# Paint Brick or not?



## LatinGoldilocks (Jun 15, 2011)

We have been working on adding a new walkway in our home. I am trying to determine if painting our brick home would be wise. The only reason I hate it is because of the stucco in between the windows. We tried painting it to match the brick but it still bothers me (it used to be white). I had contractors come to match the brick but they claim it would not be exact color. I thought of painting it a light gray and adding black shutters. Hopefully sometime this year we will add a portico to the front entrance. What do you think?


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

I don't like brick to be painted..........it then becomes a maintenance issue, but, in this case painting may be a good option. Your house looks chopped up as it looks now. A consistent color scheme would make the house look larger and less busy. I say go for it. Just be sure to clean the brick and mortar (gentle pressure wash) and prime with a masonry primer like Loxon from Sherwin Williams. Then you can topcoat with just about any type of latex paint. Gray with black shutter would look very nice and wouldn't clash with the roof color. Good luck with your project.

P.S. I might add that your house has an "apartment building" look to it that would really benefit from a quality paint job.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

I hesitantly have to agree with gym. Painting brick normally is not a good idea as he said( maintanance), but because of the very strange design, I think you would be happier( and maybe the neighbors also) to paint as posted.:yes:


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## jamalc6996 (Jun 15, 2011)

If you paint the brick, proper preparation of it will be key to how well the paint adheres to the brick. As gymschu said, pressure wash the exterior first, allow to dry and then prime the brick with a high quality masonry primer.


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## ltd (Jan 16, 2011)

painting will help a little ,but your still going to have those stucco squares under the window . i guess making it one color would help. but play along for a second .what your house needs is some mature landscaping to bring your eye away from house . a big tree, nice thick lawn., a raised island , bla bla bla :huh:


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## Graveyardshift (Jun 10, 2011)

*Yeah, paint it.*

I'm not a huge fan of painting brick either, but, yeah, gotta say go for paint here. Those fields of speckled brickwork are a bit too distracting.

Gray and black shutters sounds good, but with all those flat exterior walls I'm worried that it might look a bit like a bunker. Maybe a warmer shade of tan? 

What do other folks in your neighborhood have for house color? Is everyone else brick too?


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Those shutter things are so out of scale with the windows. The ones on the bay windows look nothing short of goofy. Remember, shutters used to close to cover windows. The faux things most people buy and hang would never come close and in this case, in my opinion just do not work. I would take them off. 

I would leave the brick alone but come up with something to accentuate the vertical "stripes you have left. Maybe painting the stucco a contrasting color to the brick? The door in a different shade of that color?


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## jsheridan (Jan 30, 2011)

I have about twenty minutes in looking at that picture, and that's a real stumper, just a horrible design from the beginning. I agree with everthing that's been said. However, I don't think that anything that's been said is going to solve your problem and make you happy. I would paint what's visible from the street for the short term, and save my money to have it sided with hardie plank, or have it solid stucco in a style less textured than the stuff on there now. You may see that as too much expense, but you'll be happier with the consistency and you'll definitely get it back at sale. I agree that a tan color would be a better choice, tan with gray accent is coming back in vogue. And yes, the shutters on the bays have to go. I agree with goofy :laughing:.


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## LatinGoldilocks (Jun 15, 2011)

ltd said:


> painting will help a little ,but your still going to have those stucco squares under the window . i guess making it one color would help. but play along for a second .what your house needs is some mature landscaping to bring your eye away from house . a big tree, nice thick lawn., a raised island , bla bla bla :huh:


This is a work-in progress. We just finished the walkway and added some landscaping (still not mature). I am still waiting for them to remove the old stump and that is why part of the landscpaing has no mulch. The shutters came with the house. I have been looking at several colors as option but I want whichever color I pick to compliment the purple salvias and white daisies as well as the blackeye susans that will be growing soon behind the bench. That is why I thought of the grey paint. Any other ideas that could help?


