Suburban house near Naperville, IL with a softened brick front beside vinyl siding

Solid colour that still lets the wall breathe

Aurora Limewash: Mineral Paint for Brick in Aurora

For the owner who wants painted brick, without the peeling that ordinary paint brings.

Aurora and ten towns within 20 miles
Written price before work starts
Licensed, insured local contractors
Historic district rules covered

Aurora Limewash arranges mineral paint for brick homes around Aurora through local painting contractors. Mineral paint, also called silicate paint, bonds chemically with masonry rather than forming a plastic film on it. It gives the solid, even colour of painted brick while staying far more breathable than acrylic, and it is the usual answer when brick is too dense, too patched or too painted for limewash.

Painting a brick house typically runs $2,000 to $8,000; choose acrylic to save on the gallon and a national guide expects it to last 3 to 5 years, against 20 or more for mineral paint costing $100 to $150 a gallon.

$2,000 to $8,000 for an average brick house

A national cost guide puts painting a brick house at $2,000 to $8,000 on average, or $1.50 to $4.50 a square foot, and mineral-based paint itself at $100 to $150 a gallon against $25 to $70 for acrylic. A Chicago-suburb limewash applicator lists Romabio's Masonry Flat mineral paint at $62 to $73 a gallon. Product is a small share of the job; preparation and labour are most of it.

Get a price: (630) 528-2808

Signs mineral paint is the better fit

The brick is dense and water beads on it, so limewash cannot soak in
The brick was painted before and you do not want to strip it
You want an even, solid colour rather than a translucent wash
Patches and mismatched repairs need covering, not blending

How mineral paint holds on

Silicate paint reacts with the mineral surface it is applied to and becomes part of it, rather than sitting on it as a film. That is why it can stay breathable and why it lasts. The national cost guide expects mineral-based masonry paint to last 20 years or more, against 3 to 5 years for acrylic latex.

Over old paint

Mineral paint wants a mineral surface. Over an existing acrylic paint, makers' systems use a primer to bridge the two, or the old paint is removed first. Which way to go depends on how well the old paint is holding. A sound, well-bonded coat can sometimes be primed and overpainted; a peeling one has to come off, which the paint removal page covers.

Not sure what your brick will take? Describe the house, the brick and the look you want, and get a straight answer on coats, prep and a typical price.

Call (630) 528-2808

Colour without the wash

Where limewash gives a translucent, cloudy finish, mineral paint gives a flat, even colour with no brick tone showing through. Romabio's Masonry Flat is matte, which keeps the brick's texture visible even when its colour is not. For owners who want the clean look of painted brick, this is the finish to ask about.

Painted brick in the historic districts

Painting brick that has never been painted is reviewed in the historic districts of Aurora, Batavia and St. Charles, whatever the paint. Repainting brick that is already painted is a lighter review in St. Charles, handled by staff rather than the full commission.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to paint a brick house?

A national cost guide puts it at $2,000 to $8,000 on average. Mineral paint itself runs $100 to $150 a gallon.

What are the signs my brick needs mineral paint rather than limewash?

Water beads on it, it has been painted before, or you want a solid colour rather than a wash.

How long does mineral paint last on brick?

A national cost guide expects mineral-based masonry paint to last 20 years or more, against 3 to 5 for acrylic.

Is mineral paint breathable?

Yes. It bonds with the masonry rather than forming a plastic film, so moisture can still leave the wall.

Can mineral paint go over old paint?

With the maker's primer, if the old paint is sound. Peeling paint has to be removed first.

Often done together

Brick paint removal

Limewash cannot bond to paint, so on painted brick the job starts here.
Brick front limewash

The brick front that makes a newer house look dated, softened to sit with the siding instead of fighting it.
Exterior brick limewash

A breathable lime finish over the whole brick exterior, from a faint wash to near-solid white.

Talk it through before anyone opens a bucket

Say what the brick is, whether it has ever been painted or sealed, and how much of it shows from the street. You will hear what the job usually involves, what it tends to cost, and whether your town needs a sign-off first.