Real or fake brick walls can give any area personality and texture. But the right paint choice is crucial to really making them stand out. The kind of paint you use is important, whether you want to update the appearance of exposed brick or add a fresh feel to your faux brick panels.
With so many options available, such as glossy coatings and matte finishes, knowing the fundamentals of paint types and how they affect brick will help you get the look you want. Using this guide will make the process easy and efficient by guiding you through the best paint options for both imitation and real brick.
There is paint out there that can realize your vision, whether you want a rustic, aged look or a modern, sleek finish. Together, we can sort through the selections and select the ideal paint for your brick surfaces.
Type of Paint | Description |
Acrylic Paint | Water-based and easy to apply. Provides a flexible finish that resists cracking and fading. Suitable for both real and imitation brick. |
Latex Paint | Also water-based and similar to acrylic but with a less flexible finish. Good for indoor use on imitation brick. |
Oil-Based Paint | Durable and provides a strong finish. Ideal for exterior brick surfaces. Takes longer to dry and requires solvents for cleanup. |
Elastomeric Paint | Flexible and can bridge cracks in the brick surface. Often used for exterior applications where weather resistance is important. |
Durability, breathability, and desired finish are important considerations when selecting paint for brick or imitation brick surfaces. The right paint can bring out the character of the brick, improve texture, and shield your walls from moisture. This guide will assist you in choosing the ideal paint type for your project and provide pointers on how to get a polished finish.
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Brickwork: fashionable trends in interior design
It is generally impossible to imagine certain historical interior architectural styles—and even some more contemporary ones—without natural brickwork. When these styles first emerged, the masonry was left unfinished for the straightforward reason that plaster was too costly.
Furthermore, no materials had been developed yet that could shield brick from aging and environmental factors.
- Over the years, the surface of the brick took on a picturesque look, somewhere it turned black, efflorescence appeared, moss broke through the seams. This gave an idea to modern designers, and today the imitation of aged brickwork, one might say, is at the peak of its popularity. For this, you do not need to be sophisticated, artistically paint the brick, trying to add age to the new masonry.
- The walls can simply be faced with brick or clinker tiles (see. Clinker tile finishing: a universal material for interiors and facades) with the appropriate design, and one of these options is shown in the photo above. Such finishing is carried out with decorative hand-molded clinker tiles, and the result is such that it is almost impossible to distinguish the imitation from natural masonry.
- Actually, the consumer has at his disposal not only tiles, but also decorative bricks with the same appearance. It can be used for cladding the facade or interior walls only during the construction of the house, therefore, there must be a project that provides for such finishing.
- If the house is old, and the idea to decorate the interior in a loft style, or to update the facade came during its operation, it is much easier to use tiles, because the brick is heavy and must rest on the foundation. Of course, the price of such tiles is quite high, and the cladding of one square meter of the wall will cost about 2700 rubles.
- Those who do not have the financial means for such cladding have no choice but to paint the brickwork, for example, in white, which also looks very stylish – or use paintable wallpaper with a corresponding pattern or relief. A roll of such wallpaper can cost the same as a square meter of tile cladding, but the roll is at least 5 m2, so the finishing is five times cheaper.
Kindly take note! Decorative gypsum brick is an additional, absolutely fantastic option for interior design. First of all, it gives you a lovely relief, and secondly, you can paint the brick in a color scheme of your choosing. Thirdly, making such a brick at home is inexpensive and possible.
However, natural brickwork can be incorporated into designs in loft, modern, or country styles, and this is what our instructions are devoted to. We will cover painting bricks and other tasks associated with getting the masonry ready for finishing in the upcoming chapter.
Painting unplastered walls
The masonry must be ready for finishing before any painting or other decoration is done. And regardless of the project—whether it’s painting a brick balcony or designing a wall next to a fireplace—the surface preparation for the masonry will be done the same way if plastering is not your intention.
- Although, much depends on the original condition of the walls – there is a difference: is it freshly erected masonry, or is your house already a hundred years old. The beauty of brickwork is made by the jointing, and there are many ways to do it. When brick walls are supposed to be plastered (see. How to plaster external walls), the joints are not filled with mortar at all, but the masonry is laid "in the empty joint".
