7 Best Paints for Exterior Brick Painting on Historic Homes
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Time to read 7 min
Selecting the best paints for exterior brick ensures historic homes retain their timeless charm while gaining modern protection.
Painting historic brick demands breathable, durable formulas to preserve porous surfaces without moisture damage. These seven top paints deliver stunning, long-lasting results tailored to historic properties.
Read our exterior brick painting guide: This in depth guide covers everything from inspection, priming and painting house brick for a professional finnish.
Paintbrush Guard - Exterior Brick Painting
Table of contents
Importance of Proper Paint for Historic Brick Risks of Poor Paint Choices Romabio Masonry Flat Paint Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior Sherwin-Williams Emerald Rain Refresh Keim Mineral Masonry Paint Behr Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint Loxon XP Masonry Coating by Sherwin-Williams Siloxane 7 by PPG Paints Comparison of Best Paints for Exterior Brick Alternatives to Painting Historic Brick Impact on Historic Home Value Conclusion: Choosing the Best Paint for Historic Brick
Importance of Proper Paint for Historic Brick
Painting historic brick requires careful consideration due to its age and porosity. Unlike modern brick, historic surfaces often have weathered textures or high pH levels, making standard paints unsuitable.
The wrong paint can trap moisture, leading to mold, peeling, or brick deterioration, compromising both aesthetics and structural integrity. Top brick exterior paints must allow vapor permeability while resisting weather, ensuring the home’s heritage is preserved.
Choosing paints designed for masonry protects against environmental wear and enhances curb appeal, aligning with preservation goals for historic homes.
Risks of Poor Paint Choices
Using unsuitable paints on historic brick can lead to costly issues. Key risks include:
- Moisture entrapment causing mold, mildew, or brick spalling, especially in humid climates.
- Peeling or fading from non-breathable paints, requiring frequent, expensive repainting.
Selecting paints formulated for brick mitigates these risks, ensuring durability and authenticity.
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Romabio Masonry Flat Paint
Romabio Masonry Flat Paint is a mineral-based, breathable solution ideal for painting historic homes, calcifying to the brick for a permeability rating of 70+, preventing moisture buildup.
Its toxin-free formula suits sensitive historic environments, offering full coverage in two coats to refresh aged brick. Available in customizable colors, it resists rain, hail, and UV rays, delivering a no-chip finish that preserves the home’s classic look for decades, perfect for Georgian or Colonial facades.
Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior
Benjamin Moore’s Aura Exterior paint offers a luxurious low-luster finish, making it one of the best paints for exterior brick on historic homes. Its Color Lock Technology ensures fade-resistant colors, vital for maintaining vibrant Victorian or Tudor brickwork.
Though acrylic latex, Aura’s breathability supports historic brick’s moisture release needs, resisting blistering and peeling when applied over a primed surface. Its upscale aesthetic enhances period details, providing a durable, elegant result for historic properties.
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Sherwin-Williams Emerald Rain Refresh
Sherwin-Williams’ Emerald Rain Refresh combines advanced acrylic latex with self-cleaning technology, ideal for low-maintenance historic brick painting .web:5. Rain washes away dirt, reducing upkeep challenges for historic homes.
Its breathable formula prevents moisture damage, while mildew and fade resistance suit varied climates. Colors like Neutral Ground complement historic aesthetics, making it a practical choice for exterior brick surfaces, ensuring longevity and charm with minimal effort.
Keim Mineral Masonry Paint
Keim’s Mineral Masonry Paint, a silicate-based option, penetrates brick for permanent adhesion and high vapor permeability, preventing peeling on historic homes.
Its off-white and gray tones evoke European elegance, enhancing Federalist or Regency facades.
UV-resistant and eco-friendly, Keim resists sun damage and aligns with preservation standards, offering a fire-resistant, durable finish that respects the brick’s historic texture and character.
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Behr Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint
Behr’s Masonry, Stucco & Brick Paint is an acrylic latex paint formulated for affordability and durability, suitable for painting historic brick on a budget.
Its breathable properties allow moisture escape, reducing mold risks, while UV resistance prevents fading in sunny climates. Ideal for simpler historic styles like Craftsman homes, it provides reliable coverage with a matte finish, ensuring a refreshed look that honors the home’s heritage.
Loxon XP Masonry Coating by Sherwin-Williams
Sherwin-Williams’ Loxon XP Masonry Coating is a high-build acrylic designed for challenging historic brick surfaces, offering superior waterproofing and breathability.
Its thick formula fills minor surface cracks, common in older homes, while resisting wind-driven rain and UV damage. Suitable for humid or coastal historic properties, Loxon XP ensures a uniform, durable finish that protects and enhances Gothic Revival or Italianate brickwork.
