Brick is strange stuff, painting-wise. Sheetrock and wood are fine surfaces for painting. But brick is highly porous (like a sponge!); it develops something called efflorescence seemingly all by itself (the strange white, chalky stuff); it take paint and then never lets go of it (sandblasting or power washing might do it).
Then you've got the moral complications. Many people get upset when they see someone else painting brick. That's because there is supposedly a natural beauty with brick that should not be covered up with paint. I agree with that camp. I also agree with the camp that paints over brick because the present brick surface is plain ugly and unsalvageable (though I don't side with the camp that paints brick just for the heck of it).
Still, there are people who want to paint brick, and for you brave souls I offer a short "how to."
Image Public Domain/Courtesy Petr Kratochvil
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