How to Whitewash a Brick Fireplace

Whitewashing a brick fireplace can brighten and add character to a dated room.

The sheerness of the whitewash paint lets some of the original brick colors show through and gives the fireplace a unique look that many people love.

Whitewashing is basically diluting white latex paint with water and lightly coating the surface of a wall or fireplace. It’s an easy project and can be done in just a weekend.

Materials Needed

• Paintbrush
• Trisodium phosphate heavy-duty cleaner
• Water
• White paint and primer

Clean The Bricks

Before you begin, you need to clean the bricks. Mix a little TSP, or Trisodium Phosphate, with water and use it on a scrub brush to clean the brick surface and mortar joints between.

This is important to remove soot stains and create a clean surface so the whitewash will adhere well.

Create Your Whitewash Mix

When the bricks are completely dry, mix up your whitewash. We’re using ordinary flat white latex paint mixed with water at a one-to-one ratio.

Dampening the bricks with water on a paintbrush before you begin will help them absorb the stain more evenly.

Apply Whitewash

Begin applying the whitewash lightly until you get a feel for the bricks’ texture. In this case, they have a rough surface, so dragging the brush over them lightly leaves lots of nooks and crannies with the natural brick color.

If you apply too heavily in one area, some can be dabbed off with a rag. When it’s complete, the surface should vary from light to dark, creating interest in what was a bland brick wall.

Watch the video above for more information!

Cost

Transform your fireplace for less than $40! Here’s the breakdown of costs:

• Paintbrush: $3.68
• Trisodium phosphate heavy-duty cleaner: $4.87
• White paint and primer: $22.98
  Total: $31.53

Further Reading

• How to Whitewash Unfinished or Stained Furniture
• 3 Tips to Update Your Fireplace With Paint
• How Should I Lighten My Wood Paneling?