How To Paint A Brick Wall

What do you think of exposed brick walls inside a home or building? 

Many see it as a bold design choice and exposed internal brick walls appeal to many homeowners because of their quaint visual appeal. Over time tastes & styles change. When an update to the interior design style of a home happens, the brick no longer matches the aesthetic the homeowner is aiming for – so the bare brick has to go.

One option to remove this look is by painting it, and in this guide, we’ll walk you through how to paint a brick wall in simple steps.

How To Paint A Brick Wall In 8 Simple Steps

TIP: Never paint newly-built brick walls. Wait for it to cure for at least 28 days.

Gather Your Tools & Materials

A variety of tools are needed to perform a DIY paint job on an internal brick wall successfully:

• Broom Or Brush
• Paint Brush
• Paint Roller: 15mm – 20mm
• Roller Poll
• Paint Roller Tray
• Drop Sheets/Floor Coverings
• Latex Primer
• Acrylic Latex Paint

Fix Damages

Step 1 in our process is to ensure that your brick wall has no underlying structural issues & that your bricks show no signs of damage. This is the first step in our process because painting will “cover” the damage but not “solve it”, so by not addressing these issues, you will be at risk of future damage.

There are several possible reasons why such damage appeared in the first place. It can range from water movement like a leaky roof, insect damage, rotting wood underneath, frost, and thermal expansion, among many other things. 

Since brick is naturally porous, it can show some level of water damage in a matter of time. If there are any leaks, dampness, or excess moisture, they must be fixed before applying paint.

You may use brick mortar caulk to repair small holes or other surface imperfections. On the other hand, large holes, cracks, loose, crumbling, or missing mortar between the bricks need to be inspected further and handled by a professional. Because if you don’t, the same problems may occur or become even worse if you repair them without correctly identifying these complications. 

Painting brick walls, particularly with signs of damage, might be better off handled by a skilled professional. Someone with expertise in repairing bricks can correctly asses the root of the problem and prevent potential risks in the future. Please give it some thought before you proceed.

Clean Your Brick Wall

A clean surface will make your paint go smoother and easier. Leftover specks of dust can still show through after painting, and even fresh paint can’t hide those flaws. The most typical matter needing resolving when painting an internal brick wall is to ensure that all dust, dirt and other loose materials are removed from the surface before painting.

The best way to approach this is to use a brush and work over the area.

Firstly, place something on the floor to protect it from chips, scratches and from just becoming messy.

Secondly, take a soft-bristled brush or broom and systematically brush over the wall starting at the top and working your way down. Brush lightly, so you don’t damage the brick or mortar but continue to brush until loose material stops coming off the brick wall. Once you finish the entire wall – you’re ready to move on to the next step.

Prepare Your Space For Painting

Before beginning to paint inside, please ensure good ventilation before commencing because paint fumes can be toxic to breathe. Do your best to improve the ventilation by opening all windows and doors.

Before applying paint to your wall, ensure you have everything; you’ll need to use the entire first coat without leaving to get something because you want to ensure you paint a whole section before stopping. 

If you stop midway through painting a section, you might end up with a patchy paint job.

Cover any areas around the wall you don’t want to be painted with masking tape. Masking tape makes it much easier to keep paint off non-target areas.

Apply Primer

A primer is a base coat that lays the groundwork for a perfect paint job. You can prepare, seal, and protect the surface you’re about to paint with primer.

Using a primer before you paint can ensure that the colour will adhere better after application and make the paint job look better, for longer. 

When painting, the type of primer used depends on the type of paint being applied. As we’re painting a brick wall, it’s recommended that acrylic latex paint be used. Acrylic latex paints are the best for painted brick because they’re more flexible than oil-based paints but are still very durable.

Also, acrylic latex paint doesn’t smell as toxic and can be cleaned up with soapy water rather than nasty stuff like paint thinner.

Plus, brick surfaces have a lot of crevices and nooks and crannies that acrylic paint is much better at filling in to create a smoother surface.

To prep, the wall, cover the brick surface with 1 to 2 coats of latex primer using your preferred application method (a brush or sprayer are the most common methods used)

After applying the primer – wait for it to dry completely before continuing.

Cut In

Cutting in refers to painting those nooks and crannies that rollers just can’t reach — essentially, it means starting your paint project with a border. Cut in by dipping a paintbrush into the paint, then cover the top, bottom and any edges and features on your brick wall.

Apply Paint

Get your paint roller and attach it to your telescopic pole. Fill your paint roller tray with paint. Roll your paint roller through the paint in your roller tray to “load the roller”. 

Make sure you have an even paint cover around the roller sleeve before you begin.

Start painting the wall on the side, never in the middle, and begin rolling from the bottom to the top, moving from 1 side of the wall to another. 

After applying paint to a 1m-2m section, you need to “lay off your paint” – laying off your paint means giving it a smooth, consistent finish and hiding those streaky brush strokes. You do this by placing your unloaded roller at the top of your wall, then, with almost zero pressure, roll straight down your wall until you reach the bottom in 1 straight stoke.

Reload the roller as necessary. Continue painting the wall by moving the roller up and down along the length of the wall. Take care to slightly overlapping the paint already on there so you don’t cause streaks.

TIP: The more frequently you “load the roller”, the less hard you will have to roll the wall.

Apply Additional Coats (As Required)

Allow a minimum of 2hr drying times before applying a second coat. Repeat the process detailed above until you’re happy with the result of this paint job.

Conclusion

Painting brick walls isn’t complicated when you have the right tools and techniques to do it correctly. To paint your brick wall, simply:

• Gather Your Tools & Materials
• Fix Damages
• Clean Your Brick Wall
• Prepare Your Space For Painting
• Cut In
• Apply Paint
• Apply Additional Coats (As Required)

If you follow this guide, stay patient and do as instructed – your hard work will show when you look at your freshly painted brick wall. 

If you want someone else to do this for you and you’re based around Albany, Western Australia, reach out to the region’s most recognised painters – Phoenix Painting & Decorating.

We’re a quality team of experienced painters in Albany, WA, who provide an exceptional finish and can provide you with a quote for your paint job, free of charge. Get your obligation-free quote from the Phoenix Painting team – reach out to Michael by calling the number on this website or completing our “request a quote” form.

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