Brick Painting Service in River Forest, IL
Brick painted clean, chalked, and sealed to hold color for years. We wash the surface first, use masonry-grade paint, and show you a written price before the first brush touches the wall.
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Quick Answer
Brick painting in River Forest starts at $1,500 for a typical two-story home, and a full exterior with trim runs around $2,900. That price comes from Vanguard Painting, a licensed and insured company based in nearby Melrose Park. Every job includes pressure washing, caulking cracks, primer on bare masonry, two coats of breathable masonry paint, and full cleanup. We paint brick on Tudor-style homes, mid-century ranches, and Colonial brick facades across River Forest and the rest of Cook County.
What You Get When We Paint Your Brick
Book brick painting in River Forest and this is the package. None of it is an add-on we spring on you halfway through the week.
Dirt, efflorescence and loose mortar removed so paint grips the masonry.
Hairline cracks in the mortar bed sealed before any paint goes on.
Bare spots and highly porous brick get primer to stop the paint from sucking in.
Breathable masonry paint, rolled and brushed, no spray-only shortcuts.
Wood trim, window sills and doors brushed in a matching or contrasting finish.
Drop cloths on plantings, grass and walks. We don't paint your driveway.
Finish coat includes a light seal to help the color stand up to Chicago winters.
Every brush and bucket cleared, then we walk it with you and fix anything you point at.
Brick Painting Prices in River Forest
Here's where our pricing starts on the brick jobs River Forest homeowners ask about most. Height, surface condition and how much trim you have move the final number. You get that number in writing first.
Not sure which of these you need? Call (708) 815-7720. Most River Forest brick jobs get priced over the phone in about five minutes.
River Forest Brick Has Its Own Personality
River Forest is known for its historic Tudor and Colonial homes, most built with clay brick that's now 80 to 100 years old. That brick acts differently than new masonry.
Old clay brick
River Forest brick is usually soft and porous. It soaks up paint quickly. We use a low-pressure wash and primer first so the finish doesn't suck in and dry blotchy.
Chalky surfaces
Decades of weather leave a powdery layer on the face of the brick. Paint peels right off that if you don't wash it down first. We always pressure-wash and let it dry before we start.
Mortar lines matter
Old mortar is often recessed or crumbling. We exterior painting work includes caulking cracks and pointing loose mortar so the paint line is straight and stays intact through the freeze-thaw cycle.
Homes built before 1978 can carry lead paint on wood trim but brick is usually safe. Still, our crews follow safe prep on all pre-78 houses as standard.
How We Paint a River Forest Brick Exterior
Eight steps, same order every time, whether it's a two-story Tudor on a corner lot or a garage wall off the alley.
Walk and measure
We check every wall, look at the brick condition, and write the price down before we leave.
Pick colors
Bring your own or let us bring samples. We test patches in small spots first.
Pressure wash
Whole surface washed and given two days to dry. Moisture ruins brick paint.
Caulk and point
Cracks in the mortar sealed, loose spots chipped out and replaced.
Prime bare spots
Porous brick gets primer. This is not a step you skip on old masonry.
First coat
Rolled in, then brushed into the mortar lines so the color gets in every joint.
Second coat
Full coat once the first has dried. This is where even color shows up.
Clean and walk
Drop sheets pulled, grounds checked, then we walk it with you.
The Brick Work River Forest Calls Us For
Most calls fall into one of three buckets. Same crew and same prep standard on all of them, different scope.
Full brick homes
Whole house exteriors, brick front to back. This is the core of our exterior painting service, and where most River Forest brick jobs begin.
Tudor and mixed materials
Tudor homes have brick, stucco and wood all together. We treat each surface with the right primer and paint. Ask about siding painting on the same job.
Interior brick
Exposed brick walls in living rooms and basements, cleaned and sealed. Often paired with drywall repair work in the same space.
A Crew From Twelve Minutes Away, Not a Call Center
Our shop is at 541 Winston Dr in Melrose Park. River Forest is a short trip down Harlem Avenue, which is why we can usually get out for an estimate the same week you call. The person who prices your job is the person you'll see on the scaffolding.
We work the near west suburbs every day and we know these houses. Same crew, same prep, same price sheet whether you're on Ashland Avenue or by the River Forest Metra stop. If a brick needs a touch-up a month later, we're close enough to swing back.
Brick work often picks up a bit of other work too. Plenty of River Forest customers add deck and fence staining or commercial painting once we're already booked in.
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What People Complain About, and What You End Up With
Almost every call opens with one of these. Here's the cause on the left, and here's what the brick looks like when we pack up.
The problem
Water trapped behind a non-breathable paint. It pops and flakes the first time temperatures swing.
Old brick degrades and leaves a dusty layer. Paint won't stick to dust, no matter how many coats you roll on.
One coat over bare brick never covers evenly. You see the old color through the new.
What you get
Breathable masonry paint, two coats, and a wash and primer first. It doesn't peel.
Pressure washed and dried before painting, which is the only way to get paint to grip brick properly.
Two coats and a primer under the dark spots. The whole house reads as one color, not patchwork.
True on every River Forest brick job we take:
What the Brick Looks Like When We Leave
Clean lines, even color, no paint on the grass or walkways.
What River Forest Customers Say After the Last Coat
Most of our River Forest brick work comes from somebody a few blocks over. Read what they said about the prep, the finish and how the house looked when we cleared out.
Other Painting Work We Do Around River Forest
Brick work is a big part of our schedule, but the same crew covers most of what a house needs.
Exteriors
Full house exterior work including River Forest exterior painting.
Siding
Wood and vinyl siding jobs. See siding painting in River Forest.
Decks and fences
Staining and sealing. Check deck and fence staining.
Commercial brick
Storefronts and offices on Madison. See commercial painting.
Painting more than one place in the county? We cover the whole Cook County service area, and everything we do in town sits on the River Forest painting page.
Brick Painting in River Forest, IL: Common Questions
How much does brick painting cost in River Forest, IL?
How long does it take to paint a brick house in River Forest?
Can you paint old Tudor-style brick in River Forest?
How soon can you start painting brick in River Forest?
Do you need to pressure wash the brick first?
Do you paint brick on commercial buildings in River Forest?
Will you help us pick the brick color?
Is Vanguard Painting licensed and insured?
Get Your River Forest Brick Painted Properly
Free estimate, a real written price, licensed and insured, and a crew twelve minutes away. Book online and take $50 off.