How to Add Lighter Areas to Solid Red Brick

Over the years, dark red bricks begin to lighten with exposure to sunlight or certain cleaning products. Mineral deposits and ash from the fireplace may also cause bricks to lighten or take on a whitish cast in certain areas. You can use one of several faux antiquing techniques to lighten bricks to achieve this weathered look or for other reasons, like tying in to other aspects of your home's décor.

1/2 cup trisodium phosphate (TSP)
1/2 cup laundry detergent
Bucket
Bristle brush
Salt
Lime
Nylon paintbrush
Spray bottle
Bleach
Masonry primer
Matte latex paint

Instructions

- 1
  Mix TSP and laundry detergent in a bucket with 1 gallon of water. Scrub the bricks with this solution, using a natural bristle brush. Allow the bricks to dry before proceeding.
- 2
  Mix 5 parts lime with 1 part salt and add water until the mixture is the consistency of cake batter to make an opaque whitewash, or until the mixture is the consistency of ink to make a translucent whitewash. Paint the whitewash wherever you want the bricks to look lighter. A light coat of whitewash will create the illusion of mineral or ash buildup.
- 3
  Spray or paint a 10 percent bleach solution on the bricks as an alternative to whitewash where you want the bricks to look lighter. The bleach will remove some of the bricks’ pigment.
- 4
  Paint the bricks thinly with a masonry primer, followed by matte latex paint for a more solid, dramatic light color. This will give the illusion of weathered, painted bricks.

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