Painting Brick Exteriors in Snellville: What You Need to Know Before You Start

Brick is one of the most common exterior materials in Snellville and the rest of Gwinnett County. It’s durable, classic, and carries a timeless curb appeal that fits beautifully into the town’s established neighborhoods. If your brick looks weathered, darkened, or no long reflects the style of your home, it means a refresh is long overdue. Increasingly, homeowners are turning to exterior paint as their solution.

Painting brick is not as simple as slapping a coat of paint on top, requiring careful thought and proper execution. At CertaPro Painters® of East Metro Atlanta, we work with Snellville homeowners on brick painting project regularly, so we know what it takes to get a job done right. Here’s what you need to know before you start:

Painting Brick is a Permanent Commitment

Once brick is painted, reversing that decision is very difficult and expensive. Paint penetrates into the porous surface of brick and mortar. To remove it, the project typically requires aggressive sandblasting or chemical stripping, which can damage the brick itself.

This doesn’t necessarily mean painting brick is the wrong choice. However, it does mean you should go into a brick painting project with a genuine conviction that this is the correct direction you wish to go with your home. Take the time to look at painted brick homes in your neighborhood and throughout Snellville. Talk to a professional about your specific home and what the finished result will look like so that you can move forward confidently.

Assess the Condition of Your Brick Before Anything Else

Not all brick is in a condition suitable for painting. Skipping a thorough assessment before applying paint is one of the most common mistakes when it comes to painting brick exterior. Here are the potential issues your brick may have:

• Efflorescence: This is the white, chalky deposits that appears on brick surfaces, which is caused by water moving through the masonry and leaving behind mineral salts on the surface. This is very common in Georgia’s humid climate and needs to be fully removed before painting. Untreated efflorescence will caused adhesion failure and accelerate paint peeling.
• Mortar Condition: Cracked, crumbling, or missing mortar joints are entry points for water. When painting over these defects, a coat of paint will trap this moisture in the wall, which can lead to early paint failure.
• Existing Moisture Problems: These need to be identified and resolved before painting. Brick that has drainage issues, failed flashing, or other sources of water intrusion will never hold paint properly.

Cleaning Is Absolutely Necessary

Brick is porous and textured, so over the year, it accumulates dirt, grime, biological growth, and environmental residue. Unfortunately in Snellville’s climate, mold, mildew, and algae growth is particularly common on shaded exterior surfaces.

Thorough cleaning, which typically includes pressure washing and treatment with cleaning solutions, is a mandatory step before painting brick. The surface needs to be free of organic growth, loose material, or any other contaminants that would interfere with paint adhesion. With Georgia’s humidity, it may take a while for the brick to properly dry before painting.

Primer Is Everything With Brick

Primer is what separates long-lasting results from premature failures. Brick is an alkaline, highly porous surface, so applying a topcoat without the proper primer underneath almost guarantees that your paint will peel within a year.

A masonry-specific primer penetrates the porous surface of brick, seals it, and creates a bond that the topcoat needs to properly adhere. In Georgia’s climate, that bond is tested constantly.

Brick Requires Diligent Maintenance

Painted brick needs to be inspected periodically for signs of peeling, cracking, or areas where the pain film has been compromised. If any defects are found, that need to be touched up promptly. Painting brick can’t breathe as freely as unpainted brick, so it’s important to stay on top of any drainage or moisture issues around your home.

At CertaPro Painters® of East Metro Atlanta, we have the experience and expertise to guide Snellville homeowners through every step of a brick painting project — from initial assessment and surface prep through color selection and final application. Schedule your free estimate today!