If you’re looking for a way to breathe new life into your outdoor space, painting paving bricks might be your solution. Paving bricks come in various colours and styles, so you can really customize your patio, driveway, or walkway. This blog will go over all there is to discover regarding painting bricks, and we’ll answer all of your questions like “can old garden bricks be painted?” and We’ll give you some amazing painting paving bricks ideas to get you started. So read on to learn more!
What is Painting Paving Bricks?
Have you heard about this painting paving bricks phenomenon, but not sure what it is? Maybe you overheard a neighbour or a soccer mom talk about how a fresh coat of paint on their paving bricks completely changed the look and feel of their outdoor space.
So, what is painting paving bricks? Painting paving bricks is covering one’s flat-brick pavement or driveway with a layer of solid or opaque paint. It helps the pavement look aesthetically pleasing and cohesive with the house exterior. Colour selection and paint choice are essential when painting paving bricks.
Painting paving bricks is different because this painting practice features a horizontal application instead of a vertical application. The term can make one picture individually painting bricks before laying them on the floor, but that’s not how paving bricks are painted.
Paving bricks are painted after they’re already in place. And while the practice is easy enough to be a DIY project, it still takes time and caution, so you should first be thoroughly convinced that it is a good idea.
Why Should You Paint Paving Bricks: 5 Advantages
Perhaps you’re yet undecided about whether or not to add colour to your paving bricks, here are the most common advantages:
- Improves an area’s aesthetic appeal
- Keeps old pavers from looking worn out
- Can make your pavement match your home exterior
- Communicates driving safety guidelines
- Extends the life of the paving bricks
With the reasons for painting paving bricks covered, let’s explore each advantage and its context to decide which ones are valid for your brick painting project.
Decorate the Area
Being drawn towards visually attracted spaces and items is one of the few universal human traits. If your paving bricks cover a visible area, you stand to benefit from painting said bricks in an aesthetically pleasing colour scheme.
Your guests, neighbours, and even passing strangers will have a better impression if you use the right paint to make the space reflect good taste.
That said, poor paint choice or the wrong colour selection can ruin the aesthetic cohesiveness of your house. The section covering the “how-to” part of this post features a few best practices that ensure you get the most out of the decoration advantage.
Revitalizes Old Bricks
Bricks usually get stronger with time, making their appearance the only thing that time negatively affects. With time and traffic, flat bricks can get worn out and fade. Because we associate this fading with a lack of maintenance, even popular areas with faded bricks look poorly kept. To make sure your pavement looks fresh, you must use paint to restore the bricks’ colour or coat them in a different shade that revitalizes their appearance.
Avoid selecting paint that chips away easily or takes visible damage under heavy foot traffic because it can make your paving bricks look old quicker. As a fundamental guideline, you should employ paint that ages slower than exposed paving bricks to avail of this benefit.
Makes Your House Exterior Cohesive
Unless the exterior of your house happens to be painted in a colour that aligns with the paving bricks, your pavement will look odd. Painting the paving bricks gives you more control over how well the exterior colours go together.
While it is possible to have a cohesive exterior without painting the flat brick area, it depends entirely on the unintentional alignment of the walls and the pavement. Brick paint allows you to be more intentional about the first impression of your house.
Safer for Driving
Painting the paving bricks covering an area that people drive on is a good idea. You can use colour to indicate potential traffic, children in the vicinity and pets frequenting the area.
Bold colours (like red) can urge drivers to slow down, while less bright colours can also be used to create boundaries on the ground.
This can protect your lawn and provide some liability coverage. The safety advantage applies more to semi-public places, mainly where red paint has to be used to indicate a speed limit or possibility of children crossing.
However, using paving prick painting to make a visible boundary is reasonable even in private households where the exterior floor needs to be separated by function. It can keep the outside of your house from looking like one big driveway.
Reduces the Brick Replacement Frequency
Paving bricks need to be replaced for one of two reasons:
- Surface damage
- Poor appearance
While paint rarely prevents the type and degree of damage resulting in bricks requiring replacement, it can cover up poor optics, especially when the paving bricks start looking old.
As long as you keep replacing the pavement paint, you can put off replacing the paving bricks. This advantage isn’t applicable ad infinitum because eventually, the bricks will need to be replaced. More on this in the FAQs at the end.
Prepping Paving Bricks for Painting: An Introduction to Sealers and Primers
Paint can easily chip off a surface it does not anchor in. And most surfaces that require painting do not have the right texture. Primers allow you to improve paint adhesion to a surface by creating an undercoat conducive to anchoring.