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## Blondesense (Sep 23, 2008)

While I agree the shutters are a bit goofy looking, I'm not sure getting rid of them is the way to go. Without them I'm afraid the vertical lines would be overwhelming. 
First thing I would do is get rid of that mint green color though.


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## LatinGoldilocks (Jun 15, 2011)

Blondesense said:


> While I agree the shutters are a bit goofy looking, I'm not sure getting rid of them is the way to go. Without them I'm afraid the vertical lines would be overwhelming.
> First thing I would do is get rid of that mint green color though.


Can you tell me what program did you use to change the color of the shutters and make them bigger? I am dreading painting the brick because it is sooooo much work. But I really like the way gray brick looks as well. I just wish we can find some way to hide all the colors in the bricks. I even thought of painting some of the bricks that are colored in a brick color paint. I am so lost


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

Personally, I'd paint random bricks the color you painted the stucco, then paint the stucco to match the remainder of the brick using white, gray, and black to blend. It'd look something like this if done well.

DM


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## LatinGoldilocks (Jun 15, 2011)

DangerMouse said:


> Personally, I'd paint random bricks the color you painted the stucco, then paint the stucco to match the remainder of the brick using white, gray, and black to blend. It'd look something like this if done well.
> 
> DM


Goodness you do such great work! please do tell me how you managed to change the house look...can you paint it grey? lol
Please let me know what software you accomplished this with...thanks


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

I used Photofiltre freeware version. It's easy. ....and free.

DM


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

Gray with black "shutters".

DM


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## LatinGoldilocks (Jun 15, 2011)

WOW that is awesome...thank you so much I am going to look into getting that software. I actually do like it in grey better. Thanks Alot!!!:thumbup:


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## DUDE! (May 3, 2008)

Not my house of course, but Mouse, your idea of random painting of the bricks and stucco, it looks gorgous, good job :thumbup:


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## Marqed97 (Mar 19, 2011)

I agree. I think that was the best of the lot.


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## Blondesense (Sep 23, 2008)

LatinGoldilocks said:


> Can you tell me what program did you use to change the color of the shutters and make them bigger? .....
> 
> I just wish we can find some way to hide all the colors in the bricks.....
> I am so lost


I just used the Paint program that comes with Windows. 
I really would think twice, or even three or four times before painting brick. As other mentioned, it becomes a maintenance issue. You might look into brick or masonry stains though. I would do that before painting.


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## LatinGoldilocks (Jun 15, 2011)

*wrought iron flower boxes*



Blondesense said:


> I just used the Paint program that comes with Windows.
> I really would think twice, or even three or four times before painting brick. As other mentioned, it becomes a maintenance issue. You might look into brick or masonry stains though. I would do that before painting.


I have been racking my brains because of that same reason....the maintenance. My husband and I were talking last night on options we can do for the focus to not be on the stucco. We are even considering adding flower boxes with plants that hang that would probably hang low enough where your eye would go to the boxes rather than the stucco. Then paint some of the bricks that are colored same as stucco. We also thought of putting molding over the bottom windows to dress them up a bit making the appearance of the stucco less. What you think?


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## Leah Frances (Jan 13, 2008)

I think that we live in a painted brick house and it doesn't need anymore maintenance than my sister's painted wood house.....


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## perpendicularia (Jun 27, 2011)

*Paint brick or not?*

The grey is definitely a clean look but don't forget that your exterior, even with a unifying color, will still have texture that the image doesn't show.

Gorgeous, elegant solutions! I may have thought painting brick could be tacky but now I'm a believer. I'm inspired to paint the small section of my 50's home that is an annoying red brick.

In your case, unifying the whole is probably your goal, with or without shutters.


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## LatinGoldilocks (Jun 15, 2011)

*Thank You ALL!!!*

Well we finally decided on Winter Flannel by Valspar. We added a new garden as well. Here is the painted brick house. What do you think?


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## DangerMouse (Jul 17, 2008)

+1 here, I like it!

DM


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