Brick Staining vs Painting. Which one is better? (2023)

FAQs

Is it better to stain brick or paint brick? ›

You may ask yourself, “Is staining brick better than painting?” The short answer is “Yes, it is! “. Staining is more robust and can lead to your brick exterior looking great for many years. Painting may seem like a classic option, but it is outdated for your brick exterior.

Brick staining costs an average of roughly $0.70 to $2 per square foot, or $300 to $3,000 for entire projects. By contrast, costs to paint a brick house often start at $3,500 and brick repair costs are about $1,500 on average.

The conservative estimate for the lifespan of brick stain is about 20 years. That's a long time and underscores the importance of getting the stain done correctly. It's going to be on there for a long time, so make sure you get it right. Newer brick stains claim they last the lifetime of the brick.

Should you paint a brick house? I don't recommend painting your bricks (exterior or interior). Instead, look into staining your brickwork. Staining allows the brick to breathe while giving your exterior and interior vertical brickwork or masonry work, like a fireplace or exposed interior brick wall, new life.

Brick Staining, if done right, can not only make your home's exterior look brand new, it can also preserve the integrity of the brick and protect it from the elements. When you paint your brick, it eliminates the bricks natural porous surface. This prevents it from being able to breathe and traps moisture.

Cons: Maintenance: Painted brick requires regular maintenance, including touch-ups for chipped or peeling areas and regular cleaning for lighter-colored painted brick. Limited lifespan: Paint can start to bubble, blister, chip, and peel within a few years.

Expect to pay an average of $1 per square foot to stain brick, including labor and materials. Typically, prices range from $0.70 to $1.90 per square foot, depending on the stain quality, brick condition, and exterior accessibility.

Wood surfaces are enhanced, rather than covered up, by stain. Stains give a more natural feel. Paint has the potential to peel, crack, or flake, whereas stain is more resistant to chipping but will fade over time.

"Although painting brick has been around for a long time, thanks in part to the popularity of the 'modern farmhouse' look, painted exterior brick is very popular now," Bierman says. Like all trends, painted brick can go in and out of style.

The short answer is yes; brick staining is permanent. However, while the stain itself is permanent, the color may fade over time depending on exposure to sunlight and other elements. This means that you may need to touch up the color at some point to keep it looking its best.

Does brick stain peel? ›

Brick staining is a permanent finish made out of mineral-based pigments that seep and bind into the brick (rather than remaining on the surface as paint does), act as a moisture barrier, and allows the brick to breathe. Stain works best on clean, porous, and unpainted brick and won't peel, chip, or flake off.

Stayntech™ Is The Top Brick Stain in The Market Maintains the Natural Appearance of Your Masonry. When you paint over brick, it blocks the natural airflow process that can lead to chipping and cracking. The best brick stain is absorbed by the brick forming a protective layer and allowing it to breathe.

Huge visual impact — Painting brick gives your house a whole new look and can even add to your home's value by upping your curb appeal. It sets it apart from your neighbors' homes and looks unique with a more uniform effect than unpainted brick.

Is painted brick going out of style? Ask any exterior design expert, painting brick is not going out of style any time soon. Painted brick is here to stay as new homeowners prefer this modern look over traditional unpainted brick exteriors. Likewise, you can always change the color of your brick siding if you'd like.

A good paint job on brick can last about 15 to 20 years in the proper condition. If you notice that the bricks are in proper shape and don't affect the look of your house, you don't need to repaint it.

A good quality of bricks should be well burnt and have a colour of rich red or Copper colour, any other colour other than above resembles that brick is under burnt or over-burnt.

There are various products available in the market such as lime wash or paint which are similar to whitewash in terms of cost, durability, etc. Hence, staining is more preferable in comparison to whitewash when it comes to cost, durability, maintenance, affordability, and long lasts.

Painting your brick will give it a solid, opaque color of choice. You will, however, have to repaint it every 3-5 years to maintain the color. In addition, it's an irreversible process: you can paint it again if you wish to change the color, but you can't get it back to the original brick.

Painting over brick is essentially a death sentence for brick because you're stripping it of its natural ability to breathe and release any moisture that becomes trapped. Because of this, any moisture trapped inside the wall will begin to erode the brick, wearing it down over time.

Bottom line: If you live in a low-moisture region and you choose a neutral color, painting exterior brick shouldn't have a negative impact on your home's resale value. In fact, the improvements to your homes curb appeal is likely to increase the value.

Why would anyone paint brick? ›

Brick is naturally porous, so when left unpainted, dirt and debris can become trapped and difficult to clear away. Painted brick provides a smooth surface that is much easier to clean with occasional power washing.

Typically, when you come across a brick color that isn't aesthetically pleasing, it usually has more to do with the mismatching of brick paired with house color than the brick hue itself. However, no matter what you do to prevent it, brick stains will fade a minimal amount over time.

Done right, an exterior paint job can last 10 years; stain needs to be reapplied more often, anywhere from two to 10 years, depending on the type of stain. One key to how long an exterior finish lasts is how well the surface is prepared.

Painted cabinets typically cost more than stained cabinets. By how much? It depends on the colour, but you can expect painted cabinets to cost roughly 10-15% more than stained cabinets. Take a paint-grade wood like birch, for instance.

