The Pros And Cons Of Painting Brick Exterior in Mechanicsburg, PA
Painting a brick exterior is not like painting other exteriors as will be discussed below in that unlike other sorts of exteriors, it is nearly impossible to remove paint from a brick exterior without it being obvious that it was done.
Since this is the case, it is often a matter of debate whether one should paint their brick exterior at all or just leave it as it is and have the natural color of the brick be the color of the exterior.
With this in mind, let us explore and consider the pros and cons of painting brick exterior in Mechanicsburg, PA.
Pro : Better Appearance
By all measures, exterior brick that is painted has a better appearance than unpainted brick, except for people who happen to find unpainted brick more aesthetically pleasing, of course.
When your brick exterior is painted, it most always will improve the curb appeal, which is the perceived value of the home as seen from a person who might be driving by on the street or walking by.
Painting the brick exterior can also increase the overall market value of the house.
Con : Need of Maintenance
As with any paint job, painted brick exteriors are going to eventually need maintenance in order to continue being in remotely good condition.
Paint on the exterior of your home eventually will chip and fade and so it is necessary to apply a fresh coat of paint to the exterior of your brick exterior as soon as need be.
Pro : Strong Protection Against The Elements
Painted brick exteriors have a much better protection against moisture and mold than unpainted brick exteriors, and the presence of the paint will keep the walls in good condition for a longer time than if the paint is not there.
The paint coating on the brick exterior will make the surface of the brick less permeable to water, which is a good sort of protection for your brick house.
Con : Not Possible To Remove
The reason this article even exists really is that once you choose to paint your brick exterior, you cannot return to an unpainted state, and so your brick exterior is going to stay painted, so to speak — that’s what distinguishes it from other exteriors.
The positive thing that comes from this, if you will look at it this way, is that you don’t have to stay with one color paint — you can change colors that you use for painting your brick exterior — just know that you won’t be able to entirely remove the paint from the brick once it is painted.
Pro : Easier To Clean
When it comes to cleaning home exteriors, having a painted brick exterior is actually considerably easier to clean than an unpainted brick exterior.
The surface of the painted brick is not porous and therefore it does not keep dirt trapped the way that unpainted brick exterior does.
This is especially the case if you use a power washer to clean the exterior of your brick residence.
Con : Needs To Be Cleaned More Often
That last pro comes with a caveat in that you are able to see the dirt on your painted brick exterior more easily.
The two points seem to counter one another but it would seem in some ways that it would be better to have to clean an exterior more often yet have it be easier to do than to have to clean it less often but have it more difficult to do.
Bottom Line : It’s A Tough Call (And Your Call!)
You are definitely going to have benefits from having a painted exterior, but will it be worth having a house that is permanently painted?
With these pros and cons listed above, you can decide for yourself whether it is worth getting your brick exterior painted.