. You can also brush or roll brick if you’re more comfortable with these methods. Just be sure to use at least a ¾-inch or thicker cover.

Posted on 12/31 at 06:56 PM
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