# Paint the brick or not? Walkway? Advice NEEDED!



## Carssson (Jun 18, 2009)

To paint the brick or not? We recently painted the trim and gutters an off white... looks fresh. So, as for the brick, should I paint at all? And if so, what color? I was thinking a grey to go with the trim the way it is. All the houses are ranch style in our neighborhood, and our neighbor was the first to paint his house. They did a cream color with black shutters, with a slate walkway... they modernized it and it looks great. We shouldn't match there color though. 

Beyond that, I want to dig out all the monkey grass. I would like to take out the azaleas and move them to the backyard. There is a walkway behind the azaleas, I am going to take that out. Basically I will have an entirely new slate to work with. I am going to curve a walkway from the driveway to the front entrance. If we keep the brick I am going to use a flagstone sandstone/clay variation stone. I am going mortar it to the concrete base leading up to the door, and then the walkway will be dry set... just gravel and sand. 

We have a narrow driveway, so we need some stepping stones along the side (we have slate right now, which doesn't go with the brick).

So my main questions: 
1. Paint? What color?

2. What color stone would you use if I did paint? My flagstone would be great with the brick, but should I look into slate or something for the walkway if I paint the brick. Would that be too much grey if I went with grey paint? 

3. Should I make the walkway go along the entire driveway for when we get out of the car? Or just use the same color as the walkway and just have stepping stones along the driveway? (I know that would save material). Should I use a pea rock to go in between the stones? Or just gravel/sand

4. What plant them should I go with? Japanese maple, azaleas, ? 

5. What would you do?! 


Thanks a lot for your time, any opinion is appreciated. 


Carson


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## Carssson (Jun 18, 2009)




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## vsheetz (Sep 28, 2008)

I seldom like to have brick painted. Natural brick is usually great looking and low maintenance. Painting it means you have to continue to keep it painted, and it's difficult for you or a future owner to undo. If the brick or mortor is in poor condition - fix, don't paint. IMHO...


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

If it's a softer brick, paint can trap moisture in it and cause the surface to spall.


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## RegeSullivan (Dec 8, 2006)

_So my main questions: 
1. Paint? What color?_

I would never paint brick unless it really looked bad… Brick is fairly maintenance free except for the rare but inevitable mortar joint failure. Also as mentioned above moisture can be trapped in the brick which has it own set of problems depending on you climate. 

_2. What color stone would you use if I did paint? My flagstone would be great with the brick, but should I look into slate or something for the walkway if I paint the brick. Would that be too much grey if I went with grey paint?_

I love the look of flagstone when a brick or paver is used as a boarder. 

_3. Should I make the walkway go along the entire driveway for when we get out of the car? Or just use the same color as the walkway and just have stepping stones along the driveway? (I know that would save material). Should I use a pea rock to go in between the stones? Or just gravel/sand_

I would keep the walk separate from the driveway and give it some curves to add some interest and terminate it at the driveway. Make the driveway a little wider maybe using a paver boarder matching boarder for the flagstone that will allow you to blend the walk into the driveway. 

_4. What plant them should I go with? Japanese maple, azaleas, ?_

Sorry I can offer a suggestion for plants. I am not famillure with the plants outside S.W. PA.

_5. What would you do?!_


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## NJ Brickie (Mar 4, 2009)

I will never understand why people paint brick.


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## Sir MixAlot (Apr 4, 2008)

Paint it. It will look more modern. I know it's hard to, but you'll be glad you did.:yes: (be sure to take some pics for us):thumbsup:


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## larrylwill (Jun 12, 2009)

My house looks very much like yours, when we bought it it was painted white. One of my next jobs will be to try and remove the paint. If it cant be done I will try to cover it with something, vinyl, rock, cement board, anything but paint. Someone took a maintenance free material and made it maintenance forever.
My vote is don't do it, find another way to spruce up the look. I think siding 1/3 the way up or the top 2/3 with a trim board would break it up nicely. I also had a lot of heavy bushes in front. I pulled out every other one and replaced the remaining with lower ones and planted colorful flowers in front of them, but I still hate the white brick.


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## J.Stonemason (Jul 23, 2009)

Your brick looks Beautiful!


