Brick painting · Kelowna, BC
Brick Home Painting in Kelowna
Painting brick is one of the biggest visual changes you can make to a 1970s or 1980s home, and one of the easiest to get wrong. Pacific Painting Kelowna paints exterior brick, brick fireplaces and interior feature walls across Kelowna, West Kelowna and Lake Country. We use coatings that let masonry breathe, and our painters bring more than 15 years of experience to every wall.
The wrong paint seals water inside brick. Through an Okanagan winter that water freezes, expands and pops the face off the brick, and the paint peels away with it. So before we quote, we test for moisture, check the mortar and walk you through limewash, mineral silicate paint and acrylic masonry coatings, including the honest option of leaving some or all of the brick unpainted.
We work for homeowners updating a dated red or orange brick front on a split-level or bungalow, sellers getting a house ready to list, and builders and renovators who want masonry finished properly. Every brick job is backed by our written 1-year labour warranty, and the people doing it are licensed, insured and covered by WorkSafeBC. You get an itemised quote that names the exact coating, so you know what is going on your walls and why.
Pacific Painting Exterior Brick Services
Brick turns up on Okanagan homes in many forms, from a full masonry exterior to a strip of brick under the front windows. Each one needs a slightly different plan.
Full Brick Exteriors
Whole-house brick is the largest and most visible job we do on masonry. We plan it wall by wall, starting with moisture readings on every elevation.
Shaded north walls often hold water much longer than sunny south walls, so they may be coated days apart.
Partial Brick Fronts and Wainscots
Many split-levels and bungalows have brick only on the front elevation or along the lower wall. Painting it ties the brick into new siding colours so the house reads as one design.
Low brick sits closest to snow, sprinklers and garden soil, so it gets the most careful moisture check.
Chimneys and Porch Columns
Chimneys take weather from every side and often have cracked crowns or loose mortar at the top. We inspect from a ladder or staging before quoting.
Brick porch columns and planters get the same breathable coating as the walls so the finish ages evenly.
Garden and Feature Walls
Freestanding brick walls get wet from both faces and from the ground. We usually recommend limewash or mineral paint here, because a film-forming paint on a wall like this peels within a few winters.
Breathable Masonry Coatings vs Regular Paint
Brick is porous. It takes on water from rain, snow and the soil, then lets it out as vapour, and a good coating has to allow that.
| Coating | How it works | Look | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limewash | Soaks into the brick and cures by absorbing carbon dioxide from the air | Soft, chalky, wears to show some brick | Unpainted, unsealed brick and a rustic or old-world finish |
| Mineral silicate paint | Potassium silicate binder bonds chemically with the masonry | Flat, mineral, very fade-resistant | Bare brick where you want solid colour and the longest life |
| Acrylic masonry paint | Flexible film that still lets vapour pass | Uniform colour in flat or low sheen | Brick that is already painted, or a crisp modern look |
| Oil paint or heavy elastomeric | Thick film that seals the face | Solid, can look plastic | We do not use these on exterior brick |
Mineral silicate systems, such as those made by Keim, need clean, uncoated masonry, although sol-silicate versions can go over some sound older coatings. For brick that was painted years ago, a 100% acrylic masonry coating such as Sherwin-Williams Loxon over a masonry primer is usually the practical choice.
Ordinary exterior house paint can look fine for a year or two on brick. The trouble shows up later as bubbles low on the wall and flakes that carry a skin of brick with them.
Prep for Brick: Cleaning, Repointing and Efflorescence
Coatings only bond to clean, sound, dry masonry. Most of the time on a brick job goes into getting the wall to that point.
- Moisture testing. We take moisture meter readings across each wall, especially near grade, under sills and below downspouts. Where readings are high, we tape a plastic sheet to the brick overnight to see whether moisture is coming through from behind.
- Low-pressure cleaning. Dirt, moss and old chalky paint come off with a masonry cleaner and a gentle rinse. High pressure up close erodes mortar joints and drives water deep into the brick.
- Efflorescence treatment. White salt deposits are dry-brushed off, then treated with a cleaner made for masonry salts and rinsed. If they keep coming back, we find the water source before we coat anything.
- Repointing. Small areas of cracked or missing mortar are raked out and refilled with a mix that is never harder than the brick. Loose bricks or widespread mortar failure go to a mason first, and we paint once their work has cured.
- Drying time. Washed brick needs several dry days before coating, often longer on shaded walls. We schedule around that rather than painting a wall that only looks dry.
Efflorescence is a symptom, not just a stain. A blocked gutter, a sprinkler hitting the wall or soil sloping toward the house is usually behind it, and we point out what we find on your estimate.
Interior Brick and Fireplaces
Indoor brick does not face freeze-thaw, but fireplaces bring their own problems: soot, heat and decades of smoke film.
