Painting brick exteriors has become increasingly popular, and part of that trend is a process called whitewashing. While most homes are typically painted for full coverage, a whitewash is a thinned paint solution that is applied and then partially removed. This creates a faux-weathered look that is the best of both worlds – adding a pop of color with paint while still featuring the unique look of brickwork.

If you’re on the fence about whitewashing your home, look at some of the examples below to see if this choice is right for you.

Recommended reading:

• The best exterior paint colors for brick homes
• Brick siding pros and cons
• 3 reasons why painted brick might fail

Whitewash before and after photos

Whitewash brick fireplace

Whitewashing is most common on home exteriors, but there are a few interior projects that can benefit from it as well. Take this fireplace for example. The white creates a lovely contrast with the wood paneling around it, but it still showcases the wonderful color and texture of the brick beneath.

Whitewash accent

This is a great example of a more minimal white-washing treatment. The exact look you get depends on how much paint you apply and wipe away. This project has most of the brick showing through, which makes the masonry feel very weather-worn. The paint also helps draw out the mortar, creating a lot of contrast and visual texture.

Unifying whitewash look

On the flip side, this is an example of a more opaque whitewash. In this project, very little of the paint was removed, only allowing a little bit of the brick to shine through. This still has that weathered look, but it’s still opaque enough to have an overall coherency with the rest of the exterior systems.

Traditional whitewash look

Here we have a great example of a middle-ground approach to whitewashing. The majority of the brick surface is covered with paint, with a little bit showing through each brick. There are also sporadic spots where the paint has been completely wiped away to show the red brick. beneath.

The result is a surface with a lot of detail and texture, which ultimately makes it a unique and eye-catching exterior!

Concerns with whitewashing

There are some concerns with whitewashing. The process is labor intensive and requires a meticulous eye for detail. As such, whitewashing projects should be handled by knowledgeable crews who have experience doing these types of projects. These projects are also more expensive than typical exterior painting projects.

If not done properly, whitewashes can appear patchy and you may get streaks where the thinned paint ran down the surface.

Heritage Custom Painting has plenty of experience with whitewashing projects (as shown above), and our team of managers and technicians are the best in the business.

If you’re ready to get started on your home exterior project, fill out the form below to get a free estimate from Heritage Custom Painting. Our professional staff will provide a detailed and itemized quote, and we offer all of our clients complementary color consulting and virtual rendering services.

Fill out the form below and fall in love with your home again today!