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## J.Stonemason (Jul 23, 2009)

Colorado Rose Flagstone would look good.


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## Leftyho (Apr 12, 2009)

Hi larrylwill,

Why would you buy a house that you did not like?


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## larrylwill (Jun 12, 2009)

Because the house came with a $1,000,000 view on 2.75 acres. Were on a bluff 1000ft above the Tennessee river looking over it and 1 island toward Scottsboro Al. and are 10 min to major shopping, HD Wally World etc. and 3 min to grocery, bank, drugstore etc. a small road in the front, very quiet. I couldn't afford to tear it down and rebuild and there were no lots for sale and the price was good.


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## Tom3982s (Jul 24, 2009)

*Test Spots*

Make sure you love the color. Once it goes on, it does not come off easily. But I would do it if you hate the brick color.


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## Leftyho (Apr 12, 2009)

Hi larrylwill,

Ugly means little, with those benefits.


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## larrylwill (Jun 12, 2009)

The house is livable and is about 2500sf. 4 Bedrooms 3 full baths, a rancher. I just finished gutting the kitchen and building it new. I put new loE windows in the whole house, just finished new LowE picture windows on the view side. 17ft of them. I still have a few thngs to do but Im getting there.
Here are some pctures, all but the 1st and last 2 taken from the back pourch.
http://xrl.in/2n16


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## Leftyho (Apr 12, 2009)

Hi Larrylwill,

The link does not take me to the pictures.


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## larrylwill (Jun 12, 2009)

Strange, I just clicked it and it does. I'm using Firefox. Here is the direct link.
http://www.wunderground.com/wximage/imagesearch.html?citybox=on

Its Wonder Weather Photos.


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## Leftyho (Apr 12, 2009)

Hi Larrylwill,

Yes it takes me to the sign-in page. Your cookies sign you in. Not us.


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## larrylwill (Jun 12, 2009)

Ah sorry I'm not so smart. I didn't want to bore everyone else. But here are some picts.
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/larrylwill/2-4.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/larrylwill/3-1.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/larrylwill/7-2.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/larrylwill/2c0f204d.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/larrylwill/1-1.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/larrylwill/4-2.jpg
http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/larrylwill/5-1.jpg


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## Leftyho (Apr 12, 2009)

Hi Larrylwill,

Red sky at night sailors delight.

With that veiw the porch is what counts.


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## skymaster (Jun 6, 2007)

With a view like that who in their right mind would give the bricks more than one sec of a look? :}:}:}:}:yes:


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## larrylwill (Jun 12, 2009)

When I get to the outside I will try to remove the paint, if its too hard I will two tone it by making the bottom 1/3 a different color than the top and divide it with a board or some feature. I would also like to add some dormers on the top and a front porch portico to break up the ranch look and let some light into the 32 x 20ft living room. It gets no light from the front of the house only through the foyer and front door and the back picture windows which face NW and look through a 32 x 16ft porch which is now glassed in. I plan on removing it and it putting it on the bed room so the LR has an unobstructed view over the river.


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## AdRock (Dec 4, 2008)

Wow, I agree with a post above. With that view why even look at the house? The front is actually a nice looking brick. Don't paint it.


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## larrylwill (Jun 12, 2009)

My brick is already painted white, Its the post originators that is not.


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## Carssson (Jun 18, 2009)

Okay guys, here is my before and after! I appreciate the advice. I know I was pretty broad with my ideas... but this is close to what I had in mind. If you can think of anything else (plants, etc)... let me know. I did this completely by myself. It was a lot of hard work (tile work on the stairs took the most time)... I used slate from a backyard patio to do the walkway. I spent about $250 for slate tiles and materials. I transplanted the maple tree from our back yard (just did it, waited for cooler weather)... probably spent around 200 for plants. 

So this transformation cost me about $500! 

The pinestraw around the tree and plants is going to add a lot I think... not quite done! 

I would help anyone around Atlanta do this for a fourth of the price you would pay a contractor. I'm in college! 

I also ruled out painting, thank god. That house overlooking the river is amazing. I'll trade my house for that one! 
Thanks for the advice and let me know what you think! 

Carson


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