Thinking about painting the exposed brickwork around your home but haven’t a clue how to get started? Set yourself up for a result to be proud of, with the help of the experts at Homm CPS!
There was a time when interior brickwork wasn’t the most fashionable decorative accent. Fast forward to 2019 and it’s one of the hottest interior décor trends at the moment. Faux brickwork around the home can certainly look the part, but there’s nothing quite like the real deal.
Still, you’ll probably find a time comes when you’re quite likely to change the color or finish of your interior brickwork. It may be a case of touching up the original color, or going for something completely different. In either case, you’ll be looking at a project that is quite different to that of painting a regular interior wall.
When dealing with brickwork, you need to modify your approach accordingly.
The good news being that it doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, proceed in accordance with the following five tips and you’ll be on your way to quality results in no time:
Clean The Brickwork Well
Right off the bat, there’s nothing more important than ensuring the surface you intend to paint is immaculately clean. This is true with all aspects of interior painting, though counts double when painting trickier surfaces like brickwork. Use a vacuum to get rid of as much residual dust and debris as possible, before giving the whole thing a good scrub and a final wipe with a damp cloth. Give the whole thing at least a day and night to dry, before once again going over it when sure there’s no remaining dust or debris on the surface.
Carry Out Repairs
There are two reasons why now really is the time to tend to any cracks or imperfections you come across along the way. First of all, these are the kinds of things that stand to make the job more difficult than it needs to be. Any imperfections in the surface only stand to complicate the application of both the primer and the paint. Secondly, there’s a strong chance that if you don’t get busy with the repairs now, you never will! So rather than making excuses, grab some decent filler, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and get those repairs sorted.
Applying Appropriate Primer
Priming is one of the most important aspects of the painting process. If not, the most important. In this instance, you’ll be needing a high-quality primer that’s suitable for use on exposed brickwork. Feel free to use a roller if dealing with a particularly large surface, but you’ll also need a brush to get into those tricky to reach spots. Leave the primer for as long as specified by the manufacturer, before applying a second coat if required.
Choose Your Paint Wisely
When painting interior brickwork, you’ll achieve the best results with a water-based acrylic paint. The good news being that the painting process is no different than with any other interior wall. You can use the same roller and/or brush you used to apply the primer, just as long as you’ve managed to clean and dry it in the interim. Take your time, ensuring you get into all those gaps and divots along the way. It’s better to invest a good amount of time to create an even finish than rush things and compromise the result.
Additional Coats
Last but not least, the fact that brickwork is porous means that you’ll almost definitely need to apply multiple coats. You may get away with two, but don’t be surprised if it takes three or so to get the job done. This is something to bear in mind when picking up the paint the first place, as you’ll probably need more than you expect. Even if it looks great at the time you apply it, a good amount may find its way into the brickwork and leave behind a less impressive result. Ensure you’ve got enough paint to get the job done and budget more time than you think you need.
Using high-quality paints and paying close attention to prep, painting exposed brick needn’t be any more difficult than painting any other wall.
For more information or to organize an obligation-free quotation, contact a member of the team at Homm CPS today.