Whitewash Brick Fireplace
I was getting a bit tired of my dark and drab brick fireplace, so I decided to brighten it up a bit! I have never been a fan of brick anyhow, but have always wanted a farmhouse-style home with a garage and a nice big front porch, both of what I did not get with my brick house. This is only a stopping point and/or "starter home" until I get my nice, big white farmhouse dream home! ...Or that may just have to wait until I arrive in Heaven at my "Farmhouse Mansion in the sky"! Anyhoo, enough rambling and time to get down-to-business!
First you will need:
- A brick fireplace.
- A paint brush that you don't care too much about.
- Plastic or some sort of drop cloth to lay around the area you are working with.
- Painters tape - if necessary.
- A glove or two, because otherwise your hand will be covered in paint!
- Any shade of white paint you have chosen, to be watered down to 1/2 paint and 1/2 water.
- About 12 hours of time, which us mothers find rare to come by... Ugh!
- And a camera for before, during and after pictures... Because who doesn't want to see those?!?
The project...As it went down...
As you can see, I painted the grout first, and made sure the paint ventured
into the brick a bit, for a nice fading look.
Then, once the grout was done, I spread the paint on the brick real thick.
I did small sections at a time, and 1 brick at a time, to focus on each.
Once that was done, I then took my (not-so-good) paint brush and
vigorously dabbed the paint into the brick (as it is a very porous material),
and I wanted to cover it pretty well.
Finished one, and when the paint dries, it will look more like
the two seen above it.
(I also took the fireplace screen off and spray painted it with black rust-oleum high heat spray paint. Put Howards Restor-a-finish on the mantle. And stained the 'dingy' sandstone hearth also with the Restor-a-finish.)
And Ta-da!!! There it is! My before and after pics...
BEFORE AFTER
And quite honestly, the picture doesn't do it justice!! It looks so much better in person!!!
I guess you'll just have to take my word for it! ;)
