How to Paint a Brick Exterior - What to Expect and What to Know

Published April 2026 - Joseph Assise III Painting & Wallpapering, Easton PA

There are a lot of brick homes in the Lehigh Valley - Easton rowhouses, older Palmer Township colonials, Bethlehem mid-century homes, and historic properties throughout Northampton County. When the brick starts looking weathered, stained, or simply dated, painting is an option many homeowners seriously consider. It is an option that works - when done correctly - but it also comes with important tradeoffs that every homeowner should understand before the first coat goes on.

This guide covers what painting a brick exterior actually involves, what products to use, how prep work differs from other exterior types, and what you should expect from a professional job in terms of process, cost, and longevity. If you are still in the color selection phase, first read how to choose exterior paint colors for a brick home.

Understand That Painting Brick Is Permanent

Before anything else: painting brick is a decision you cannot easily reverse. Paint soaks into the porous surface of both brick and mortar joints. Removing it requires chemical strippers, mechanical abrasion, and significant labor - a process that costs as much or more than the original paint job and may damage the brick face in the process.

If your brick is structurally sound and the issue is primarily surface discoloration or dated color, consider alternatives before committing to paint - masonry cleaning, efflorescence treatment, tuckpointing repairs, or masonry stain (which colors brick while preserving breathability and natural texture). These are reversible or at least semi-reversible. Paint is not.

If you have already weighed the options and want to paint, the rest of this guide is for you.

When Painting Brick Makes the Most Sense

Painting brick is a legitimate solution in several scenarios we encounter regularly across Easton, Bethlehem, and the surrounding area:

• Already-painted brick that needs refreshing - if a prior owner painted the brick, you are maintaining a painted surface regardless. Stripping is rarely practical.
• Spalled or surface-damaged brick - brick that has experienced surface flaking looks inconsistent. Paint can unify the appearance and seal the surface.
• Heavy or deep staining - severe efflorescence, rust streaks, or organic staining that cleaning alone cannot resolve can be covered cleanly with the right paint.
• Mismatched brick from additions or repairs - when older and newer brick sections do not match in color or texture, paint creates a uniform appearance across the whole facade.
• Desire for a specific color - natural brick comes in a limited color range. White, grey, charcoal, navy, or deep green exteriors require paint to achieve.

Choosing the Right Paint for Brick

Standard exterior latex paint is the wrong product for brick. Brick is a masonry substrate that breathes - moisture moves in and out through the porous surface. The most common failure mode for painted brick is selecting a paint that creates an impermeable barrier, trapping moisture behind the film. In Pennsylvania's freeze-thaw climate, that moisture expands and contracts each winter, popping the paint off the surface within a few seasons.

Products that work correctly on brick:

• Elastomeric masonry coating - the industry standard for exterior brick painting. Thick, flexible, bridges hairline cracks, and is formulated to allow vapor transmission while protecting the surface. Sherwin-Williams Loxon and BASF MasterProtect are commonly specified products.
• 100% acrylic masonry paint - a slightly thinner option than elastomeric, appropriate for brick in good condition without significant surface cracking. Better breathability than elastomeric in some formulations.
• Limewash - a traditional European mineral-based finish made from slaked lime. It penetrates the brick surface rather than coating it, which means vapor transmission is fully preserved. It creates a beautiful aged, textured look and is currently very popular on historic and colonial-style homes. It fades naturally over time and can be refreshed with additional coats. A good option when the natural texture of the brick is something you want to preserve.

Prep Work for Painting Brick

Brick preparation is more involved than standard exterior prep. Skipping or rushing this phase is the most common reason painted brick fails early.

1. Tuckpoint failing mortar joints first. Cracked, recessed, or crumbling mortar needs to be ground out and replaced with fresh mortar before any painting happens. Painting over failing joints does not repair them - it hides them temporarily and the movement behind the paint film will crack the coating at those exact spots within one or two freeze-thaw cycles.
2. Treat efflorescence. White mineral deposits must be treated with a dedicated masonry efflorescence cleaner. Painting over them causes adhesion failure - the salt crystal layer acts as a barrier between the brick and the paint film.
3. Pressure wash at appropriate pressure. Clean the full surface at 1,200 to 1,500 PSI. Higher pressures used for vinyl or concrete can blast out mortar from joints. Allow 24 to 48 hours of dry weather after washing - brick holds moisture and painting damp masonry causes immediate failure.
4. Apply masonry primer. Do not skip primer on brick. A penetrating alkali-resistant masonry primer neutralizes surface alkalinity (which causes paint to saponify and peel), seals variable surface porosity, and creates consistent adhesion for the finish coat. This step is not optional.
5. Caulk around windows, doors, and trim transitions using paintable polyurethane masonry caulk - not standard latex caulk, which will crack with masonry movement.