Protective primers can help strengthen the painted product by enhancing its surface durability. One way to protect a surface is to waterproof it to minimize water damage. Primers that keep water and humidity from reaching the surface are sealers.
Since pavers can get damaged with significant water exposure, it is better to get a waterproof sealer alongside (or instead of) a primer that enhances adhesion only. One of the best primers for paving bricks is Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 All Surface Primer.
It is an acrylic primer we recommend for exteriors as it protects against the elements while enhancing the paint adhesion of smooth paving bricks. With 1,880 reviews and ratings on Amazon, this primer’s global average stands at 4.6 stars (out of 5 stars).
Priming a pavement is different from priming most surfaces because there’s a higher risk of someone touching the surface. Since people walk and drive over horizontal surfaces that hold paving bricks, you need a primer that dries quickly.
The Bulls Eye primer dries to touch in 35 minutes, reducing your time to actively guard the surface. While the primer is a great way to protect a surface from the elements, you should use a sealer for optimal protection.
Zinsser Gardz Problem Surface Sealer can be applied alongside the Bulls Eye primer to make the surface ready for the topcoat. This protective sealer prevents damage due to the high traffic that driveways are exposed to. It has over 1,400 reviews and ratings averaging 4.7 out of 5 stars, which is among the highest global average for the category.
The term “sealer” might make you think that the product should be used to seal the whole project at the end of a paint job. However, most topcoats are durable and ruined only when water seeps into the surface they cover. Before painting, this sealer must be applied to ensure a protective layer that keeps water and humidity from reaching the paving bricks.
How To Paint Paving Bricks: The Basics
Painting paving bricks can be therapeutic and rewarding, but the main reason you want to paint your pavement is to make it look visually appealing. You should get the best products and take utmost care when painting paving bricks to make them look good.
Above all, you must opt for natural colours and buy enough paint for the pavement’s square footage.
List Of Materials
- Exterior floor primer/sealer – Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 All Surface Primer is excellent for balanced surface protection and paint adhesion.
- Latex or oil paint – Diamond Brite Latex paint is a good option for those on a budget.
- A colour wheel – You can access an online colour wheel to decide which colours you want to paint the paving bricks.
- A paint roller, sleeve, and tray – ROLLINGDOG 5PC set includes a roller tray and sleeve, making it easier to paint your pavement without making a mess.
- Roller extension – KUPOO extension pole can add up to 42 inches to your roller’s reach, minimizing the work you have to do.
Safety Measures
Latex paint is generally safe, so most of the safety measures you need to take have to do with protecting your personal property. When you have kids/pets, you need to be extra cautious with a paver painting project when you have kids/pets. Here are some general safety precautions to take before painting.
- Use gloves to avoid getting paint or primer on your hands – Paint and primer can be challenging to remove from your hands because of their quick drying time.
- Cordon off the area: Wet paint can make the pavement slippery or sticky depending on the time passed since applying a coat.
- Using tape or a sign to cut access to the area is advisable.
- Position yourself properly – Do not use a roller with your back towards a street or a road. You might accidentally step onto the road if you keep walking backward while using the paint roller.
- Have a heavy cloth nearby: Latex paint is not flammable, but its fumes can catch fire in sporadic instances. Heavy material can be used to put out said flames before they shift to a more potent medium like nearby shrubs.
Step By Step Guide (Plus: Tips & Tricks)
So we’ve highlighted the advantages of painting paving bricks and what you need to complete the project. Let’s have a glimpse at the steps when painting brick pavers.
Step 1: Decide the Colors
The first step in painting paving bricks is getting suitable materials. These are covered in the materials section above.
Paint is the only item on the list with a broad range of options. You must use colour contrast theory and a colour wheel to choose the colours you’d like to paint the pavers. Look at the area on which the pavers rest and the colours around these pavers.
Then you should spot on the colour wheel the most dominant colour around the paving bricks. If the pavers create a walkway in a lush green garden, you need to see where green is on a colour wheel. You should then opt for a colour on the opposite side of the green on the wheel.
According to colour theory, opposites create compelling contrasts. You might even utilize a colour wheel. Decide which two or more natural colours you can paint on the same pavement if you’re not interested in a homogenous pavement.
Step 2: Get the Materials
Once you’ve decided which colour paint you will use for the pavers, it is time to order all the materials and get started with your paver painting project. Usually, the square footage or coverage is mentioned on the product’s sales page.
