CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Whether you think it looks good or not, painting a brick building can destroy it. Even if it doesn't collapse the structure, maintenance will ever-after be pricey, as painters must return every several years to repaint.
If your insurer doesn't come after you first, the masons or demolitionists you may have to hire to deal with the fallout could break the bank. Here are four reasons you shouldn’t paint your brick building, courtesy of consultant Reyana Jones.
1. You can destroy the brick.
Bricks are naturally breathable and porous. Water enters the brick when it rains or snows on the exterior of your building, or when you’re taking a shower on the inside, and eventually, it evaporates. If the brick is painted or sealed, water can get trapped in the brick. When the water freezes, it expands and stresses the brick. This can lead to severe damage like crumbling and flaking brick faces falling off your building. The only way to fix bricks in this condition is to carve them out and replace them.
2. You can damage the building’s structural integrity.
Painting brick can also impact your building’s structural integrity – and you might not even know it’s happening. The freeze-thaw cycles that damage bricks also damage the mortar holding them in place. With the mortar joints hidden beneath the paint, you might not notice structural issues until they become severe.
3. You may camouflage features that make your building unique.
Many brick buildings showcase masonry details that set them apart, such as decorative bond patterns, dentils, corbelling, and dog-toothing. Historic masonry buildings tend to feature these decorative elements, which give them their historic character. Painting your brick building visually washes out these architectural features, making your walls feel less attractive.
4. It’s expensive to go back.
Painted brick isn't maintenance-free. In addition to normal wear from weather and sun exposure, the paint on top chips and flakes away as the brick beneath is affected by trapped water. After a few years of maintenance to your painted brick, you might decide you are done with it and want to remove the paint. Easier said than done.
Eliminating paint by sandblasting or chemical treatments can take time and money and harm the integrity and appearance of the underlying brick. The least harmful way to remove paint from brick is to wait and let it deteriorate naturally or to scrape it away by hand gently.
David Sibray, a real estate agent and West Virginia economic development consultant, said that brick painting is increasingly becoming a problem in the Mountain State.
"We're seeing the problem spread across the state at a time when out-of-staters are becoming more interested in investing in West Virginia's small towns," Sibray said. "But when they see a painted building and realize the expense it will require to deal with the upkeep, they walk away fast."
Sibray says the problem is also causing a drop in value in historic districts where landmarks commissions are required to prevent them from being painted.
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