This removes the need for notches on the base and enhances the plaster mortar’s adherence to it. Additionally, as part of the decorative finishing of the surface, if, for instance, during a major renovation of an old house, a layer of plaster that has lost its strength is removed from the walls and empty joints in the masonry are discovered, you will need to fill them with mortar by hand.
Processing masonry joints
Naturally, this work is extremely laborious. However, if you take into account that unplastered brickwork is typically only used as an accent on one wall or that only specific interior architectural elements—such as a niche, a partition between windows, or a stove wall—are decorated, then this task is not that tough.
- First of all, surface cleaning is performed. Even when the masonry is carried out in Pustoshkov, when plastering, the solution enters the seams. When cleaning the walls to the base, some amount of it remains in the seams, and to fill them with a fresh solution, the old one must be removed, and the sand and dust should be laid out with a brush.
- The cleaning is carried out using a narrow chisel and hammer, only this must be done carefully, trying not to damage the brick. You will need another tool – a flat extension with which you will process the seams, giving them a form.
- To fill the joints, you need a solution of the MP*75 brand, but before applying it, cleaned masonry should be washed – especially if it was previously plastered. After washing, it should dry for several days. Then the wall is primed, not forgetting about the seams. One layer of soil is not enough, the masonry needs to be treated at least twice.
- Only after the surface has completely dried, you can begin the jointing work. First, make horizontal seams, then vertical ones. Fill the voids between the bricks with mortar by three quarters, and let it sit for 30-40 minutes until the mixture sets a little. Keep in mind that it should not lose its elasticity, so do not fill the seams at once over the entire area of the surface being finished.
- Apply the mortar to two or three rows, and when it is time to process them, you can fill a few more. Then, using the expansion joint, begin to form the seams filled first. Slightly press the tool into the mortar, and remove the protruding excess with an ordinary stationery knife with a wide blade.
- Use the same simple tool to putty the seams in those places where there are recesses left unfilled with mortar. After you have beautiful smooth grooves, you can begin to seal the vertical seams. Here you need to pay special attention to ensuring that they are well tied with horizontal seams.
Counseling! Remember to frequently moisten the joint with water; this will improve the surface’s smoothness. Furthermore, the solution adheres to the metal’s dry surface, making it easy to damage by dragging the tool along the uncured seam. If any of the solution ends up on the brick’s surface by accident, don’t worry. Any dirt can be easily cleaned off because you have already primed it.
- In this case, there is no difference: whether the sand-lime brick will be painted, or this is a masonry of traditional clay bricks – all work is carried out in the same way. When processing the seams, you repeat the contour of each brick. It is especially necessary to carefully fill the seams in the chimneys of fireplaces and stoves, since carbon monoxide can enter the room through them.
- And it does not matter if some of them are uneven – it would even be strange to see perfectly even bricks in a century-old wall. In principle, this unevenness is the whole charm of the old masonry, it is not for nothing that it is even imitated with the help of decorative bricks or ceramic tiles.
It is not so much your job to align the masonry—that is just not possible—as it is to create relief by skillfully edging its elements with seams. It looks very impressive to have new, smooth seams framing old bricks. You can apply putty where there are cracks or potholes if necessary.
Selecting the appropriate paint for brick or faux brick surfaces can drastically change an area with little work. Choose paint that will ensure durability in addition to improving the appearance, whether you’re painting an old brick wall or giving imitation brick a new look.
Look for paints made especially for masonry if you want real brick. These paints are designed to handle the distinct texture and porous nature of brick while providing good adhesion. However, faux brick surfaces frequently call for a different strategy. An excellent acrylic paint can produce brilliant color and a smooth finish.
Getting ready is essential for both kinds of surfaces. To ensure that the paint adheres better and lasts longer, thoroughly clean the area to remove any dirt or old paint. You may also want to consider applying a primer. For many years to come, your brick or imitation brick walls can maintain their stylish appearance with the correct paint and minimal preparation.