painting brick.

People are often divided on the issue of painting brick.  Some people believe passionately that all brick should remain in its original state.  Some people say, paint away!  I, of course, am of the latter mindset, but that isn't surprising.  I paint everything down to my pup's toenails.  Just kidding. But I do paint everything else. 

Don't get me wrong, I love an exposed brick wall, but if it feels too heavy to you, is in bad shape, or just not your thing... I say, paint it and don't look back.

Unless of course, it looks like this:

or this

then you might want to just rejoice in the fact that you are one of the lucky ones.

But let's face it - not all brick is beautiful.  So today, we thought we'd give you a little DIY tutorial on how to update your ugly brick into something special. 

like this bright, happy breakfast nook. 

or this fabulous painted fireplace.  (you have to check out the before and after photos here)

or this expansive space made light with some white... (I wasn't trying to rhyme. I promise)

or this sweet bedroom... 

and finally, as you can see people typically choose white when painting brick but...

there are, of course, other options.  We love this brick wall painted gray to match the modern, monochromatic palette of the room. 

So, how do you do it? 

Well, honestly, it is all in the preparation.  

1. Sometimes bricks have a white, chalky substance (called Efflorescence) on them.  If yours do, take a wire brush to them (without water) to remove it. 
2. Fill any large cracks (unless you like them) with caulk.  Otherwise, brush out all cracks to remove all loose material with a wire brush. 
3. Scrub down bricks with mild (organic) detergent using a stiff brush. Be vigilant. 
4. Be patient.  You must allow the brick to dry completely before painting.  This means waiting a full day, maybe two.  Your brick might feel dry to the touch, but brick is porous and can still be wet further in. 
5. Get Painting!  Prime.  Then paint.  
6. We suggest rolling it on then following up with a brush to get any spots the roller couldn't (deep mortar, cracks, etc). 
7. Let dry and marvel at your handywork.