Six simple sets to stain your brick or stone surface

Below, you’ll find the guide you need on how to stain brick. This is an easy project for home owners that like to work on their homes themselves. Take on any do-it-yourself brick staining with these simple steps.

Step 1 - Identify the Area That Needs To Be Stained

This can be the entire exterior of your home or business, or it can be something as simple as one small exposed wall. Whatever it is, you wouldn’t be reading this guide if you didn’t already have the place in mind. On to the next step.

Step 2 - Check for Absorption

The second step is to make sure your masonry will absorb water. We recommend testing your wall or surface before you purchase any materials. You can use a hose or spray bottle or just throw some water from a cup onto the surface. If the water beads up and the masonry doesn't change color, then it cannot be effectively stained by our product. You may have some form of sealant applied to your surface. We recommend trying to remove any sealant with lacquer thinner. Repeat the water test, and if your surface retains moisture, your wall can be stained. However, some sealants may be too strong, so you can repeat the process with a commercial grade brick or concrete sealant remover to remove any sealant. If the wall still does not retain any moisture, then, unfortunately, a brick dyeing product may not be right for you.

Step 3 – Clean the Surface

Once you know your surface can absorb dye, it’s imperative that you get that surface as clean as possible. When you get your surface clean before you dye, you’ll be removing any small obstructions that could cause problems later on. We’ve found that a mild detergent with a slight dilution can effectively clean your surface. You may be inclined to use more heavy-duty options, but we highly recommend against strong chemical options, as they can damage the wall and disrupt the staining process. Pressure washing with a gentle solution is a great option, as it is a gentle but effective method for removing dirt and stains. A simple bucket of detergent with abrasive scrubber would work for interior walls.

Step 4 - Buy a Proven Masonry Stain Kit

These are our do-it-yourself brick staining kits. We offer two, one for homeowners and one for professionals.

The Colorant Kit is designed for the homeowner/one-time user. This kit will cover 150 to 200 sq ft, depending on the mix used and the work being done. All five colors can be easily reordered. We also have an additional 20 plus colors available if needed.

The Brickman Stain Kit is designed for contractors and multiple uses. This kit will cover 300 to 400 sq ft. All ten colors are easy to reorder. Like the smaller kit, there are 20 plus color available to you with one easy order.

Step 5- Develop a Recipe for Your Surface

This is where you let your creative side out. In this step, you develop the color that you’ll be applying to your brick wall or surface.

Consider your goal: are you trying to recolor a section to match a preexisting color palate, or to create an entirely new look? Either way, you’ll find that a wide range of colors are possible with our kits. We recommend keeping standard color theory in mind when thinking about the colors you’d like to see. For example, green plus red equals brown, white plus black equals gray, etc.
When you have a color in mind, start to combine the dye colors. It is highly imperative that you detail and write out any and all leveled measurements of what you’re doing. This way you can easily re-create this particular dye or alter it if you want a slight adjustment. We also recommend starting with small amounts and gradually moving up. You can always add more, but you can’t take away once a dye has been added to your compound. Our dyes are very strong, so use as little as half a teaspoon when looking for a slight color change. Use two to three full teaspoons if you’re looking for a drastic color change. We recommend small tests throughout this process with loose bricks that match your surface. Allow the mixture 30 minutes to dry to see the result of your test.

Step 6– Stain Your Mason Work

Now you start to apply the dye to your surface. This is the fun part, because you’ll start to see your project coming together. We recommend a light spattering in a random pattern over the surface to start. This way you can get a solid idea of what your surface will look like, without committing to a final design.
Satisfied? Then it’s time to fully stain your wall. A little design wisdom: consider applying your lighter colors to the majority of the surface and your darker colors to a minority. This way you brighten up your surface while adding small but eye-catching details. Also, try not to flick your brush at the end of your stroke. This keeps the stain from spattering. Make sure you’re straining your brush back into your mixture with every application to avoid excess stain. Continue to stain in a sporadic pattern to give a more natural look. After some time and elbow grease, you’ll have a beautifully stained brick wall with vibrant colors. You’ll be surprised by the simplicity of how to stain bricks, but wowed by the results.