Brick Painting Company in Middle Tennessee
Take a cruise around our Nashville neighborhoods and you’ll pass a lot of brick homes. Maybe you live in one! Exterior brick is popular, and many homeowners enjoy the relatively low level of upkeep it requires.
But there’s one major downside to having a brick exterior in Nashville: you really never have the opportunity to update your style. It looks the same, year in and year out. And while some folks say unpainted brick is “timeless,” it’s really not. Brick color, shape, types of grout, sizing, etc. all pinpoint exactly which decade your home was built in, giving you that same dated look as an old paint job.
For all these reasons, you’re considering painting or staining your brick house. It’s time for a fresh look, and you’re exploring your options. Keep reading! We have some in-depth information for you, as well as a few tips to help you avoid costly mistakes.
Benefits of staining or painting brick
Refresh your home’s look
Drastically different curb appeal
Seal gaps and cracks
Easier long-term maintenance and cleaning
Protect against moisture damage
Increased property value
The right paint includes mildewcide
Did “increased property value” from brick painting catch your eye? It’s true! Especially for older brick homes that have a dated appearance, brick painting can have a substantial impact on marketability and overall value.
Understand our brick painting process
Before we dig into our process, we have to share a word of caution. If you don’t approach brick exterior painting the right way, the results can be disastrous.
Here’s a prime example: brick has to be able to breathe. If you use a regular exterior house paint, you’ll suffocate the surface and your paint job could fail within 3-4 years. We see it all the time, whether the house was painted as a do-it-yourself project, or by a painting company that didn't have the right product knowledge or expertise.
At Nash Painting, we have specific products that we use intentionally. If your brick has never been painted, and it’s painted the right way, that new paint job could easily last 20 years. That’s a HUGE value compared to more frequent, cheaper paint jobs that aren’t done right.
Here’s how we do it:
Lightly wash the brick. Did you know that brick is extremely porous? Power washing will force water right through, and could cause damage in the process.
Next, we fill any cracks or holes with caulking to keep both pests and water out. As a side note, we don’t fill weep holes since they allow trapped moisture to escape from behind the brick.
We then apply a coat of Sherwin Williams Loxon XP high-build primer and finish in one.
Finally, we apply a second coat. SW says that this is a one-coat product, but we’ve found that we can layer in some extra efficiency by using the high-build primer and finish in one, applied in two coats. The results are outstanding, creating a beautiful, non-porous surface.
And yes, Sherwin Williams Loxon XP is a breathable product. As an extra benefit, it also stops efflorescence: salt working its way from the interior of the brick to the exterior, creating a powdery buildup.
How do you stain brick?
The process is much the same as it is for painting. The key difference here is that stain has a solid tint, is more watery, and doesn’t fill the surface holes like paint does since it’s so much thinner. It also doesn’t have mildewcide to protect against algae growth, and can discolor with time. This discoloration can also be caused by sprinklers, rain splashing off the ground, etc.
Brick staining does, however, tend to last longer than paint because there’s really no “coating” to fail or wear. While those are certainly benefits, paint tends to come out ahead in a number of key ways.
Why choose Nash Painting?
First and foremost, because we do the job right. Sound simplistic? Only in written form. In reality, it means no cut corners, total transparency, high-end products we believe in, and standing by our work to a degree that most professional painters won’t… and can’t.
When you’re painting exterior brick, this is what you need. The project is too technical and too important to trust the process to just anyone, or to hunt for a bargain.
Here are a few more reasons why you should choose us as your exterior painter:
We offer a no-hassle experience.
We have over 15 years of residential painting experience, with over 1,000 homes completed.
We meet our deadlines, every time.
Our costs are competitive, and our value is unparalleled.
Our skilled team can handle any painting work you need completed, no matter how specialized.
Brick Painting FAQ
What brick painting services do you offer?
Brick painting and staining.
Does painting brick increase property value?
Yes! Brick is not a timeless look: different decades had trademark brick styles. Painting makes it much harder to date a home, and creates a more modern aesthetic.
Does painting brick damage it?
Only if you use the wrong products and approach. Your paint has to be breathable: standard exterior house paints will suffocate the surface, incurring damage and drastically shortening the life of your paint job.
How long does painted brick last for?
If your brick has never been painted and the process is done right, by professional painters, your paint job could last 20 years.
How do I clean painted brick?
Gently! We recommend a soft wash: even a garden house will do.
What sheen should I paint my brick?
It used to be that flat was the only option, but there are now satin products available with a bit more sheen. There are pros and cons here: satin shows more imperfections and is harder to touch up, but it’s also easier to clean. Flat is easier to touch up and more forgiving of your surfaces, but definitely can retain more dirt. Our recommendation is flat paint for your brick wall and satin for your trim.
