Brick painting

[crazy reese]

I have a customer who asked to check his property. Says the neighborhood's having their houses painted. They're bricks but some parts are already crumbling upon touch with a finger. I am thinking of not taking this job. but I'm curious if pressure washing will work to get most of the crumbling off before deciding if paint job is necessary. And I don;t know... Painting brick with pait is just not my thing.

 

[Alan]

Pressure washing further degrades the bricks, so don't but if you're sealing it up, I think a soft pressure might work. Then let it dry first.
Painting them will help preserve it because it keeps the moisture out Bricks are too porous.

 

[icyolaf]

What you need to do is to check whether the brick needs repair or replacement before any finish is applied. Painting it will not resolve structural problems.

I recommend using a breathable sealer or limewash for older brick. This allows the moisture to escape, it gives the surface a fresh touch but doesn’t hide the flaws.