I have a brick house that is painted white. The paint is flaking off in various places. I'd like to brush off as much as possible and re-paint.

Is there a tried and true method/product that I should look for (primer, sealer, or paint)?

Thanks!

 

Rent a pressure washer (gas not electric) with a red tip. I'd remove all the paint & never paint it again. The brick never should have been painted in the first place

 

If you PW with the red tip - be careful!! It's easy to cause damage and/or force water behind the brick [around windows,doors,soffit,etc]

The #1 reason for paint to peel on masonry is improper prep. Latex paint degrades over time and becomes chalky, if the chalk isn't removed or chemically treated - the paint won't adhere long

If I was to paint your house, I would; PW and wire brush to remove as much of the loose paint and chalk as feasible. Prime the house with a decent latex house paint, thinned about 10% add Flood's EmulsaBond if the paint is still chalky. Top coat with a quality latex house paint [unthinned] Use a 1" or 1.5" nap roller, slop the paint on so it runs into all the mortar joints and then dress it up by rerolling it with a dry roller.

Masonry paint is a cheap form of exterior paint, exterior house [siding] paint will last longer.

 

Painting brickwork or exterior concrete should be made a Federal offense.

 

painting brick is sad but if repainting is the only option available to you then I understand. However, you need to determine the type of paint you are going over. If the original paint is oil based and your new paint is water based then this will affect the prep, type of primer, sequence of operation, etc. Find out what you are painting over before you start or you may be revisiting this subject in a couple of years.

 

The odds are the existing paint is latex. Personally, I've not applied oil base paint to residential brick since the 70's ......... http://www.doityourself.com/forum/pa...latex-oil.html