Siloxane 7 by PPG Paints
PPG’s Siloxane 7 is a water-based siloxane paint excelling in breathability and weather resistance, making it one of the top paints for exterior brick.
Its low VOC formula is gentle on historic brick, preventing moisture-related damage while offering a satin finish that highlights architectural details.
Ideal for shaded or humid historic homes, Siloxane 7 delivers a vibrant, long-lasting result, preserving the authenticity of Colonial or Antebellum structures.
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Comparison of Best Paints for Exterior Brick
Paint |
Type |
Key Feature |
Best for Historic Homes |
Romabio Masonry Flat |
Mineral-Based |
High permeability, no-chip finish |
Georgian, Colonial facades |
Benjamin Moore Aura |
Acrylic Latex |
Fade-resistant, luxurious finish |
Victorian, Tudor brickwork |
Sherwin-Williams Emerald |
Acrylic Latex |
Self-cleaning, low maintenance |
Varied historic styles |
Keim Mineral Masonry |
Silicate-Based |
Permanent adhesion, eco-friendly |
Federalist, Regency homes |
Behr Masonry Paint |
Acrylic Latex |
Affordable, breathable |
Craftsman, simpler historic styles |
Sherwin-Williams Loxon XP |
High-Build Acrylic |
Waterproofing, crack-filling |
Gothic Revival, Italianate |
PPG Siloxane 7 |
Water-Based Siloxane |
Weather-resistant, low VOC |
Colonial, Antebellum structures |
This table helps compare top paints for historic brick painting projects.
Alternatives to Painting Historic Brick
If painting historic brick raises concerns about maintenance or preservation, alternatives can refresh the exterior while respecting the home’s heritage. Consider these options:
- Limewashing uses a breathable, lime-based solution that bonds with brick, offering a soft, weathered look reversible with water, ideal for preserving historic textures.
- Cleaning with low-pressure washing removes dirt and mildew, restoring brick’s natural beauty without coatings, suitable for well-maintained historic homes.
These methods maintain authenticity with less commitment than painting.
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Impact on Historic Home Value
Painting historic brick with the best paints for exterior brick can boost property value by enhancing curb appeal, especially with neutral or period-appropriate colors like soft grays or creams.
A durable, well-executed finish signals quality maintenance to buyers. However, in markets valuing unpainted brick for its historic authenticity, painting may deter preservation-minded buyers. Researching local preferences ensures the project aligns with market expectations.
Conclusion: Choosing the Best Paint for Historic Brick
Selecting the right paint for exterior brick painting on historic homes balances aesthetics, durability, and preservation. The seven paints highlighted, from Romabio to PPG Siloxane, offer breathable, weather-resistant solutions tailored to historic needs.
By considering these options and alternatives, you can achieve a stunning, lasting finish that honors your home’s heritage.
Why is choosing the right paint crucial for historic brick exteriors?
Historic brick’s porous, aged surface requires breathable paints like Romabio Masonry Flat to prevent moisture entrapment, which can cause mold or spalling in a Georgian manor project. Selecting a suitable paint ensures durability, preserves the home’s heritage, and enhances curb appeal without compromising structural integrity.
How does Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior enhance historic home aesthetics?
Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior’s fade-resistant Color Lock Technology delivers a luxurious low-luster finish, ideal for a Victorian townhouse repaint. Its breathable acrylic latex formula supports moisture release, preventing peeling while highlighting intricate brickwork details for a vibrant, long-lasting result.
What makes Sherwin-Williams Emerald Rain Refresh suitable for low-maintenance historic brick painting?
Emerald Rain Refresh’s self-cleaning technology allows rain to wash away dirt, reducing upkeep for a Craftsman bungalow exterior. Its breathable, mildew-resistant formula ensures durability in varied climates, maintaining the historic charm with minimal effort and a clean, neutral aesthetic.
How can the Paintbrush Guard streamline painting with Keim Mineral Masonry Paint?
For a Regency-style home, the Paintbrush Guard’s vacuum-seal technology keeps brushes wet during breaks, saving 15 minutes per session by eliminating cleanup. This preserves bristles for Keim’s silicate-based, eco-friendly paint, ensuring precise application and sustainable maintenance with reduced chemical use.
What alternatives to painting historic brick maintain authenticity?
Limewashing offers a reversible, breathable finish for an Antebellum estate, enhancing texture without permanent change, while low-pressure washing restores a Federalist home’s natural brick beauty. These methods preserve historic integrity, avoiding moisture issues and aligning with preservation-focused aesthetics.
Mark Walsh
Written by Mark Walsh, a home improvement specialist with over 15 years of hands-on experience in interior painting. Mark has completed hundreds of DIY and professional projects, from basic wall refreshes to complex textured applications, and is passionate about sharing practical, beginner-friendly advice to help homeowners achieve lasting, professional-quality results.
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