Thank you, all! We're going to go with lime wash.

There was a thread touching on why not to paint brick a few weeks ago.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/15/617446.page#13518251

Anonymous wrote:Not OP, but I was looking at a white lime wash paint at Home Depot and it gets great reviews. I think I will give it a try.

I was advised by an architect to not paint but to apply stain that is absorbed into the break and wont chip off. I think lime wash works this way.

That limewash sold at Home Depot can be tinted any paint color, fyi! I'm considering it for our yellow brick rowhouse. Thought it's really low priority so will probably never get done.

Anonymous wrote:Not OP, but I was looking at a white lime wash paint at Home Depot and it gets great reviews. I think I will give it a try.

I was advised by an architect to not paint but to apply stain that is absorbed into the break and wont chip off. I think lime wash works this way.

+1 Architect chiming in- on previously unpainted brick, limewash is your best bet, as conventional latex exterior paint will basically create a waterproof layer that has the potential to trap moisture within the wall. It's also an appealing solution as over the years it just fades, rather than peels and flakes like conventional paint.

Not OP, but I was looking at a white lime wash paint at Home Depot and it gets great reviews. I think I will give it a try.

I was advised by an architect to not paint but to apply stain that is absorbed into the break and wont chip off. I think lime wash works this way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Don't paint brick. You'll have to constantly repaint it.

Not constantly. Sometimes houses look even better after it becomes a bit chippy.

NO. You can do a limewash that will patina intentionally, but chipping paint does not look good. Not saying don’t paint, just be realistic about the maintenance. Which, I mean, things require upkeep. It’s fine.

Unless the brick is really ugly color, I'd go for lime wash.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Don't paint brick. You'll have to constantly repaint it.

Not constantly. Sometimes houses look even better after it becomes a bit chippy.

NO. You can do a limewash that will patina intentionally, but chipping paint does not look good. Not saying don’t paint, just be realistic about the maintenance. Which, I mean, things require upkeep. It’s fine.

Anonymous wrote:

Don't paint brick. You'll have to constantly repaint it.

Not constantly. Sometimes houses look even better after it becomes a bit chippy.

Don't paint brick. You'll have to constantly repaint it.

It depends on the brick. I like it painted probably 1/2 of the time.

I would try painting the front door and any trim/shutters first to see if you can get a look you like. We painted our house but it was 1) a row house in a neighborhood where most houses are painted (Cap Hill) and 2) faced with this really hideous fake stone veneer. Looks so much better. But I wouldn’t have done a rancher.

Our new neighbors to this. I’ll be honest at first it was quite a change but it looks fantastic .

I would paint it

We painted our no-character 1970s brick white and are very happy we did. Neighbors don't care.

Just bought a brick rancher. Planning to paint it off-white. There are bricks that should remain unpainted but this brick is generic 1950s no-character brick. Not really having second thoughts just a little bit of cold feet and a little nervous about how neighbors might react. Most of the houses in the immediate area are unpainted brick though a few are painted. Would you paint it or leave it?