How to paint bricks

A  classic red brick wall is a wonderful look. But what about Twisted Rope? Or Spun Straw? How about Garden Fable? Giving your brick walls a little more personality is always a good idea. And you won’t need to fear any muck ups with a guide this simple. You’ve got this.

Step One: Brick Preparation

• Clean surrounding area, then remove dirt or flaking paint from the wall, using a high pressure hose.
• Then give the wall a final brush to remove any missed dirt, dust or cobwebs.
• Mask any areas you don’t want painted.
• Lay drop sheets where required.

Step Two: Paint Preparation

• Stir your paint with a flat stirrer.
• If you don’t have a paint stirrer, use an old ruler.
• Your brush and roller soak up more paint when they’re damp, so wash them prior to use.

Step Three: Cutting In

• Begin by cutting in with a brush.
• Start at the top, then bottom, and go around any edges or features.
• We recommend painting in weather between 10–30°C.
• Keep a wet edge by not cutting in too early before using the roller.

Step Four: Rolling

• Once you’ve finished cutting in, start painting with the roller
• Load the roller. Make sure you have an even cover of paint around the roller sleeve before you begin.
• If your roller doesn’t spin evenly, then the paint is uneven and you need to load up again.
• Start rolling from bottom to top moving from one side of the wall to the other. Never start in the middle.
• Use a roller pole to reach further with each stroke.
• Because of the difference in finish between brush and roller, get as close as you can to where you cut in.
• Load up your roller more often so you don’t have to work as hard.
• Each time you finish a three to four metre section you need to lay off your paint.
• Do this by rolling the roller without loading it up with paint. Then roll from the top of the wall to the bottom in one straight stroke.
• Then continue along the length of the painted wall taking care to slightly overlap so you don’t cause streaks.
• It’s important you maintain a wet edge and complete an entire section of wall before stopping so your finish isn’t patchy.
• If the edge dries, it may create a line in your finish.
• Allow at least two hours drying time before applying a second coat.