Custom Residential Architects Network

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Greetings all,

Does anyone working in a cold climate have details and/or a spec for a new brick building wall with a painted finish? The Brick Institute says don't do it. Masons say the paint won't stay on. I am designing a new house in a historic neighborhood in Portland, Maine. There are several painted brick houses around (one owner stripped the paint from their rowhouse and the historic board made them re-paint) so it's an appropriate response. We love the idea of a nice clean white-painted brick wall. The material speaks to the neighborhood and will help the modern elements fit.

But - I don't want to be dumb.

Opinions pro and con welcome. Thank you!

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Carol De Tine AIA
Principal
Carriage House Studio Architects, LLC
Portland ME
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Hello Carol,

Actually, painting weathered, historic brick is one of the best ways to SAVE an historic structure.  Where I used to practice, in Orlando, that was one of the most accepted means of preserving those old buildings.  Otherwise, water and in a colder climate, ice can get through the cracked brick and flaking mortar, tearing the wall apart.  So, from my personal experience, I would disagree with the folks in your neck of the woods.

If you want to paint new brick, there's really no reason why shouldn't be able to do so, as long as the bricks are fully cured, along with the mortar, and bone dry.  I would suggest that you contact Benjamin Moore or other quality paint manufacturer and ask to speak to someone in their technical department for counsel on the best primer and finish coats for brick.  They absolutely can and do manufacture paint for this purpose.

Now then, if you want to get philosophical, one might ask why you want to paint a material that is supposed to not require paint?  However, contrary to popular opinion, you should certainly seal the brick (but not with silicones, those can result in bricks blowing right off the wall).  Prosoco has breathable products that do a great job for that purpose; they really know what they are doing.

Best of luck. 
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Rand Soellner
Architect/Owner/Principal
Home Architects
Cashiers NC
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I painted the brick on my house. I didn't like the color of the brick, it looked like an institutional building. Most people were shocked when I told them I was painting it but loved it after they saw the results. It has a great texture and looks great!
Your project will be new so definitely give time for the mortar to cure. Here's what I did: I power washed the brick and did a light once-over with a brush to get of any dust or loose material. I put a good, solid coat of primer which is absolutely necessary. Then two coats of good quality paint. My house is facing west and gets beat up by the sun all day and I live in Boulder, Colorado so I'm obviously dealing with cold weather. I painted the house about 3 years ago and there's not one sign of peeling or problems at this point.

Best of luck! Lori
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Lori Schneider
Studio Blue Design, LLC
Boulder CO
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-14-2013 18:23
From: Rand Soellner
Subject: Painting Brick


Hello Carol,

Actually, painting weathered, historic brick is one of the best ways to SAVE an historic structure.  Where I used to practice, in Orlando, that was one of the most accepted means of preserving those old buildings.  Otherwise, water and in a colder climate, ice can get through the cracked brick and flaking mortar, tearing the wall apart.  So, from my personal experience, I would disagree with the folks in your neck of the woods.

If you want to paint new brick, there's really no reason why shouldn't be able to do so, as long as the bricks are fully cured, along with the mortar, and bone dry.  I would suggest that you contact Benjamin Moore or other quality paint manufacturer and ask to speak to someone in their technical department for counsel on the best primer and finish coats for brick.  They absolutely can and do manufacture paint for this purpose.

Now then, if you want to get philosophical, one might ask why you want to paint a material that is supposed to not require paint?  However, contrary to popular opinion, you should certainly seal the brick (but not with silicones, those can result in bricks blowing right off the wall).  Prosoco has breathable products that do a great job for that purpose; they really know what they are doing.

Best of luck. 
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Rand Soellner
Architect/Owner/Principal
Home Architects
Cashiers NC
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John Dickerson AIA
Dickerson Architecture
Monroe NC
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I would suggest looking at "Silacote" which is an inorganic mineral silicate "paint". This is a non-carbon based product which chemically bonds to the substrate - provided that the substrate is also inorganic, such as concrete or masonry. It has no particular advantage when applied over organic substrates such as wood or surfaces previously painted with carbon based paints. Inorganic paints also have a high water vapor permeability rate to keep substrates dry.

Hi Carol,

Spec a vapor permeable paint specifically engineered for brick/masonry. A quick google search yielded these two sites. 
Good luck!

http://www.illinoisbrick.com/faq.aspx/technical-notes-6-painting-brick-masonry

http://www.keim.com/tabid/101/program/1/default.aspx

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Courtney Erwin
Intern Architect
Stratton Brook Associates
Simsbury CT
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Carol

In DC area, painted brick is popular, and flaking is usually acceptable. We say that's because the flaking lends the impression of antiquity or a heritage that is hard to come by naturally. And some cynics claim Washington has a bona fide tradition encouraging flakes. If you are not into this fake tradition, keep in mind that paint does eventually fail, on any surface, and will flake on many different kinds of surfaces.

Believe it or not, we have had good results using "sewer brick" an ugly, dense, cheap, solid body unit that no one ever sees in its true intended location, or, under a few coats of latex paint on a prominent colonial residence. Smoother bricks are better, and be sure to paint after a dry spell when the bricks have a low moisture, maybe a while after they are laid up too.
           
Allen
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Allen E Neyman
Rockville, MD

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Perry Cofield AIA
Design Ways & Means Architects
Arlington VA
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Here in Virginia painted brick is an old tradition.  The paint isn't supposed to stay on- so over time you get the brick showing thru, it is considered old-school charming.  One should buy not-the-best paint!  The other approach, used on one of my custom homes years ago, was to specify a very light colored brick.  Then the look is permanent.  See "Settle Inn" on my website- hard to tell it from painted brick, even if not truly white. We had good masons, so there was little staining from handling, etc. Hope this helps.

Thank you to everyone for your smart replies. I am following up on the many suggestions I have received for stains and coatings that allow the brick to breathe. I am encouraged that there are solutions out there that some of you have used successfully. So great to have this forum as a resource.
Thanks again. 
Be well,
Carol

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Carol De Tine AIA
Principal
Carriage House Studio Architects, LLC
Portland ME
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