How Much You Should Expect To Spend When Painting Brick Exterior

Painting your home can be one of the easiest ways to brighten your outdated brick exterior without making massive outdoor renovations. It can instantly modernize and revive the tired features around your home, whether you're just painting a small surface area or the entire exterior. If you're tired of traditional red brick or want to aim for a more neutral color scheme, painting might be on your radar as an effective solution. But before you crack open that first can of paint, it is important to know how much a project like this will cost, and exactly what factors dictate that price point.

On average, painted brick exteriors cost between $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot including labor, materials, prep, and basic equipment. This breaks down to between roughly $3,500 to $10,500 depending on the size of your home, with the average being around $5,000. Labor often comprises the bulk of the expense, with hourly rates between $25 to $75 depending on your area and the skill of the painters. The price can also rise significantly depending on the condition of your bricks, if mold is present, or if significant structural changes need to be made. 

You can drastically lower the cost of your paint job by eliminating labor costs and doing it yourself. But that is much easier said than done, and it will be a time-intensive project that some homeowners may not be comfortable handling. While this transformation may be worth it, it is smart to go in with a realistic sense of how much you may need to spend on your painted bricks.

Several key factors can decide the cost of painting your brick exterior. Square footage is the most obvious factor, as larger homes require more paint, labor, and time to get a professional look. You should be considering the number of stories in your home and how easily you can get to all of areas that need to be painted. Homes with a steep roofline or intense landscaping may require painters to introduce specialized tools in order to access these areas. Your exterior may also need to be pressure washed, sealed, or patched before it can be painted over, which will increase cost. If your brick has been previously painted, the cleanup may take even longer to prepare the surface.

You'll need to use the right type of masonry paint for brick exteriors, and you'll likely need multiple coats. The paint must be breathable for the bricks, otherwise, moisture may be trapped underneath and cause long-term damage. You should also know that if you need to rent a paint sprayer, it can cost around $430 per week. If you still feel like red brick is the design feature that is making your home feel outdated, several alternatives to painting may save you a bit of time and money. 

Before committing to painting the exterior of your home, it's worth considering the long-term implications of this project. Painting your bricks is a relatively permanent change, as it is both difficult to remove and you may never get the original surface back. If you paint brick, it's recommended to paint the exterior of your home every 5 to 10 years to keep it looking clean and damage free, which can become a significant maintenance cost. Over time, exposure to the elements will damage the paint and wear may accelerate depending on the weather in your area. If you aren't completely sold on the painted look, you may want to try a different method of refreshing your exterior.

If you're reconsidering painting your home's brick exterior, there are less permanent and less expensive ways to give your home a refresh. If you're craving a unique new feel but don't want to deal with painting, you can opt for a brick stain or lime wash. Brick stain seeps into the surface of each brick, rather than sitting on the surface. It won't peel and allows the natural texture of the bricks to shine through. Lime washing uses a mixture of limestone and water, and offers a matte, weathered look on that can add much-needed character. Lime washing a house costs around $2,000, and both options maintain the breathability of your masonry, and require much less long-term maintenance. A so-called German schmear is a technique that involves spreading and scraping a thin layer of mortar over the brick. It resembles a more permanent version of whitewashing, and costs around $1,500 to $3,000.