OP here. Thanks for the input and suggestions. I hadn't heard about brick staining, sounds like it could be a nice improvement. Good tips too for updating the shutters and door.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone here paint a house with very textured brick? Mine is ugly and needs help - but I worry that it won't improve if it's textured. Very similar to this:

I think it will definitely help.

A fireplace:
http://recycledloveletters.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-kids-are-sleeping-i-think-ill-paint.html?m=1

Consider a stain which will fade rather than chip

Anyone here paint a house with very textured brick? Mine is ugly and needs help - but I worry that it won't improve if it's textured. Very similar to this:

Our's has been painted since we bought it almost 20yrs ago. It's a 70yr old house. Paint has never peeled. We have it re-painted every 8-10yrs just the way we would the inside of the home.

Anonymous wrote:I've heard of whitewashing the brick, which is supposed to require less maintenance but might still give you the change in appearance.

+1

OP, it is not that labor intensive, if it is done right the first time. If you paint it, you need to paint the door a beautiful color, AND you ALSO need to add matching high end shutters. A gorgeous brick house was just painted down the street, and they just left it stark white with no accents. Awful, awful, awful.

If you are looking to flip your home or live in it short term and sell before it starts peeling go for it.

If it's an ugly color go ahead and paint it. Painting very several years isn't that much hassle. Much better to love your house!

I did renovate my house. It is true that home maintenance is costly.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of maintenance--don't do. If there was some way we could blast away the white paint on our house to make it peeling white brick, I'd do it.

You may be able to do this. I've seen houses where they got the paint off entirely back to the original brick. No clue how they did it though.

Run

I've heard of whitewashing the brick, which is supposed to require less maintenance but might still give you the change in appearance.

Lots of maintenance--don't do. If there was some way we could blast away the white paint on our house to make it peeling white brick, I'd do it.

Don't do it. You'll be kicking yourself when it starts flaking and you have to re paint it AGAIN. And AGAIN.

Fix up the windows, paint the door a bright color and get some nice curb appeal plantings. But don't paint

I dislike the brick exterior of our house - the bricks are currently unpainted and an unattractive color, plus the texture is pretty rough. It just looks run down. I think it might look better painted but I've heard that can require a lot of maintenance. What has your experience been like with a painted brick exterior - do you have to repaint often? Is it expensive to maintain?