Remember to get sufficient paint and primer. Getting 1.25x the paint required gives you an adequate margin of error, where you can afford to have one stroke go to waste with every three accurate strokes.
Step 3: Clean the Pavers
Before you paint the paving bricks, you must be sure you don’t paint the dust sitting on them. Using a scraper or a broom to clear the area of any leaves, pebbles, etc., is an excellent first step.
Next, utilize a garden hose to wash the area so sand and other particle impurities get removed from the pavers’ surface before you can prime them for painting.
Step 4: Create Pattern Boundaries
This phase can be skipped if you’re painting all the pavers in the same colour. But if you’re looking to paint patterns onto the pavement, you must create stencils of a sort with tape and a waterproof sheet or cover.
Once you have created boundaries, you will paint each colour using the steps above and return to step one for the next turn. More importantly, you’ll let the first colour dry before moving to the next one.
Step 5: Apply an Acrylic Exterior Primer
As mentioned above, acrylic primers serve a protective function while enhancing the adhesion of paving bricks.
The coating thickness is dictated by the kind of paint you apply. In the case of paver painting, you need one to two coats of exterior primer before you can paint over the bricks.
After applying the primer, you must wait for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the waiting time recommended by the specific primer/sealer you use for your project.
Step 6: Use a Roller to Paint the Bricks
This is the most straightforward (and enjoyable) step of the project!
Plunge and roll the paint roller onto the tray upon filling the roller tray with adequate paint.
The roller soaks up paint, which you immediately apply to the surface by re-rolling the roller onto the pavers. If you have a pattern stencil, you must be careful not to remove the sheet with aggressive rolling.
Step 7: Protect the Painted Area
From leaves falling onto the pavers to kids walking over them, there are multiple ways the project can get incur damage. Therefore, you must keep the painted area protected from traffic and impurities for two hours.
However, quick-drying paint lighter impact like dust settling leaves falling, etc., goes unnoticed as long as it doesn’t happen within a few minutes of applying the topcoat.
Step 8: Apply the Second Coat
After two hours, you should apply the second coat of paint. The “second coat” does not refer to the second colour in pattern painting – it relates to the same colour on the same spot.
You must apply a second coat just to enhance the paint’s opaqueness. Otherwise, the pavers’ original colour interferes with the final appearance of the paving bricks.
5 Fun Painting Paving Bricks Ideas
Painting paving bricks are pretty straightforward and can almost always be an entirely DIY project whether you’re looking to improve your driveway’s appearance or are interested in making a portion of your interior stand apart.
This section covers the five best ways you can use paver painting to make a statement.
Painting Around a Fire Pit
Fireplaces have become synonymous with luxury, like vintage cars. To maximize the visual appeal of your fireplace, you can have the bricks surrounding your fire pit painted in a colour that contrasts the orange of the fire and the brown of unburnt wood.
You should use adhesive tape to create a boundary no wider than one brick at the fireplace’s inner frame to get started. Once the bricks lining the panel are outlined with tape, you can use a brush to paint the pavers after priming them.
If the panel doesn’t feature any bricks, you should paint the inner-most bricks on the mantel.
Fireplace colours that go well with fire/orange:
- Burgundy
- White
- Brown
Painting Near A Pool
Pavers can be used to accentuate the surrounding area of the pool. Even though paving bricks don’t make an ideal pool boundary, they can be played in a pathway or circular pattern in a patch of green near the pool. This transforms the pool from a large water container to an appealing picnic/lifestyle destination within one’s house.
You can create a paver-led walkway up to an above-ground pool or select a few spots for lounge chairs and make beds of paving bricks. Depending on what surrounds the bricks, you can paint these bricks in solid colours that catch the eye.
Beautiful Painted Paving Brick Patios
Patios can be tough to build using wood and require multiple handymen, primarily if they cover a large area. Moreover, they can be expensive to maintain because of how vulnerable lumber tends to be.
Creating a one-brick deep bed, and laying pavers to build out a stage of sorts, is all that’s needed to build a brick patio on your front porch. And as long as you use paint to make the bricks wood-brown, the new patio looks just as artsy with much less effort.
Use a Stencil
Stencils are handy, mainly when you use a paintbrush to apply coats of paint over a small area.
Using tile stencils, you can create beautiful patterns over multiple bricks, and you can use smaller stencils to make individual bricks look unique.
Stencils open up a world of designing possibilities and help cover up a large section with a repeating pattern, enhancing the overall cohesiveness of the floor’s appearance.
