Exterior Paint Prep

I've never painted brick but have done way more than my share of house painting over the years and I'm a firm believer in using an Acrylic/Latex Caulk for the things you are planning to do.

You want to make sure to get any loose debris out of any holes drilled into the brick surfaces or into mortar so the caulk can adhere better.

I use that type caulk both indoors and outdoors and it holds up very well when sealing around windows, trim, under weatherboards, etc.


As for prepping the brick, why not head to a Sherwin Williams Paint Store and talk to the pros behind the counters. They will help steer you in the right direction.


Since the house is already painted, at most you should only have a dirty surface, maybe some mildew/mold in areas and that can be removed using a cleaning solution and bleach sprayed on the house and then a rinse off with either a hose or pressure washer. When I clean exterior surfaces prior to starting prep work, I use Jomax and some bleach mixed with water in a pump sprayer.

If you've got a previous coat you're good to continue with regular exterior paint. If it's raw brick you have to do an elastomeric paint to deal with the PH and brick drinks in paint well. A regular exterior caulk will do you fine you don't need anything special.