Another External Bricks Painting Question

5 years ago

Hi all, I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Our house has (what we think) ugly mission brown bricks. We had considered rendering them, however before going through with that expense we figured we should paint the house and see how it turns out. Plus, I can work on it myself.

The bricks are quite porous and are not flat/smooth. So I want to make sure I buy the right type of paint and equipment.

Also keen on anyone's thoughts on painting bricks of this nature.

Appreciate your responses :)

Featured Answer

julie herbert

5 years ago

Hi Hatz,
Love your decking, I don’t think I would paint bricks, huge job then big upkeep, removing shutters will make huge difference, paint your trims and gates, love the dark fence, maybe you could try that colour on trims, could look great, I am a gardener and I plant trees everywhere, maybe trim up your fruit trees so not so dominating your front, or you could remove and plant magnolias surrounded by a viburnum square.hedge either side, could really add a stylish look to front

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Comments (22)

hatz
Original Author
5 years ago
Couple more photos.
legendaryflame
5 years ago
Can you post a picture of your whole house?
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legendaryflame
5 years ago
Can you post a picture of your whole house?
legendaryflame
5 years ago
I personally would say don't paint your bricks. It sets you up for lots of maintenance and narrows your resale appeal. I would look a landscaping. I may change my mind after seeing more pictures though!
me me
5 years ago
I think the bricks look quite nice, I agree we need a photo of the whole house.
hatz
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks for the replies. Here's are some photos of the rest of the house.
Note I seem to only have a google maps screen shot of the front. The back is when the deck had just been oiled so looks a tad orange.
You'll note we have Arches at the front. And also at the front we have done some basic landscaping since it was taken.

Thanks!
legendaryflame
5 years ago
I love the back! The sides look good. The front does look dark though.
hatz
Original Author
5 years ago
Appreciate the feedback. The thing is, we spent a good chunk of cash on the backyard and building the deck. We'd like to "finish up" the back by allowing the wall to come in. E.g. removing the exterior shutter blind. We were thinking if we paint the bricks a darker grey type colour, it might bring it all together.

Then, if we do the back, then we should do the sides. And if we do the sides.. the front.

I'll take a better picture of the front later today, the google maps screenshot it a bit dark in general.
legendaryflame
5 years ago
I would remove the shutter.
legendaryflame
5 years ago
To me, the black, brick and timber of your back section all look great together. Would some brightly coloured pots or furniture help you feel the deck is more what you wanted?
Do you need the shutters at the front of the house? Also, how do you feel about removing the trees at the front? With those removed, you could add some pops of colour with planting and more light would be let in.
Once you paint your brick you have ongoing maintenance and as you have said, you have already spent money and painting is another expense....
Thats my thoughts so far. I am hoping someone else comes along with some different ideas to offer you.
legendaryflame
5 years ago
Sorry, just read you have done some basic landscaping!
hatz
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks for responding. Yes we have the shutters all around the house. We are thinking of replacing the windows and getting something more eco friendly, and thus can possibly remove the shutters altogether.

We wont remove the fruit trees at the front. I have a thing about cutting down trees, and it isnt something I want to do. We live in an inner city suburb, and trees are scarce as it is :)

Appreciate your feedback!
legendaryflame
5 years ago
I was hoping you would see this post Julie!
hatz
Original Author
5 years ago
Howdy, sorry this took a while, busy with work. Took some photos of the front to give more context. Very brown with arches.

We did some basic "landscaping" at the front, as you can see in the pictures. It previously just brown mulch. We put down black and planted some plants. Also put some creepers (the ones that dont attach but need lattice, cant remember the name sorry) to start growing up the arches to hopefully de-brown the place and hide the arches a bit.

The brown and white tiles I want to replace, but ultimately would be determined by if we paint or render the house.

It is winter here, so the plants are a bit dormant (we planted them early Autumn/Late Summer) and there are a few leaves on the ground.

I can certainly trim the trees (olive/apricot/lemon), however I feel like it hides the ugly facade so I prefer to have them a bit bigger.
julie herbert
5 years ago
Hi Hatz,
The first photo of the front of your house showing much more of the front gives a good indication of the facade with the arches, I think if you paint trims and gates to match side fence it could look great ( the arches) are a feature of these houses so I would embrace them, plant a viburnum hedge around perimeter of both gardens (as my first photos) and trim trees so they are not hiding your house, I see a lovely house that’s hiding behind those tall trees, I hate removing trees but if you can’t trim them replace with the gorgeous magnolias, could look great, place some fab pots on your veranda
hatz
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks Julie. Any thoughts on the tiles on the ground?
julie herbert
5 years ago
There are so many fabulous tiles around, I would take a photo of your house to the tile shop for their advice on colour and style, even decking could add a great new look, have seen similar houses to yours in Moonee Ponds with decked verandas and they look fabulous
KK1000
5 years ago
Paint fence and trim same charcoal or black and get rid of stripes on the shutters, trim your trees in front of the house. Never paint the good brick.
Tracy Oliver
5 years ago
I would probably try changing the tiles and window shutters first...
Tracy Oliver
5 years ago
I know the house style is very different, but I like the light trim colour and interesting tiles...
hatz
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks Tracy, that looks great.

I'm confused a little. I don't quite understand the "don't paint the bricks" sentiment. I understand that there is maintenance involved, potentially needing to re-paint the house every few years. Not sure how that is different to having to repaint inside every so often or if we had weatherboard, etc.

As to the shutters, more than happy to change that. We are thinking we remove them and also replace the windows as well. They are the same brown aluminium frames. Perhaps going a thicker, modern black frame, with double glazed windows as well. We like the shutters in that they provide some safety as well block out the light. But we hate the look of them.

Otherwise it is painting the shutters, which seems like quite a difficult process as they are powder coated, and lots of nooks and what not to get in and paint.