Did you know you can give your brick fireplace a fresh, whitewashed look using paint you already have at home? We transformed our fireplace wall in less than a day without spending a dime.
We don’t mind exposed brick, but in many of our homes it’s been that unattractive orangey-brown color rather than the deep, rustic red you might picture. In past houses we’ve fully painted the brick because we love the texture and clean look of painted masonry. This time, after seeing whitewashed brick examples online and reading a few tutorials, we decided to try a whitewash instead. If we didn’t like it, we could always paint over it later.
We ended up loving the result. The room is still a work in progress and this may not be permanent, but for a day’s work and zero dollars spent, we’re very happy with how bright and textured the wall looks.
Materials Needed For Whitewashing Your Brick
This project uses a short list of supplies, many of which you likely already have from previous painting jobs:
- White latex paint
- A pail or container for mixing
- Stir stick, spoon, or similar mixing tool
- Paint brush
- Water
- Rags or old t-shirts
- Drop cloth or rosin paper
- Scrub brush or wire brush (optional for heavy dirt)
There are specialty whitewash or limewash products for exterior masonry, which are formulated for durability, but for a simple interior refresh regular wall paint thinned with water works just fine.
The steps are straightforward and can be completed in one day. Here’s how we did it.
Step 1: Clean Your Brick
Start by wiping the brick to remove dust, cobwebs, and loose soot. A quick once-over with an old rag is often enough. If the brick is particularly dirty or flaky, use a scrub brush or wire brush to remove loose debris before you begin.
Step 2: Create Your Whitewash Mixture
Mix one part water with one part white latex paint in a paint pail. We used a leftover eggshell white, but any pale white paint will work. The mixture should be quite watery—think of pouring out half a gallon of paint and replacing that volume with water.
Step 3: Apply With a Brush & Rag Technique
Use a paintbrush to wash a thin layer of the diluted paint across each brick and mortar joint. Work brick by brick and move quickly. After brushing the wash on, dab the surface with a rag to remove excess paint and control drips. Because the mixture is thin, some dripping is natural—dabbing helps blend the finish and keep runs under control.
The dabbing takes more effort than brushing, and it’s helpful to step back occasionally to see how the coverage looks across a larger area.
The bricks absorb the wash quickly. Right after brushing they may look almost painted solid white, but once you dab and the wash soaks in, the natural brick color comes through, creating that weathered, translucent effect.
After completing the first coat we realized the hearth area could drip onto the wood floor, so we protected the floor with rosin paper. It’s waterproof and prevents any watery paint from soaking through.
Step 4: Let Dry & Evaluate
The first pass took about two hours and most of it had soaked in and dried. At that point you can assess whether you like the level of coverage. The beauty of whitewashing is you can build up more haze with additional coats until you reach the look you want.
I decided the first coat let too much red and brown show through in some spots, so I went for a second pass.
Step 5: Apply Additional Coats As Needed
For the second coat I mixed a thinner wash—about one-third paint to two-thirds water—and applied it the same way. This pass took around an hour and added a subtle softening without covering the brick’s natural texture. The result brightened the room while preserving the brick’s character.
From a distance the wall appears chalky and varied rather than uniformly painted. Up close you still see the individual bricks’ variations in color and texture, which gives a pleasing, lived-in appearance.
Whitewashing made a big difference in this room, which gets very little natural light. The space feels brighter and less closed-in now, even though the brick’s texture remains prominent.
We still have more to do in this room, and some readers have asked whether we’ll paint the wood beams, wainscoting, or mantle. We’re considering it, but we’re taking our time. Painting wood or brick is a long-term choice, so make sure you’re ready before committing.
The wall went from a salmon, dated look to something much fresher and more modern, and the whitewash helped us visualize bigger changes we might make later.
Update: We Painted It!
After living with the whitewashed brick for a few years, we decided to brighten the room even more. We used a paint sprayer and fully painted the brick and wood in Benjamin Moore Simply White. The painted finish opened up the space and completely changed the room’s feel.
Over several years the room evolved in many ways—new mantle, different furnishings, and other updates—but the whitewash was a low-risk project that gave us the confidence to make larger changes later.
Update: We also created a “Shop Our House” page listing paint colors and furnishings used in our home to help readers find the items shown here.