Whitewashing vs The Brick Anew Paint Kit

Thinking about whitewashing your fireplace? You’re not alone. Whitewashing is a popular way homeowners update their brick while preserving a somewhat natural brick look.

You probably dislike your current brick or stone. Maybe it is dark, dingy, and outdated. But, if you’ve settled on whitewashing, you probably want to keep a natural brick look and don’t want solid-painted brick.

The problem with whitewashing is that it doesn’t deliver a natural brick look. The finished brick will look…whitewashed. Sure, bits of the brick peak through the white paint, but the natural brick look is lost with a whitewash.

That is why our customers love the Brick Anew paint kit. It delivers a real natural brick look. It doesn’t look painted; it looks like real brick! When people see fireplaces transformed with Brick Anew, they think the old brick has been torn out and replaced with a lighter brick.

Brick Anew is an all-in-one paint kit and technique designed to transform outdated brick. Each kit comes with painting equipment, multiple paint colors, and a video tutorial walking you through the process. By applying multiple colors in layers, you create a real brick look from just paint!

Don’t believe you can get a real brick look with depth using paint? Check out these before and after pictures from real customers!

Obviously the difference between whitewashed brick and the Brick Anew paint kit is tremendous. What about the difference in cost? The difference in process? Let’s do a little compare and contrast.

Whitewashing is a relatively simple process. You thin paint with a little bit of water, brush it over the brick, and wipe it off as necessary to reveal the brick underneath.

However, whitewashing has a lot of variables. If you don’t thin your paint enough, you’ll be left with a patchy mess. If you let the paint dry before wiping it off, you’ll have an inconsistent finished look.

The Brick Anew paint kit, on the other hand, is a tried-and-true process that comes with clear, step-by-step instructions. You can use your artistic eye or follow the directions exactly. Either way, your fireplace will turn out great!

The Brick Anew process involves covering your entire fireplace with paint. Then you layer on additional colors in thin coats to create natural shadow and depth.

Let’s say you don’t like your finished look. You can paint over it again with the base coat and start the process all over again. This also means the Brick Anew process works well on previously painted bricks!

When you whitewash a fireplace, you don’t have many color choices. Sure you get to choose between shades of white; maybe you even choose a grey, but that’s it.

The Brick Anew paint kit has three unique color choices. Your finished look can be a creamy taupe, a cool grey, or a chic grey with hints of sunny yellow.

Below, you see each of these colors featured. From left to right: Frosted Sunshine, Misty Harbor, and Twilight Taupe.

If you’re not sure what color scheme is right for you, feel free to send pictures of your space to our team! We’d be happy to help you choose the best color for your space.

An average fireplace will cost $200 to paint with the Brick Anew system. You may end up spending more depending on the size of your fireplace.

If you already have all the painting supplies you need, you will probably end up spending less money whitewashing your fireplace. After all, you will only need a little paint and some water.

However, if you don’t have all the paint supplies you need, you will probably end up spending similar amounts on either process. The Brick Anew kit comes with everything you need: tape, brushes, sponges, rollers, and (of course) multiple colors of paint.

In some cases, the Brick Anew kit will be more expensive than whitewashing. However, the Brick Anew process is more complex than whitewashing so this is to be expected.

You can purchase the brick kit here and the stone kit here.

If you’re considering whitewashing, consider the Brick-Anew paint kit before you make a final decision. You may find a color scheme perfect for your space!

Just like whitewashing, the Brick-Anew paint kit brightens fireplaces. Unlike whitewashing, the Brick Anew kit is a transformative look that preserves the appearance of real brick.

Still undecided? Check out some of our customer testimonials or our Facebook page!