By Alex Dzissah, Founder, AKD Painting
Whether you should paint a brick house in Sydney depends on the brick, not the trend. Heritage face brick on a Federation or Victorian home should almost never be painted. Plain 1960s to 1980s brick veneer, rendered or bagged brick, and brick that is already painted are all good candidates. Here is how we call it, house by house.
The quick answer by brick type
| Your brick | Paint it? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Federation or Victorian face brick | No | Original face brick with tuck-pointing is the value of the house, and heritage rules often protect it |
| 1960s to 1980s brick veneer | Yes | Plain machine-made brick takes paint well and a colour change lifts the whole house |
| Rendered or bagged brick | Yes | Render is made to be painted and repainted |
| Already painted brick | Yes | The original surface is gone, so repainting is straightforward maintenance |
When you should not paint brick
Most of the Inner West’s Federation and Victorian houses were built with face brick that was never meant to be coated, often with fine tuck-pointed joints that cannot be recovered once painted. Paint on this brick is close to irreversible, it can trap moisture in walls that were built to breathe, and in a heritage conservation area it may not be permitted at all. Suburbs like Croydon, Burwood and Strathfield are full of this stock, and our advice there is consistent: leave original face brick bare. We explain the detail, including conservation-area rules, in can you paint Federation face brick and our full guide to heritage and Federation house painting.
A painter who quotes to coat original Federation face brick without mentioning any of this is a red flag, not a bargain.
When painting brick works well
Outside the heritage stock, painted brick is one of the best-value exterior updates there is. The houses that suit it:
- Post-war brick veneer. The plain cream and salmon brick of the 1960s to 1980s, common around Concord and Strathfield, has no tuck-pointing to lose. A modern colour over it changes the whole character of the house.
- Rendered and bagged brick. Render exists to be painted. If yours is chalky or cracked, repair plus a membrane-grade coating brings it back.
- Previously painted brick. Once brick has been painted, the argument is over. From there it is normal repaint maintenance every 10 to 15 years.
Paint, limewash or render?
Three ways to change the look of brick. Standard acrylic exterior paint (we use Dulux Weathershield or Taubmans All Weather) gives a solid, uniform colour with the longest warranty behind it. Limewash gives a softer, mottled, old-world finish that breathes well but needs more frequent refreshing. Rendering then painting changes the texture entirely and costs the most, since it adds a trade before any paint goes on. On sound modern brick, direct painting is the most cost-effective of the three by a wide margin.
How brick is painted properly
Brick is porous and alkaline, so the system matters more than the colour. Done properly: wash down and treat any mould, repair cracked mortar joints, let new mortar cure, then an alkali-resistant sealer or masonry primer before two topcoats of exterior acrylic. Skipping the primer is why some painted brick peels in sheets after a couple of years. On the right system, painted brick holds its colour for well over a decade.
The commitment: painted brick is close to forever
Be clear-eyed about this before you book anyone: taking paint off brick later means aggressive blasting or chemical stripping that usually damages the brick face. Treat painting brick as a one-way door. That is exactly why we say no to original heritage face brick and yes to the plain stuff. It is also why it pays to get the colour right the first time, with sample patches on the actual wall.
What does painting a brick house cost?
As a broad 2026 guide, painting the exterior brick of a single-storey Sydney home typically lands between $8,000 and $15,000, and a two-storey home between $12,000 and $25,000, depending on size, access and how much mortar repair the walls need. That sits within the ranges in our full cost to paint a house in Sydney guide. AKD Painting is licensed (NSW licence 330882C) and insured, and our exterior painting work carries a 5-year written workmanship warranty.
Frequently asked questions
Can you paint face brick?
Physically yes, but on original Federation or Victorian face brick you usually should not. It is close to irreversible, it can affect how the wall handles moisture, and heritage conservation rules in much of the Inner West restrict it. Modern plain face brick is a different story and paints well.
How long does painted brick last?
On a properly primed and coated wall, expect 10 to 15 years before the next repaint, similar to any quality exterior paint job. Poor prep without an alkali-resistant primer can fail in two or three.
Can painted brick be taken back to bare brick?
Rarely without damage. Stripping paint from brick needs blasting or chemicals that tend to scar the brick face and joints. Treat painting brick as permanent when you decide.
Is limewash better than paint for brick?
Neither is better, they are different finishes. Limewash breathes well and gives a soft weathered look but refreshes more often. Acrylic masonry paint gives uniform colour and the longest service life. On heritage face brick, our answer to both is usually to leave the brick alone.
Not sure which side of the line your house sits on? We will tell you straight at a free on-site quote. Book via our contact page, or call 0474 854 369.
About the author
Alex Dzissah is the founder of AKD Painting, a fully licensed Sydney painting business operating since 2013. Alex and his team specialise in interior, exterior, residential and commercial painting across Sydney, with particular expertise in Inner West heritage, federation and terrace homes.