Create a Pattern
Stencils help you repeat a paint design with a nominal difference. You can use stencils to create patterns but don’t have to rely on them. Painting one-brick-wide, you can create different patterns based on your imagination or inspiration.
You can create a spiral or other round pattern for bricks laid in a circular or square shape. For rectangular areas like a driveway, contrasting brick colours can also create a design.
FAQs About Painting Paving Bricks
Paving brick painting encompasses uses ranging from essential floor covering to DIY hobby projects. Naturally, some questions need to be addressed, and this section aggregates the most common queries regarding painting paving bricks.
How long does patio paint last?
Patio paint lasts up to 3 years in a harsh climate and 5 years in milder temperatures. If the paint is applied in a high-traffic area, its average lifespan is 3 years. You can refresh the paint every two years and use shade to protect it from fading due to the sunlight.
What paint to use on paving bricks?
The paint on paving bricks is latex-based and specialized for exterior use. As long as you use sufficient concrete or exterior acrylic primer, latex or oil paint provides adequate coverage and decent longevity.
Can you paint red brick pavers?
You can paint red brick pavers but must first use a white primer to make them neutral and reduce their red colour’s interference in the final appearance of the topcoat. Redbrick pavers are not common red brick material and should be treated as regular paving bricks when painting.
Is there a need to prime concrete before painting?
You need to prime concrete before painting to make it more conducive to paint. A primer can also protect the concrete surface from exposure damage and make the paint more likely to stick for a more extended period. Without a primer, the paint can look spotty.
Can garden bricks be painted?
Brick gardens can be painted in block colours, patterns, and stencil designs. Painting the garden is a relatively manageable project for amateurs and semi-professionals, but one can also call a professional house painter for the task.
Can you paint over paving bricks?
You can paint over paving bricks yourself as the materials required are not lethal within the application context, and medium expertise is necessary to implement the project. Most mistakes like stray paint strokes are reversible, making painting over paving bricks an ideal DIY task.
Can you change the colour of the brick pavers?
You can change the colour of brick pavers as long as you use white primer. Once the surface of the bricks pavers is solid white, any paint that works with the primer can coat it without losing its intended colour, which means you can paint the pavers in all shades of latex and oil paints available.
The Benefits of Painting Paving Bricks
The key benefits of painting paving bricks have to do with aesthetics. Painting paving bricks can be worth the effort because:
- It renews the appearance of old brick designs.
- It can decorate an area in a variety of ways.
- It can make paving bricks look cohesive with their surroundings.
How to Care for Painted Paving Bricks
To protect the paint and slow the chipping off or fading, you must follow these maintenance best practices:
- Use cleaning & sealers to extend the bricks’ lifespan – Cleaners like Simple Green Oxy Solve can remove dirt from the bricks’ surface without biting through the paint. A top sealer can prevent the colour from fading due to humidity.
- Use a shade to guard against harsh sunlight – If the painted area receives harsh sunlight, you can use a canopy or a gazebo top to dampen the effect of UV rays on the paint’s vibrance.
- Reduce unnecessary traffic – While paving bricks are exposed to plenty of activity, you can reduce the need for frequent coat replacement by reducing excessive foot or tire traffic over the bricks.
The World’s Finest Brick Paver Manufacturers
Your brick paver painting project is as good as the coat you apply over it, but its integrity and durability depend on the paving bricks that make up the project’s foundation.
Here are some of the most trusted brick paver manufacturers in the world:
- AZEK – offers a wide range of brick paver options, most of them made from recycled natural materials. The pavers come in 5 different colours, allowing you to lay patterns without painting.
- E.P. Henry – This manufacturer is a family-owned business that has been in the market for over a century. With vast experience, it has a dedicated Coventry Brickstone line for brick pavers. The Coventry pavers are durable require less maintenance.
- Pavestone – Pavestone is a relatively young business close to crossing its two-decade mark. Since brick pavers are its flagship product, it puts a lot of resources into ensuring that its paving bricks are of the highest quality.
Final Thoughts
Painting paving bricks is a rewarding project to take on this year. It will take around one week for a larger area and half a week for the standard paver painting project.
While it is possible to finish the project as an entirely DIY one, you should feel free to get help wherever you need it. A local tradesman or even a neighbour can lend a hand.
Some aspects of panting brick pavers will be challenging, but in the end, beautifying a prominent outdoor area at your home will be worth the effort.
