With a couple weekend teases of warmer weather here in Georgia, we know that spring is finally on its way. One of the trends we’ve been seeing a lot around Atlanta lately is painted brick, particularly with painted window sashes and gutters in a darker accent color, which can really differentiate the look of your home.
It’s the first week of March, and we’ve already been getting lots of calls from homeowners who are interested in painting their brick exteriors. These folks are smart, working ahead of the dreaded Georgia pollen that will start blanketing our homes, streets and cars in a sea of yellow-green dust in a matter of weeks.
If you’re thinking of painting the exterior of your home this spring, fear not–there’s still plenty of time after the pollen hits to make it pop. What goes into an exterior brick paint job? Here are some of the steps.
Color Selection
Choosing a color for your paint project can be overwhelming. If you’re not sure where to start, drive around your neighborhood to see if any of your neighbor’s homes colors are appealing to you. Another thing to consider are the stylistic elements of your home. Select a color that complements your roofing material or any other accents. A word of caution: Before making up your mind on any color, check with your neighborhood association and/or local building department to make sure there aren’t any restrictions on paint colors in your area.
Preparing Brick for Painting
The first step is pressure washing the exterior of your home to remove any dirt, mildew, or efflorescence build up. Efflorescence is salt deposits that come out of the brick and mortar joints. Our crew washes with one part bleach and three parts water. For tougher stains, sometimes we use trisodium phosphate (TSP). However, before we use TSP, we always check with the local regulations and make sure our guys are wearing protective gear.
Next, we repoint mortar joints if needed before we start priming. Our crew prims with loxon masonry primer or seal grip from Porter Paints. We use a top coat with elastomeric paint, which helps fill in any cracks for a long-lasting finish. Another option is latex acrylic for more mildew resistance.
Trust Three Brothers Painting for Your Exterior Paint Project
Three Brothers Painting has been providing Atlanta’s homeowners with expert exterior painting services for over twenty-five years. If you’re ready to paint the exterior of your home, we’d be happy to have our chief estimator come out and give you a free estimate. All our project estimates are itemized to allow homeowners to pick which line items they want to include in their project.
To schedule your appointment for your free estimate, contact our office at 770-928-3667.