Whitewashed Brick Chimney

Christi Joyce
by Christi Joyce
4 Materials
$15
3 Hours
Easy
Giving a traditional brick chimney a much needed facelift by cleaning and painting it white with a spray bottle.
Hmmm...
This chimney was original to the house; built in 1979. They used new bricks that were ‘faux’ aged with paint. This is still an active chimney. We are looking at it on the second floor, and the stove that was here was removed years ago and the hole plugged.
Day 1
The first step was brushing with a whisk broom and then thoroughly vacuuming the surface. Notice the subfloor? We had removed the carpet and primered the subfloor in preparation of putting down new flooring. Now seemed like a good time to start a messy project. 🙃


The next step was easy. After taping off the plug, I mixed white latex paint and water in a plain trigger spray bottle. 1 part paint, 2 parts water. Shake to mix, then spray away! I decided I liked the whitewash look, and stopped with just one layer.
Day 2
After the bricks were dry, I taped around the plug so I could paint it, too. I used a brush for this, and two coats. To get better coverage.
1 Week Later
After the paint dried—I gave it a few days to cure—it was time to decorate! I chose an inexpensive doily that I very carefully attached to a frame made from a paper plate. Then I sprayed with a gray spray-paint. (From a can, not a trigger bottle)
Ahh.
Finished. I like the fact that some of the original colors show through the white. It brings character to the room. My family says the room is much brighter, just with this easy change!
Materials==one trigger sprayer, 8 oz of interior latex paint, 16 oz water. I used some paint and painter’s tape left over from the walls. The bottles are available at most hardware or big-box stores. If I hadn’t found a doily in a box of extra linens, I probably would have gone to the nearest dollar store. I happened to have a can of cheap gray spray-paint on the shelf. Using what’s already on-hand is a plus—its economical, and they don’t last long on the shelf, so there’s less waste.
Suggested materials:
  • 8 oz white latex paint   (Rodda paint)
  • 16 oz water   (Kitchen tap)
  • Qt Size Trigger spray bottle   (Amazon)
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 4 questions
  • 32662796 32662796 on Mar 07, 2019

    How did you keep the paint off the mortar?

  • Dwy4632248 Dwy4632248 on Apr 08, 2022

    Did you start painting from the top down or bottom up? How did you control the paint runs?

  • Ggrn77 Ggrn77 on Apr 08, 2022

    I would love too! Need to know how to keep paint from the mortar, do u spray top to bottom

    do you wip off any paint while still wet.?

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