Top Tips For Painting Brick Exteriors In Ottawa
Summer sun makes working outdoors a breeze if you can beat the heat, especially for exterior house painting. And when it comes to house painting in Ottawa, it’s almost a given that you’ll be dealing with brick exteriors at some point. Painting brick is an involved task, even compared to the usual challenges of exterior painting, but the results can dramatically boost curb appeal and unify the overall exterior design of the house. Whatever your reason for painting brick exteriors, there are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind:
Prep Work
Brick collects dirt just as readily as wood or vinyl siding, which means you’re going to need to give brick surfaces a scrub with soapy water and the help of a stiff brush. Thankfully, your standard TSP solution will still work wonders here, so don’t be afraid to pull it out for use on brick. You don’t have to sand like you do some wood surfaces, which is a plus. No matter how thorough or light a cleaning is required, leave the surface to dry for at least 24 hours before you start painting.
Picking Your Paint
To really help with the painting process, and as a follow-up to your prep work, applying a coat of latex primer to brick exteriors (especially in areas that were particularly dirty) can help the final coat retain its colour and stick to the surface you’re painting. When applying your main colour coats, you have a decision to make: elastodynamic paint, which fills cracks and will hold up well season to season; or acrylic latex exterior paint, which is designed for longevity and will stand up against moisture.
Applying The First Coat
For smaller surface areas, you can stick to a standard roller and brush combination. However, for larger surfaces, it might be worthwhile to invest in a paint sprayer. Given that exterior house painting in Ottawa will involve numerous large brick surfaces, keep rollers and brushes on hand for touch-ups and edge details—invest in the sprayer. If you are limited to a brush and roller, be prepared and patient, as ensuring full and complete coverage means filling every crack and thoroughly coating the surface of every brick.
Other Helpful Tips
As beautiful as an Ottawa summer can be, don’t forget how quickly the weather can change. Make sure to check the forecast and that you’ve got a good timeframe to get the job done. Clean brushes at the end of each day to make sure they last, but instead of throwing out used rollers, wrap them securely in plastic wrap and reuse them the next day. Most important of all, stay hydrated on those really hot days.
Using these tips, you can make exterior house painting on brick surfaces a breeze. You might not be able to beat the heat entirely when things warm up, but you can limit how long you’re stuck in it by painting smart.