Sealing Soot and Smoke Staining
Soot and creosote bleed through latex paint as brown or yellow shadows. We scrub the brick with a degreasing masonry cleaner, let it dry, then seal it with a shellac-based stain blocker such as Zinsser BIN.
Only after that does the finish colour go on, usually in a flat or matte to keep the brick looking like masonry.
Heat Near the Firebox
We never paint inside a firebox. Brick right at the opening can get hot enough to blister ordinary paint, so that band gets a heat-rated coating.
The rest of the surround stays far cooler and takes a masonry primer and interior paint like any other wall.
Feature Walls and Basement Brick
Exposed brick feature walls and brick in finished basements are often limewashed or painted in a soft white to brighten a dark room. Deep mortar joints take extra brushing so no pinholes of old colour show.
Okanagan Freeze-Thaw and Brick
Our winters swing above and below freezing again and again, and that cycle is hard on any masonry that is holding water.
When wet brick freezes, the water inside expands and pushes against the fired outer face. Repeat that through a season of cold nights and mild afternoons, and the face starts to flake off in thin layers, which masons call spalling.
A coating that seals the brick makes this worse, because moisture that gets in through mortar joints or from the ground can no longer dry outward. That is why the coating choice matters more on brick here than in a mild coastal climate.
Exterior masonry coatings also need warm, dry days to cure, which limits brick work to the warmer months. If you are planning a year ahead, our Okanagan exterior painting season guide shows which months give coatings the best chance.
Brick Painting Costs
These are typical ranges, including materials. Your real number comes from a written, itemised quote after we have seen and tested the wall.
| Project | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Brick home exterior | $6,000 to $15,000 | Wall area, height, coating type, trim included |
| Partial brick front or chimney | Quoted per job | Access, mortar repair, cleaning needed |
| Brick fireplace surround | Quoted per job | Soot cleaning, hearth size, heat-rated areas |
Height and access are the biggest drivers, followed by how much mortar repair and efflorescence treatment the wall needs. Mineral silicate products cost more per litre than acrylic masonry paint, and limewash may take extra coats to reach the look you want.
Most full brick exteriors take one to two weeks, including the drying days after washing. Our 1-year labour warranty covers peeling or flaking caused by our prep or application, and the process and warranty page sets out the full terms. For other exterior prices, see painting costs in Kelowna.
Brick Painting FAQs
Can painted brick be returned to natural?
Sometimes, but rarely perfectly and never cheaply. Stripping takes repeated chemical poultices and careful rinsing, and paint stays stuck in the pores and mortar joints. Sandblasting damages the brick face, so we do not recommend it, and the cost of stripping often exceeds the cost of painting.
Can you limewash brick instead of painting it?
Yes, if the brick has never been painted or sealed. Limewash soaks into the brick, stays fully breathable and can be wiped back while wet to let more of the original colour show. It weathers softly over time, which many owners like, but it will not bond to brick that already has paint on it.
How long does painted brick last?
It depends on the coating and the exposure. Acrylic masonry paint on a sunny wall typically needs refreshing sooner than mineral silicate paint, which bonds into the brick and resists fading for much longer. Limewash is designed to wear gradually and is simply refreshed when you want a brighter look.
Will painting my brick cause moisture problems?
Not with a breathable coating applied to dry, sound brick. Problems come from sealing paints, painting a wet wall, or ignoring a water source such as a leaking gutter. That is why we test moisture and look for those sources before quoting.
Keep exploring
Related to brick painting
Exterior Painting
Painting the brick usually means the siding, soffits and trim need attention in the same season.
Read moreStucco Painting
Many Okanagan homes mix brick with stucco. Both need breathable, masonry-rated coatings.
Read moreColour Consultation
Painted brick is hard to undo, so the colour is worth getting right the first time.
Read moreHow Long Exterior Paint Lasts
How long each type of exterior coating realistically lasts in Okanagan sun.
Read moreResidential Painting
Every home painting service we offer, from interior walls and cabinets to stucco, decks and garage floors.
Read morePainting Costs
Typical 2026 price ranges for interior, exterior, cabinet, deck, epoxy and commercial painting in Kelowna, with worked examples.
Read moreService Areas
Kelowna, West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation lands, Lake Country and communities within a 30-minute drive.
Read more
Moisture testing included
Get a Brick Painting Quote
Call 778-946-5725 or send the form for a walkthrough. Masonry work from a team with 15+ years in the trade, WorkSafeBC coverage and a 1-year labour warranty.
- 15+ years experience
- Licensed & insured
- WCB coverage
- 1-year labour warranty
Mon to Fri 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. · Sat 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. · Sun 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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Or call 778-946-5725 or email info@pacificpaintingbc.com.