How to remove paint from brick without damaging it

Step by step: how to remove paint from brick without damaging it

Safety first. If the paint may be from before 1978, test for lead before you scrape, sand or strip it, and do not dry scrape or power wash lead paint. Paint strippers can burn skin and eyes and give off strong fumes: wear gloves and eye protection, work outdoors or with lots of airflow, follow the label, and keep kids and pets away. Do not mix strippers with other chemicals.

1. 1

   Test for lead and identify the paint

   If the house or the paint is older than 1978, use a lead test kit or hire a certified inspector before you start. Note whether the paint is fresh latex drips, old latex, oil-based paint or spray paint, since that decides which method works.

2. 2

   Try the gentlest method on a test patch

   Pick a hidden 1-foot square. For fresh or water-based paint, wet the brick, scrub with warm water, a squirt of dish soap and a stiff nylon brush, then rinse. If the paint softens, that is your method; if not, move to a stripper.

3. 3

   Protect plants, windows and trim

   Wet down nearby plants and cover them with plastic or drop cloths. Tape plastic over windows, doors, wood trim and siding next to the brick. Stripper that drips onto them can damage the finish.

4. 4

   Apply a paste stripper thickly

   Trowel or brush a masonry-safe paste stripper onto the test patch in a thick layer (often about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, per the label), pushing it into the mortar joints. Cover it with the plastic or paper the product calls for so it stays wet.

5. 5

   Let it dwell for the label time

   Leave the stripper on for as long as the label says, often several hours to overnight for multiple coats. Do not let it dry out. Peek under a corner: the paint should be soft and wrinkled all the way to the brick.

6. 6

   Scrape and scrub it off

   Peel the covering away and scrape the softened paint into a bucket with a plastic scraper. Scrub the remaining paint out of the brick texture and joints with a stiff nylon brush, following the label for what to rinse or neutralize with.

7. 7

   Rinse at low pressure

   Rinse the area with a garden hose, working from the top down, and collect paint debris rather than washing it into the yard or storm drain. Dispose of the paint and stripper waste as the label and your local rules require.

8. 8

   Judge the test patch, then do the rest

   Let the brick dry for a day and look at the patch in daylight. If the paint is gone and the brick face is intact, repeat section by section. If a ghost of color remains, a second application usually lifts most of it.

Ways to remove paint from brick, compared

Start with the gentlest method that works and step up only if you need to. The National Park Service’s Preservation Brief 38, on removing paint and graffiti from masonry, says removal should always begin with the gentlest means possible, and that the most effective method on masonry usually involves a poultice that holds the cleaner against the stain.

The same brief says paint strippers with organic solvents can remove most paint without damaging masonry when tested and used per the manufacturer’s instructions, and that they work best as a paste or poultice so the solvent does not soak in and stain the brick. It also warns that off-the-shelf aerosol removers can let dissolved paint run down the wall and stain areas that were clean.

Why you should not sandblast or pressure wash brick

Abrasive methods remove paint by removing the surface of the brick with it. Brick has a hard fired outer face; once it is blasted away, the softer inside absorbs water, crumbles in freeze-thaw cycles and gets dirty faster.

Preservation Brief 38 lists dry or wet blasting with grits (even baking soda or walnut shells), high-pressure water washing and mechanical sanding or grinding, and says all of these abrasive methods will cause damage to masonry. It also notes that hasty attempts with harsh chemicals or abrasives can leave damage worse than the paint. If you hire a contractor, ask what pressure and method they plan to use, and walk away from anyone who suggests sandblasting.

Lead paint on brick: when to call a professional

If your home was built before 1978, assume old paint may contain lead until a test says otherwise. The EPA says homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint, and that dust and chips from it are one of the most common sources of lead exposure at home.

Scraping, sanding and power washing lead paint spreads that dust. Under the EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting program, contractors paid to disturb paint in pre-1978 homes must be certified and follow lead-safe work practices; hire one for a painted wall, fireplace or chimney that tests positive. Call a masonry restoration contractor as well for historic or soft handmade brick, large walls, or any job where your test patch damages the brick face.

For routine dirt, soot and efflorescence on brick that is not painted, see our guide on how to clean brick.

Mistakes to avoid

• Using a wire brush, which scratches brick and leaves metal bits that rust and stain.
• Pressure washing or sandblasting to speed things up, which permanently erodes the brick face.
• Letting the stripper dry out on the wall, which glues the paint back down.
• Skipping the test patch and discovering the stripper discolors your brick across a whole wall.
• Dry scraping old paint on a pre-1978 house without testing for lead.
• Rinsing paint sludge into the lawn or storm drain instead of collecting it.