How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Brick House?

Ready to give your brick home a major refresh? A new coat of paint could do just the trick, but you’ll need to budget time (up to a week) and money for this. The cost to paint a brick house ranges from $3,500 to $10,500 on average.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Brick House by Size?

If you’re ready to boost your curb appeal, painting a brick home can provide a much-needed upgrade. But the cost to paint a brick house can vary by the size of the home. Prices could also depend on how many coats of paint your home needs.

The average cost to paint a brick house is $7,000, but this ranges from $3,500 to $10,500 for a 2,500-square-foot home.

Estimating the cost for a larger or smaller home? You can expect to pay about $1.40 to $4.20 per square foot.

Be prepared to pay your painting contractor a 20% to 30% deposit upfront, although when to pay the painter will vary by company.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Brick House Yourself?

Painting a brick home is something you can do yourself, but if you want your home to look its best (and keep your hair paint-free), you should consider hiring a painting contractor instead. But if you’re determined to save some money and tackle this project, here are some costs to consider.

“One area where you won’t save money as a DIYer is on the cost of the paint,” says Bob Tschudi, Expert Review Board Member and North Carolina-based home builder and remodeler. “Because painting pros buy so much paint, suppliers usually give them very good discounts.”

Cleaning Materials

One perk to painting brick is that it makes it easier to clean than unpainted, porous brick, which can trap dirt and is more vulnerable to the elements. That said, you don’t want to paint a dirty exterior. For a smooth application, you’ll need to sufficiently clean the brick with a pressure washer, which can cost about $40 per day to rent. If you purchase a pressure washer, costs typically range from $100 to $380.

Safety Items

As with any DIY project, you need to be properly equipped with safety materials. Protect yourself from your paint sprayer with a painter’s mask ($20), safety goggles ($10 to $20), and painter’s gloves ($6 to $8).

Paint and Painting Materials

Primer costs $7 to $15 per gallon, which covers about 250 square feet. Paint averages from $30 to $70 for a gallon, which covers the same square footage. For a 2,500-square-foot home, this means you’ll spend $370 to $850 total for primer and paint.

But you need more than just paint to get the job done. To paint brick, you need a paint sprayer, which can cost about $430 a week to rent.

You’ll also need a ladder or scaffold, which costs $130 to $160 per item to rent.

Additional painting materials include paint trays, paintbrushes for trimming, painter’s tape, drop cloths, and caulk. In total, this will cost you about another $100.

DIY Labor

Time is money, and you’ll need to put in several days’ worth of work to get the job done. You’ll need to recruit a couple of friends, adult family members, or neighbors, too. Two to three people can finish painting a medium-sized home in three to four days or a larger home in one week. That is, of course, so long as you don’t have any weather delays.

Painting a Brick House Cost Breakdown

The cost breakdown to paint a house looks a little different when hiring a professional. Hiring a pro may not actually cost you that much more because they already have all the equipment they need for such an extensive job. When you choose to DIY, you can spend a small fortune just on renting tools and stocking up on safety equipment.

Hiring a painter costs on average $2.80 per square foot, or a range of $1.40 to $4.20 per square foot. This price includes everything needed to paint a brick house: primer, paint, painting supplies, tools, and labor. Hourly, you’re looking at a cost of about $150 to $350 per hour.

Your painting contractor will also likely need to pressure wash the exterior before painting. Expect an additional charge of $35 to $100 for this service.

How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Brick House by Finish?

Painting brick offers a unique range of finish options to help your house look its best.

Painting Brick

A standard paint coating will cost an average of $7,000. Keep in mind that painted brick will also fade over time and become susceptible to chipping. Experts recommend repainting your brick house about every 7 to 10 years.

Whitewashing Brick

Whitewashed brick is a popular trend that creates a rustic or vintage look to the exterior of your home by applying diluted white paint to the brick to really let the material’s texture show through. Costs for whitewashing a 2,500-square-foot brick house range from $2,225 to $4,000.

Limewashing Brick

Alternatively, you might choose to go for a limewashed facade. This technique involves adding a thin layer of chalky, bright white or tinted paint made with water, hydrated masonry lime, and salt to the brick facade, intentionally leaving some of the original brick exposed. The average cost to limewash brick is $2,000.

FAQs About Painting a Brick House

Painting a brick house can be a big task. Whether you decide to hire an exterior painter or painting company or go the DIY route, there are some things to keep in mind. It’s especially important to properly prepare your home for exterior paint to make sure the paint looks its best and lasts for years to come.

How do I paint a brick house?

1. First, Pressure Wash the Exterior

Clean the entire exterior to remove dirt, debris, spiderwebs, and other substances that will interfere with smooth paint application. Allow the exterior to dry for about 48 hours before painting.

2. Caulk Damaged Spots

Check the exterior for minor spots of damage, like crumbling or small gaps. Repair using caulk and a caulk gun. For larger areas of damage, you will either need to repair the brick with mortar or hire a professional to assess and fix the damage.

3. Cover Windows and Doors and Remove Light Fixtures

Next, you need to cover all of the non-brick surfaces to protect them from paint. Use painter’s tape and drop cloths to cover trim, windows, doors, gutters, downspouts, and plants or gardens close to the house. Remove light fixtures, address numbers, and the mailbox.

4. Add Primer

Use a paint sprayer to apply an even layer of primer to the brick.

5. Paint the Brick

Once the primer has dried, use the paint sprayer to apply the paint. Apply paint to tight spots or intricate details with paintbrushes rather than the sprayer. When you finish painting, ensure proper and safe disposal or storage of the paint.

Why should I paint my brick house exterior?

Is your brick home looking a little worse for wear? Does the exterior of your home look a little dingy? A fresh layer of paint can help refresh your home and add curb appeal.

Painting a brick house can also help protect the brick from the elements, as brick is porous. Paint creates a barrier from rain and wind.

“We had a client whose brick house had been improperly built, and would incur serious water damage after heavy rains,” says Tschudi. “They wanted to have the bricks sealed, which would have mitigated the problem, but the house would look exactly the same. Instead, they chose to have the brick primed and painted.”

Painted brick also helps prevent dirt from becoming trapped in the porous brick, so the exterior of your home stays clean for longer.

One major drawback to painting brick is that you can’t undo it. Trends come and go, so if you are chasing a popular style of painted brick, you can never revert the exterior to its original brick facade.

Another disadvantage is that painted brick, over time, will chip. You can expect to repaint a brick house every decade.