Application: How Brick Gets Painted

Brick is a high-texture, highly porous surface. Application technique matters more here than on smooth substrates.

We typically use a 3/4-inch to 1-inch nap roller for the brick face and a brush to work paint into the mortar joints. The goal is full penetration into every crevice - a thin film sitting on top of the texture rather than filling it will peel faster and look uneven. On larger projects, an airless sprayer speeds up the field work, but we back-roll after spraying to push paint into the texture.

Two full coats are always required. The first coat soaks deep into the porous masonry. The second builds the actual protective film to the correct mil thickness. One heavy coat does not substitute for two - it cures unevenly and sags in the mortar joints.

For timing: do not paint brick below 50 degrees Fahrenheit or above 90 degrees. Spring and early fall are the optimal windows in the Lehigh Valley - moderate temperatures with low humidity and enough curing time before winter freeze-thaw stress begins.

Cost and How Long It Lasts

A professional brick exterior paint job on a typical two-story home in the Easton or Bethlehem area typically runs $4,000 to $8,500. The wide range reflects differences in square footage, extent of tuckpointing needed, whether previously applied failing paint requires prep and priming, and number of stories. Prep labor is a significant portion of the cost on brick jobs - and it should be.

A properly done job using quality masonry products should last 10 to 15 years before needing full recoating. South and west-facing walls experience more UV and weather stress and typically need attention sooner than sheltered exposures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can painted brick be restored back to natural brick?

In theory yes - chemical strippers and pressure washing can remove paint from brick. In practice, porous brick absorbs pigment deeply and is rarely fully restored to its original appearance. The process is costly, time-consuming, and risks damaging the brick face through the mechanical abrasion required. For most homeowners, once brick is painted, maintaining it as a painted surface is the practical path. This is worth understanding before painting for the first time.

Will paint trap moisture and damage my brick?

This is the most important question about painted brick. The answer depends entirely on product selection. Correct masonry paint products - elastomeric coatings and 100% acrylic masonry paints - are vapor permeable. They allow moisture to move through the wall assembly without trapping it. Standard exterior latex paint is not vapor permeable enough and creates the trap. Correct prep, correct primer, and correct product selection eliminate this risk under normal conditions. Active moisture intrusion from failing flashing or grading problems must be addressed separately before painting.

What is the difference between masonry paint and limewash?

Masonry paint (elastomeric or acrylic) creates a film on the surface of the brick - it coats the brick and creates an opaque, uniform appearance. Limewash penetrates into the brick surface rather than sitting on top of it, which preserves the natural texture and allows full vapor transmission. Limewash creates a more organic, slightly translucent look with natural variation rather than a flat opaque color. Both work on brick; the choice depends on the appearance you want and how the brick will be maintained going forward.

How do I know if my mortar needs tuckpointing before painting?

Run your finger along mortar joints. Joints that are clearly recessed more than 1/4 inch below the brick face, that crumble or powder when you press on them, or that show visible cracking need tuckpointing. A flashlight at a low angle across the wall face shows joint condition clearly. Any joint that is open or failing needs to be repaired before painting - covering it with paint will not hold it together and the movement will crack the paint at those spots within one or two seasons.

Is limewash appropriate for Pennsylvania's climate?

Yes - limewash has been used on masonry in northern European climates with severe freeze-thaw cycles for centuries. Because it penetrates the brick surface rather than creating a film on top, there is no film to crack or peel in freeze-thaw conditions. It does fade and weather naturally over time, which is part of the aesthetic. Reapplication is simpler and less expensive than repainting with conventional masonry coatings. It is a particularly good choice for historic homes in Easton's historic districts where maintaining a breathable masonry wall is important.