Do-It-Yourself Brick Stain

Over time, sunlight and inclement weather can cause the appearance of your brick exterior to become faded. However, it is not always advisable to apply traditional paint to masonry, as it can be incredibly difficult to remove and alter the texture of the material. If you prefer to leave the texture of your brick intact and simply spruce up its color, you can use a brick stain, which will simply tint the color of the individual bricks rather than cover them with a layer of latex.

Power washer
Soap
Brick stain
Paintbrush or roller
Painter's tape
Paint tray
Water
Gloves

Instructions

- 1
  Fill your power washer with warm water and a small amount of soap. Close the drum and shake it to mix the ingredients together.
- 2
  Power wash your surface thoroughly from the top down in even horizontal strokes.
- 3
  Empty and wipe out the drum of your power washer and refill it with warm water.
- 4
  Power wash your surface a second time to remove any dirt particles and soap clinging to the bricks.
- 5
  Allow your surface time to dry and apply painter's tape to the mortar surfaces in between each brick if you do not wish to color them. Be sure not to cover up any of the faces of the bricks.
- 6
  Pour out your brick stain into your paint tray until the reservoir is roughly 1/3 of the way full.
- 7
  Pour water into the paint tray until the reservoir is roughly 2/3 of the way full.
- 8
  Stir the stain and water together thoroughly with your paintbrush to prepare it for application.
- 9
  Apply the stain across your entire surface with your roller. Prepare a new mixture of stain and water in your paint tray whenever you run out.
- 10
  Remove any painter's tape you may have applied to your exterior to complete the staining of your bricks.

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