Can You Use a Roller to Paint a Brick Wall?

Yes, you absolutely can use a roller to paint a brick wall, but it requires selecting the appropriate roller cover.

Painting Textured Surfaces Like Brick

Painting a textured surface like brick presents a different challenge compared to smooth walls. The unevenness and depth of the mortar lines and the texture of the bricks themselves mean that a standard roller cover designed for smooth drywall won't effectively get paint into all the crevices.

Choosing the Right Roller Cover for Brick

The key to successfully painting a brick wall with a roller lies in the nap size of the roller cover. The nap is the fuzzy material on the roller cover that holds and applies the paint. For highly textured surfaces like brick, you need a cover with a long nap to ensure the paint reaches down into the mortar joints and covers the uneven surface of the bricks.

As the reference states: "While on smooth walls almost any roller cover will do, a textured surface like brick calls for a roller cover with a nap that's at least 1”."

• Minimum Nap Size: For brick, aim for a roller cover with a nap of at least 1 inch.
• Recommended Nap Size: Often, covers with a 1-1/4 inch or even 1-1/2 inch nap are preferred for very rough or deeply mortared brick to ensure thorough coverage in one or two passes.
• Material: Roller covers made from materials like sheepskin or synthetic blends designed for rough surfaces are typically best for brick.

Using a roller with an insufficient nap will result in patchy coverage, requiring significant touch-ups with a brush, which defeats the purpose of using a roller for speed.

Tips for Rolling Paint on Brick

• Load the Roller Heavily: Dip the roller deeply into the paint tray, ensuring the long nap is fully saturated.
• Use Sufficient Pressure: Apply firm, but not excessive, pressure to push the paint into the texture and mortar lines.
• Work in Sections: Tackle manageable sections at a time to maintain a wet edge.
• Multiple Coats: Depending on the paint color and the brick's porosity, multiple coats may be necessary for full, uniform coverage.

Here's a simple guide to understanding nap sizes:

By selecting a roller cover with an appropriately long nap (at least 1 inch), you can efficiently paint a brick wall using a roller, achieving good coverage and a professional finish.