Introduction: How to Whitewash Brick

This project is the perfect DIY for anyone who is redecorating and wants to add something special to their home. This can be done on real bricks or on brick paneling. It is not as hard as most would believe and is actually a pretty quick project.

A couple years ago my dad bought a gorgeous piece of property but the previous owners did not keep it up making it a fixer upper. My brother was coming down from Florida for Thanksgiving and we decided to redo the guest room and I was tasked with designing the room and I immediately knew what it needed..... a whitewashed brick wall.

So we went to Home Depot and picked up enough brick panels for the room. We had a little bit left after the renovation and thought the extra panel would be a perfect use for my project.

If you're looking for a simple and quite frankly a quick home DIY, then this would be perfect for you.

Step 1: Gathering the Proper Tools

What you'll need:

  • Roll-on texture: Smooth
  • White paint
  • Putty knife
  • Roller brush (x3)
  • Water-based Polycrylic: Clear semi-gloss
  • Paint tray (x3)
  • Sponge
  • Distilled water (not pictured)
  • Brick wall or Brick panels

Step 2: Roll-on-Texture

If you are whitewashing a brick wall in your home I would recommend taking precautions with messes, tape the corners and lay down a tarp on the floor to prevent spills.

Now lets get into the fun stuff.....

  • First thing you want to do is use the roll-on-texture. Open the lid and stir until it mixes together. Pour the roll-on-texture into a painting tray and roll your brush in until it is evenly coated.
  • Now depending on the desired look you are going for you need to watch how much you apply on the brick. If you want the natural brick color to show up more then don't apply was much but if you want it very whitewashed then apply it more heavily.
  • After you've used all the roll-on-texture on the brush grab your putty knife and start scraping it up, down, left, right, diagonal; whatever way you would like the texture going. When I whitewash brick I tend to adjust my direction with the way the roll on texture is working with. Sometimes if you are not careful the putty knife can leave noticeable lines which is why I move in the direction it flows in to make it look more complete and finished, but if you like the streaks of lines then that's your prerogative.
  • I included a gif of a technique I use when the roll-on-texture is almost dry. I scrape the putty knife back and forth to add a more distressed look.

Once the brick has been coated once in the roll-on-texture and your satisfied with how it looks then it's time to let it dry.

Step 3: Whitewashing

When the first layer of roll-on-texture is fully dry (check and make sure it's 100% dry. The cracks tend to take longer to dry.)

  • You'll need a painting tray, the white paint you picked out, water, and a roller brush.
  • You'll need to stir the white paint up till it's a creamy texture and all of the paint is mixed.
  • Add 1 part paint and 1 part water into the tray and mix.
  • Now depending on the look you're going for, the amount of the pigment you want to add to the brick is up to you.
  • Work in decent sized sections and then use a lightly damp sponge to work in the paint and add more texture. I like to smear it first and then pat with the other side of the sponge. If you don't like the result of using the sponge then you don't have to use it just be careful with the whitewash paint.

Once you have the brick painted let it dry. If you don't like the result you can always add a second layer.

Step 4: Polycrylic

It's important that you get polycrylic because it dries clear and with white that's important.

  • Once the wall is completely dry you want to add a thin layer of polycrylic to your newly whitewashed brick. This seals the roll-on -texture and whitewash so it doesn't crumble off. You can add a second layer if you want but I used only one coat and it worked just fine. And then let dry.

Step 5: Final Look

I love whitewashing brick because it's such a unique look because you control the outcome. It's super easy and a simple way to add a pop to your home.

Now get crafty.