How to Add a Chalky Look to a Red Brick House

Selecting a new color for a red brick home is problematic. While many homeowners love the color of brick, others would prefer a toned down or antique look. For example, a new home built in an older neighborhood may not fit in among the vintage homes. Adding the patina of a well-built, well-loved home to a new red brick house requires careful thought and preparation. Among the many options is the traditional look of whitewash. By painting the brick with whitewash, you can add the chalky patina of a vintage brick home.

Trisodium phosphate (TSP)
Bucket
Garden hose
Garden sprayer
Broom
25 pounds hydrated lime
5 pounds salt
5-gallon bucket
Paint bucket grid
Roller
Painter's pole
Large paintbrush
Garden hose with spray nozzle

Instructions

- 1
  Mix TSP and water in a bucket according to the manufacturer's directions. Pour the solution into a garden sprayer.
- 2
  Spray the TSP solution over the bricks. Scrub the bricks with a long-handled broom.
- 3
  Rinse thoroughly with clean water and allow to dry completely.
- 4
  Mix 5 parts lime to 1 part salt in a 5-gallon bucket. Add water slowly while stirring until the mixture is the consistency of a thin pancake batter.
- 5
  Place the painter's grid on the side of the bucket. Using a roller on a painter's pole, quickly apply the whitewash to the bricks. Allow to dry for four hours.
- 6
  Spray the bricks with water to remove part of the whitewash, using a garden hose equipped with a spray nozzle. If necessary, use a broom to scrub part of the whitewash off the bricks for a subtle chalk-like appearance. Allow to dry completely.

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