Should You Paint Your Brick Exterior? A Decorator's Guide for North London Homeowners

Few decorating decisions generate as much debate as whether to paint exterior brickwork. In North London, where Victorian and Edwardian London Stock brick dominates, it's a highly emotive subject. Some homeowners love the uniformity, freshness, and individuality a painted exterior brings; others — and conservation officers — argue it destroys the authentic character of the building. Here's our balanced view, as decorators who've painted and stripped painted brick for two decades.

When Painting Brick Makes Sense

There are legitimate cases for painting exterior brickwork. If the brickwork has already been painted previously (often the case in older North London properties), maintaining and refreshing the paint is almost always the right approach — stripping paint from brick is extremely expensive and can damage the substrate. Painting can also unify a façade that has been visually disrupted by brickwork repairs using non-matching reclaimed brick, or hide staining from previously removed render.

The Risks of Painting Original Brick

Painting original London Stock brick is effectively a permanent decision: while chemical stripping is possible, it's costly (£80–£120 per square metre for sandblasting or chemical stripping) and the results are variable. Additionally, if the property is listed or in a conservation area, painting the exterior may require planning consent or listed building consent — and approval may be refused.

The Right Paint for Brick

If you do decide to paint, breathability is non-negotiable. Victorian brick and lime mortar are moisture-permeable — they absorb rain and then slowly release it. Painting with an impermeable product (such as an exterior emulsion or masonry paint not rated for breathability) will trap moisture, causing spalling, efflorescence, and mortar decay. We specify Keim Granital, Earthborn Silicate Masonry Paint, or Limelite Stabilising Solution topped with Farrow & Ball Exterior Masonry as our preferred breathable systems.

Call 020 3874 2670 to discuss whether your North London brick property is a suitable candidate for painting.