Painting a brick house in Melbourne: what to weigh up first

Drive through almost any Melbourne suburb and you will see it: a solid brick home from the 1960s, 70s or 80s that has been painted in a soft white, a warm grey or a deep charcoal. Painted brick has become one of the most common ways to modernise an older house without changing its shape. It can look fantastic. It is also one of the few painting decisions that is very hard to undo, so it deserves more thought than choosing a colour for a bedroom.

This guide walks through what to weigh up before painting a brick house in Melbourne, from the condition of the walls to planning rules and the upkeep that follows.

Start with the question you cannot take back

Once bare face brick has been painted, getting it back to its original look is difficult. Paint sits in the texture of the brick and the mortar joints, and removing it usually involves a slow, messy process that may not fully succeed. That is why the first conversation is not about colour. It is about whether you are certain you want painted brick for the long term.

A few questions help:

• Is the brick itself the problem, or is it the trims, roof and garden that make the house feel dated?
• Would repainting the eaves, fascias, windows and front door achieve enough of a change?
• Are you planning to stay long enough to enjoy the result?
• Do the neighbouring houses and the street suit a painted finish?

Sometimes the answer is that the brick is fine and the rest of the exterior needs attention. Other times, painting the brick is exactly what turns a tired home into one you are proud of.

Check the walls before anyone opens a tin

Brick can look solid and still carry problems that paint will not fix. Before quoting, a good painter will walk the house and look closely at the masonry.

Moisture and salts

White, powdery deposits on brickwork are often efflorescence, salts carried to the surface as water moves through the wall. Painting over them without working out where the moisture is coming from can lead to coatings that blister or let go. Leaking gutters, garden beds built up against walls and poor drainage are common culprits.

Mortar and cracking

Crumbling mortar joints and cracks through the brickwork should be assessed before painting. Some cracks are minor, while others point to movement that needs another trade to look at first. Paint can hide a crack for a while, but it will not stop it.

Cleanliness

Brick collects dirt, mould and grime over decades. Thorough cleaning and time to dry out are part of the preparation, and a quote should explain how this will be handled.

Planning rules can apply

In Victoria, properties covered by a Heritage Overlay can have rules about external painting. The Heritage Overlay provisions in the Victoria Planning Provisions list externally painting an unpainted surface as something that can require a planning permit, and some overlays also include specific external paint controls. Face brick that has never been painted falls squarely into that category.

Councils explain these rules in slightly different ways, so the safe approach is to check your property on VicPlan and confirm with your local council before work begins. It is far easier to sort out a permit question at the start than after the walls are finished.

Choosing a coating system for brick

Brick is a porous masonry surface, so the products need to suit it. Manufacturers such as Dulux offer exterior paint systems intended for brickwork, and the right combination of sealer or primer and topcoat depends on the condition of the wall and the manufacturer’s specifications. Your quote should name the products, the preparation and the number of coats rather than simply saying “paint brick walls”. Our guide to comparing painting quotes shows what that level of detail looks like.

Colour deserves careful testing too. Brick has more texture than render or weatherboards, and that texture changes how light falls across the wall. Sample a generous area on two or three sides of the house and look at it at different times of day. Our article on choosing colours for Melbourne light explains why a colour that looks soft on a chart can read very differently outside.

Think about the whole exterior, not just the brick

Painted brick rarely works on its own. Gutters, downpipes, eaves, window frames and doors all need to suit the new wall colour, and many homes mix brick with other materials. If your home combines brick with timber cladding, our guide to painting a weatherboard home in Melbourne covers what makes timber behave differently. Treating the exterior as one plan gives a more finished result and avoids a second round of work later.

You can read more about how we approach complete repaints, from walls to trims, on our exterior house painting page.

Living with painted brick

Bare face brick needs very little attention. Painted brick, like any painted surface, will need maintenance over time. Plan for occasional washing, checking for damage around downpipes and garden beds, and a future repaint when the coating begins to show its age. How long that takes depends on the products, the preparation, the colour and how exposed each wall is to sun and weather.

For homeowners who want a fresher, lighter exterior and are comfortable with that commitment, painted brick can be a very good result. The key is to make the decision on purpose, with the walls checked, the rules confirmed and the right system specified.

Frequently asked questions

Can painted brick be returned to bare brick later?

It is difficult. Paint settles into the texture of the brick and mortar, and removal is slow and not always fully successful, so treat painting as a long term decision.

Do I need a permit to paint my brick house in Melbourne?

Most homes do not, but properties in a Heritage Overlay can need a planning permit to paint an unpainted surface. Check VicPlan and ask your council before work starts.

What causes the white powder on my brick walls?

It is often efflorescence, which is salts brought to the surface by moisture moving through the masonry. The moisture source should be found and addressed before painting.

Is painted brick a good choice for a 1970s home?

It can be, especially where the brick colour feels dated. Look at the roof, trims and street as well, because they all affect whether a painted finish suits the house.

Should the mortar be repaired before painting?

Damaged or crumbling joints should be assessed first. Paint will not hold failing mortar together, and problems underneath can show through the new finish.

Weighing up a painted brick exterior?

We are happy to look at your brickwork with you, talk through whether painting suits your home and explain how we would prepare and finish it. Book an inspection with our team and we will give you a clear, honest view before you commit.