Brick is a trendy yet classic choice for countless homes’ exterior. But when your brick starts to look dingy or outdated, how do you know what your options are to spruce things up? In this article, we’ll talk about the best brick stain colors for 2022 and how to decide if painting or staining your brick is the best option for your Sacramento area home.
When you pull into your driveway after a long day’s work, you should love the way your home looks. Curb appeal counts for a lot. You would be pleasantly surprised at how finding the right hue of stain or color of paint for your exterior brick can update and modernize your home.
Should You Choose Brick Paint or Brick Stain?
Many homeowners aren’t aware that they have the option to stain their brick or don’t know what the difference is between brick paint and brick stain. Simply put, when you choose a brick stain, it essentially becomes
part of the brick and offers greater longevity than paint. Brick stain is a permanent surface finish. Once applied, this mineral product soaks into the brick making it impossible for the stain to ever pull away from the brick. While both staining and painting have the ability to brighten your exterior, each method may appeal to different homes for different reasons.
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Brick Staining
It’s important to note that brick stain doesn’t protect your brick. However, you can choose a stain that contains protective additives. Brick stain soaks into the pores of the brick but doesn’t allow moisture to become trapped beneath the surface. One drawback of stain is that it doesn’t do a good job of concealing damaged or repaired brick. Stain covers the brick surface with a thin layer of color that can either be clear or solid.
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Brick Painting
Painting your brick can help accentuate the integrity of the brick’s texture while giving it a clean feel. Brick painting covers not only the surface of the brick but also the mortar. The biggest advantage of brick painting is that the paint hides brick flaws or imperfections.
Staining Exterior Brick
So, how do you know if your brick is in the proper condition to be stained? Well, brick stain works the best when applied to a porous surface. If your brick has previously been treated, sealed, or painted, the stain will not adhere properly.
You can test your brick for sealant by using a very easy technique. Flick a few drops of water on your brick. If the water is immediately soaked into the brick, this means there is no sealant. If the water beads up on the brick, it probably has some sort of sealant or clear coat covering its surface.
Removing Sealant from Exterior Brick
You’ll need to completely remove sealant from your brick before staining. Otherwise, the stain won’t properly penetrate the brick. With a power washer, spray down your brick on a wide spray. This will help remove the sealant without damaging the integrity of your brick. Once dry, test again for sealant before moving forward.
Types of Brick Stain
It’s very important to know what kind of brick you will be staining to purchase the proper kind of stain. Water-based stains are easy to apply and dry quickly. Oil-based stain requires a primer first and are more difficult to apply. Keep in mind that when staining a vertical surface, mineral and acrylic stains are always the most appropriate. Horizontal surfaces do much better with acid staining.
How to Choose a Brick Stain Color
Don’t let choosing a brick stain color overwhelm you. Yes, there are countless color options but that only ensures you have a better chance of finding that perfect color. The first thing to consider is whether you want to go with a semi-transparent or a solid stain. If you already like the overall look of your brick but simply want a different color, go with semi-transparent. On the other hand, if you want to create more drastic change, choosing a solid stain is what you’re looking for.
Sometimes the best way to discover the brick stain color for your home is by checking out the homes around your area. Before making your decision, take the time to leisurely drive through nearby neighborhoods, taking notes of your likes and dislikes.
Best Brick Stain Colors
Exterior color painting trends come and go. So, we’ve done our research and have come up with the most popular brick stain colors of 2022.
- Charcoal Stain-Going darker is very popular this season. Charcoal adds a deep richness to your exterior and always pairs well with the contrast of bright white or black trim.
- Terracotta Stain- Terracotta stain can turn faded and outdated brick to a more current and vibrant tone. For example, adding terracotta stain to faded red brick revitalizes the color to a brighter red.
- Sky-Blue Stain- It’s no secret that the color blue is an extremely popular color choice for both interior and exterior decorating alike. Blue adds a serenity and calmness we can all benefit from.
- White Stain- White is classic and ensures your home will never appear out of style. From modern farmhouse to contemporary, white stain reigns supreme.
- Red Stain- Red brick lends an heir of sophistication and tradition to any home. Although it is sometimes associated with older homes, the colonial and vintage looks are all the current rage.
Is Brick Staining Permanent?
People frequently wonder if brick wall stain color is permanent. While it is considered permanent, that doesn’t mean it isn’t changeable. Brick is able to have the color changed several times with staining. This holds true even if you’re going from a dark to a lighter color.
Stain penetrates brick surfaces and is not only permanent but also maintenance-free. Brick stain absorbs into the stone and still allows the surface to breathe naturally. Staining results in a consistent finish that boasts an entirely natural look.
Worst Brick Stain Colors
It may sound cheesy, but there really aren’t any horrible brick stain colors. Typically, when you come across a brick color that isn’t aesthetically pleasing, it usually has more to do with the mismatching of brick paired with house color than the brick hue itself. However, no matter what you do to prevent it, brick stains will fade a minimal amount over time. Consequently, staining your brick with dramatic, dark colors may be something to avoid. Black brick will show the fading more prominently than white or gray. For this reason, white brick is one of the most classic and timeless brick color choices today.
Paint Colors For Indirect Lighting
Where to Buy Brick Stain in Sacramento and Surrounding Areas
Quality brick stain isn’t hard to come by if you know where to look. There are several trusted and convenient retailers in the Sacramento area where you can purchase a wide variety of stains. To make it extra convenient, we’ve listed a few below:
Dixon Ace Hardware
1505 N. 1st St.
Dixon, CA 95620
707-678-5521
Trico Painting
8417 Washington Blvd #105
Roseville, CA 95678
916-550-9648
Berco Building and Landscape Supplies
1091 White Rock Rd #200
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
916-933-3333
Lowe’s Home Improvement Store
3645 East Hammer Lane
Stockton, CA 95212
209-956-7200
Brick Stain Colors for Interior and Exteriors Conclusion
If you have questions about whether you should paint or stain your exterior brick in Sacramento, give PaintRite Pros a call. Our experienced team of professionals can help answer any questions you may have Or if taking on this kind of a project is more than you want to handle on your own, we are more than happy to take over. From deciding which color you prefer all the way to the clean-up, we do only our best work every step of the way. Don’t hesitate to contact us for a free estimate today! If you live in the Sacramento area and need help with your painting project, we can help you! Click below to get your free paint estimate.