White is the most common brick paint color requested. It's perfect for people who want to have a house that looks crisp and clean. It's also a great way to hide brick if that's something you're interested in doing because from afar, most people can't tell that it's a brick house.

Love it or hate it, the exposed brick wall is making a come-back and it's here to stay. Brick walls and modern interiors have been at odds with each other for a number of years but the rise of cottage core and loft style have inspired a new-found appreciation for the humble brick.

Changing the color of your brick is possible through various methods such as limewashing, brick painting or staining.

STEP 8: Allow the brick stain to dry completely.

Consult the stain manufacturer's instructions to get a more specific idea of how long your stain may take to dry, but expect it to be somewhere between 24 and 72 hours. While the stain is drying, avoid touching the brick, walking on it, or placing any items on top of it.

Is staining brick bad for the brick? ›

Staining brick is considered better than painting because of its breathability, longevity, and nice look. Stain doesn't damage brick unless you use a type with a sealant that traps water vapor in the brick, which might eventually cause brick cracks.

On the other hand, you may be concerned that you'll never be able to change the color once the brick is stained. Well, we have good news. Brick is able to have the color changed multiple times with staining – even from darker to lighter.

No matter whether the brick you're painting is old or new, interior or exterior, you absolutely must use a primer. "You want a primer that will 'bite' into the brick; the better it can wrap around those pores and get into all the nooks and crannies, the better the paint will adhere," says Villar.

Most homeowners with experience in brick painting prefer to use elastodynamic paint. It's specifically designed for painting bricks as they have a high level of elasticity. Because of that, this type of paint is excellent for filling cracks in brick walls!

You can expect to pay $1.40 to $4.20 per square foot to paint a brick home. This comes out to a range of between $3,500 and $10,500 for 2,500 square feet of brick exterior, or about $7,000 on average. Prices could also depend on how many coats of paint a house needs.

Some of the most popular brick colors include dark and medium shades of gray. These bricks often go well with darker hues or with high contrast designs that will make your property stand out. Another great choice is to opt for mixtures of beige and white.

Once you paint your house, there's no going back (at least without a major headache). In fact, painted brick requires regular maintenance--touch ups for chipped areas, cleaning on lighter colored brick, and fresh coats every so often. Moreover, painting your brick traps moisture and doesn't let the brick breathe.

Generally the main cause of iron oxide staining is the improper process of acid cleaning brickwork. A chemical reaction occurs between the iron oxides in the brick and the hydrochloric acid application.

According to the brick industry association, if you're painting brick, you should plan on repainting it every three to five years. That's a lot of time and money spent on something that should be low maintenance!

How many coats of paint on brick house? ›

How many paint coats should I use on brick? A minimum of two coats of paint should be applied to brick for the best results. Before putting on the second coat, let the first coat completely dry.

Smoother Finish: Unlike Limewash, the whitewash formula provides a smoother surface finish. Long-Lasting: Unlike paint, which requires frequent maintenance, Whitewash is low maintenance and lasts for years.

There are various products available in the market such as lime wash or paint which are similar to whitewash in terms of cost, durability, etc. Hence, staining is more preferable in comparison to whitewash when it comes to cost, durability, maintenance, affordability, and long lasts.

Huge visual impact — Painting brick gives your house a whole new look and can even add to your home's value by upping your curb appeal. It sets it apart from your neighbors' homes and looks unique with a more uniform effect than unpainted brick. Painted brick, done well, looks very sophisticated and modern.

A good paint job on brick can last about 15 to 20 years in the proper condition. If you notice that the bricks are in proper shape and don't affect the look of your house, you don't need to repaint it.

Brick Staining, if done right, can not only make your home's exterior look brand new, it can also preserve the integrity of the brick and protect it from the elements. When you paint your brick, it eliminates the brick's natural porous surface. This prevents it from being able to breathe and traps moisture.

Paint is more maintenance because it can chip, peel, or discolor over time. Limewash is absorbed into the brick so it does not chip. It also ages beautifully. On the other hand, paint gives you more coverage and color options.

Expect to pay an average of $1 per square foot to stain brick, including labor and materials. Typically, prices range from $0.70 to $1.90 per square foot, depending on the stain quality, brick condition, and exterior accessibility.

How long does whitewashed brick last? Whitewashed brick can last 20 to 30 years and requires very little maintenance.

The short answer is yes; brick staining is permanent. However, while the stain itself is permanent, the color may fade over time depending on exposure to sunlight and other elements. This means that you may need to touch up the color at some point to keep it looking its best.

Is whitewashing brick out of style? ›

What is Whitewashing. Whitewashed brick is fairly easy to identify. All the brick is covered in a thin layer of translucent white or grey paint that allows you to see the brick underneath. Whitewashing brick is very quickly going out of style.

Brick is naturally porous, so when left unpainted, dirt and debris can become trapped and difficult to clear away. Painted brick provides a smooth surface that is much easier to clean with occasional power washing.

"Although painting brick has been around for a long time, thanks in part to the popularity of the 'modern farmhouse' look, painted exterior brick is very popular now," Bierman says.