How to paint brick walls inside or outside the home

🎨 Trade Guide: How to Paint Brick Walls Inside or Outside the Home

Why should you paint brick walls in an Australian home?

Painting brick can completely update a dated red-brick façade, fireplace, feature wall or garden wall, but it only lasts if the masonry is properly cleaned, repaired and sealed first. Interior and exterior brick both need a system approach: thorough prep, the right masonry primer, and a durable topcoat suited to Australian UV, moisture and temperature conditions.

What skill level is required to paint brick walls in Australia?

Intermediate — Estimated time: 1-3 days depending on wall size, condition, weather and drying times

What tools are essential for painting brick walls in Australia?

What materials are needed for painting brick walls in Australia?

Safety Requirements

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Inspect the brick and diagnose any moisture issues

1️⃣ Check the substrate first

Before buying paint, inspect the brick for powdery white salts, flaking paint, cracks, missing mortar, mould, or damp patches. Brick is porous, so if there is rising damp, leaking gutters, failed flashing, or garden irrigation hitting the wall, these issues must be fixed before painting.

For exterior walls, check south-facing and shaded areas for mould and mildew. For fireplaces and old interior feature walls, look for soot staining, smoke residue and loose mortar.

If the brick feels damp or shows persistent staining, use a moisture meter or allow more drying time after cleaning. Paint should only go onto sound, dry masonry.

💡 Pro tip: Surface prep is always 80% of the job. If the wall has active moisture, no premium paint system will hold up for long.

Step 2: Clean the brick thoroughly

2️⃣ Remove dirt, salts and contaminants

Exterior brick should be washed to remove dust, chalking, cobwebs, pollution and loose material. Use a pressure washer on a moderate setting, or scrub by hand with a stiff nylon brush and masonry cleaner. Avoid blasting old mortar joints too aggressively.

Interior brick can usually be cleaned with sugar soap and warm water. For fireplaces, remove soot with a suitable degreasing cleaner, then rinse and allow to dry fully.

If you see efflorescence, scrub it off dry first with a stiff brush, then clean the wall. Do not just paint over salts, as they can push the coating off later.

For mouldy areas, treat with a mould remover, rinse as directed, and let the surface dry thoroughly.

Allow the brick to dry completely after cleaning. Exterior walls may need 24-48 hours dry weather before priming.

Step 3: Repair cracks, mortar joints and surface defects

3️⃣ Make the wall sound before coating

Fill small chips and cracks with a suitable masonry filler. Rake out and repair any badly deteriorated mortar joints before painting, particularly on older façades and garden walls. Paint bridges minor texture variation, but it will not hide failed pointing or structural cracking.

Use paintable exterior-grade caulk around penetrations, window trims, expansion gaps and junctions where movement is minor. Do not caulk weep holes or intended drainage points in masonry.

Lightly scrape any flaking old paint and sand rough edges with 80-120 grit so repairs feather in neatly.

If the wall has heavy texture or many repairs, spot-priming patched areas before full priming helps equalise suction.

Step 4: Mask off surrounding areas and choose your application method

4️⃣ Set up for a clean, efficient job

Mask windows, trims, pavers, decking, plants, switches, hearths and adjacent surfaces. Brick is highly textured, so splatter and overspray can travel further than many DIYers expect.

For small areas like fireplaces, interior feature walls and garden walls, brush-and-roller is usually the best method. Use a brush to cut into mortar joints and corners, then a masonry roller to spread paint across the face.

For large exterior brick façades, airless spray is fast and gives excellent penetration into texture, but you should back-roll immediately after spraying to work paint into pores and even out film build.

🔧 Equipment Required

Step 5: Prime the brick with a suitable masonry sealer

5️⃣ Prime porous masonry properly

Bare or porous brick nearly always benefits from a dedicated primer or sealer. This locks down dust, evens porosity and improves topcoat adhesion.

Good Australian options include:

On highly porous brick, expect lower spread rates of around 8-12 m²/L. Work the primer into mortar joints and surface texture with a brush and heavy nap roller. For exterior walls in full sun, start early and work on the shaded side where possible.

Allow primer to dry as per the label, commonly 2-4 hours recoat in normal conditions, though porous masonry or cool weather may extend this.

💡 Pro tip: If the brick is old and chalky, one primer coat may disappear into the surface. That is normal on very porous masonry—check whether the surface still feels dusty before topcoating.

Step 6: Apply the first topcoat

6️⃣ Use the right paint system for inside vs outside

For exterior brick, use a premium exterior acrylic designed for masonry and harsh Australian UV. Recommended products include:

For interior brick, use a quality acrylic low sheen or matte finish, such as:

Apply the first coat by cutting in all edges and joints first, then rolling the field. Use a roller with 18-22 mm nap to reach into the brick face and mortar profile. Spread rate is typically 10-14 m²/L on smoother surfaces, but textured brick often uses more paint.

Do not over-stretch the coating. Brick drinks paint, especially the first coat.

For spray application, spray one section at a time and back-roll while wet. This helps prevent pinholes and missed pores.

Step 7: Apply the second coat for full coverage and durability

7️⃣ Build a consistent protective film

Once the first coat is dry, apply a second full coat the same way. Most brick jobs need two full topcoats for colour uniformity, weather resistance and proper film thickness.

Observe the label recoat window, typically 2-4 hours recoat for water-based acrylics in good conditions. In cool, humid or shaded weather, allow longer.

Darker colours on exterior brick can absorb heat, so premium exterior products are especially important on sun-exposed walls. If you are repainting a large façade, lighter neutrals and warm whites often perform better long-term than very dark colours.

Popular Australian-style updates include:

Step 8: Check coverage, remove masking and allow proper curing

8️⃣ Finish neatly and let the paint harden

Inspect the wall from different angles for holidays, thin mortar coverage, drips and flashing. Touch up any missed joints or porous sections before packing up.

Remove masking tape while the paint is still slightly soft to reduce tearing. Clean tools promptly if using water-based systems.

Although paint may feel dry the same day, full cure takes longer. Avoid harsh washing, impact or heavy exposure until the coating has cured fully, generally several days depending on weather and product.

For exterior walls, try to allow a run of stable weather after application.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Pro Tips

Recommended Tools