Painting Tips and Supplies for an Interior Brick Wall

Are you looking to give your interior brick wall a new coat of paint to offer a more modern look or integrate it into your brand-new decor? Here are the steps to follow to make this project successful.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Painting a Brick Wall

1- Protect nearby surfaces

As it’ll be necessary to first clean your brick wall, be sure to protect the surrounding surfaces by installing a drop cloth on the floor. To prevent it from moving, secure it to the floor with tape. Remember to protect nearby walls by applying painter's tape around the edges.

2- Clean the brick

Before painting your brick wall, you’ll need to clean it correctly to make sure it’s in the proper condition for painting. To do this, there are two options on offer. As a first step, you may decide to get a powdered trisodium phosphate (T.S.P.) cleaning product, being careful to choose a liquid, no-rinse formula. Note that this product is also recommended for cleaning garage floors, asphalt driveways, paintbrushes and surfaces coated with grease or wax.

Secondly, note that it’s possible to make your own cleaning solution consisting of equal parts of water and vinegar. Now if this option is more suitable for you, note that you’ll need to rinse the surface following the application of this solution.

Regardless of which option you choose, make sure it’s completely dry before you start. Note that the use of a stiff bristle brush is recommended so that all the dirt is removed.

As a tip, we’d recommend cleaning a few days before your project begins. This will ensure that your wall is completely dry when you apply primer. Finally, keep in mind that you should wash from top to bottom, to prevent streaks from appearing.

3- Apply a coat of primer

Now’s the time to apply a primer coat to your brick wall. To do this, purchase a 100% acrylic latex primer and equip yourself with a brush and roller. For the roller, be aware that it’s preferable to choose a roller whose size is at least 20 millimetres in length.

Also, it’s preferable to use a brush to cover particularly hollow joints (and go over them with the roller afterward), as well as for the wall edges. When it comes to applying the primer, alternate strokes in both directions (horizontal and vertical). Finally, be sure to let everything dry for 24 hours before going ahead with your first coat of paint.

4- Apply a coat of paint to brick wall

It's finally time to paint your brick wall! Following our recommendation for selecting a primer, know that 100% acrylic latex interior paint is your best option. Now when it comes to choosing the type of finish, it will all depend on your desired result. In this regard, you should know that matte finish paint is less effective at hiding imperfections, which can be a disadvantage if your brick wall is damaged at all.

If you’d like to preserve the natural appearance of the brick as much as possible, we’d recommend a paint with a velvety or satin finish. Moreover, it should be noted that this type of paint tolerates cleaning with soapy water.

Of course, it’s preferable to apply a second coat of paint as well as respect the drying time recommended by the manufacturer to ensure the best result.

Finally, remember that the painter’s tape must be removed before the paint is completely dry. Otherwise, the edges of the wall may be damaged, which would be very disappointing!

Would you like more information about brick walls? See our article Interior Brick Walls: Installation and Maintenance Costs and Tips.