There’s a reason whitewashed brick has stuck around for as long as it has. It softens the color of traditional brick without covering up all of its character, giving a home that layered, lived-in look that works just as well on a historic-inspired exterior as it does on something completely new.

Traditional whitewashing, limewashing, painting and other field-applied masonry finishes can create beautiful results, but they also often introduce additional labor, additional cost and, depending on the finish, maintenance down the road. If you already know you want some form of a white brick exterior, a pre-finished white brick can give you much of the same look without extra install cost, or upkeep later. 

What is pre-finished white brick?

Unlike paint or masonry finishes that are applied to the brick after it’s been laid, a pre-finished brick gets its white appearance during the manufacturing process. At US Brick, we apply the white coatings to the wet, raw clay (body) before firing them in a kiln at extremely high temperatures so that they bond to the brick surface. 

In practical terms this means, you select the brick, your mason installs it, and you can forget it, moving on to the next item on your list. There’s no separate whitewashing or painting step after initial installation, and you aren’t signing yourself up for routine repainting or touch-ups later. 

Whether you love the character of historic brick peeking through a German smear or limewash, or prefer the uniform look of painted brick, there are many pre-finished options designed to mimic each look. You’re not limited to one version of “white.” Depending on the body color, surface texture and amount of white coverage, the finished look can range from aged and softly washed to crisp and nearly uniform.

Here are a few of our favorites.

Ivy House

If you love the character of an older whitewashed home where hints of the original brick still peek through, Ivy House tumbled brick is a great place to start.

Ivy House Pictured With Ivory Mortar. 

Its white finish allows portions of the brown brick body to remain visible, with taupe and subtle pale, warm-gray tones mixed throughout. Ivy House brick is also tumbled, giving the edges and faces a distinct, historic appearance similar to that of reclaimed brick made by hand.

Magnolia

Magnolia shares the same color palette as Ivy House, including a brown body with touches of taupe and pale gray beneath the white surface. The biggest difference is the shape and size, with Magnolia offering our distinct Old-Fashioned surface texture, that like Ivy House, allows hints of it’s underlying color to come through. 

Magnolia Pictured With Bright-White Mortar.

If you like the idea of a traditional whitewash but want something a little softer or cleaner, Magnolia hits that sweet spot.

Avalon

Avalon sits somewhere between a washed-brick look and a more fully covered white brick. It’s more of an organic, weathered, European-style look with noticeably more white surface coverage than Ivy House or Magnolia. 


Avalon Pictured in Partial Shade with White Mortar		Small glimpses of its burgundy brick body keep the appearance from feeling flat or overly uniform and its unique texture is what really sets Avalon apart. It’s made with our Artisanal texture, with pronounced surface variation, subtle indentations and simulated tumbled edges that give each brick a handcrafted appearance.

North Highland

North Highland brick moves much closer to the appearance of a painted brick, with less surface texture, minimizing the appearance of its natural brown brick body color. It’s a crisp, bright white material with just enough natural variation to remind you that it’s still brick. 

North Highland Pictured With White Mortar

Belle Meade

Belle Meade is a pearly, antique-white brick with neutral undertones. It contains minimal surface texture and a neutral beige body color that makes the overall appearance look more uniform, similar to painted brick. 

(opens in new tab)(opens in new tab)

Belle Meade Pictured With Ivory Mortar

St Lorain

St Lorain is Belle Meade’s warmer sister. It shares the same neutral beige body color but has a slightly softer, creamier overall cast. It’s a particularly good choice if bright white feels too harsh against the other materials in your palette.

St Lorain Pictured with Ivory Mortar

How to choose a white brick color? 

The easiest way to narrow down your options is to start with the overall effect you want. For a more traditional whitewashed look with plenty of underlying brick color and variation, consider Ivy House or Magnolia. If you want something weathered and dimensional with more white coverage, Avalon falls beautifully in the middle. And for a cleaner look that reads more like painted brick, North Highland, Belle Meade and St. Lorain offer varying shades of white with much fuller coverage.

Of course, brick is only one part of the exterior. Mortar, stone, roofing, trim and even natural light can change the way a color reads, so always view samples alongside the other materials you’re considering. Better yet, ask your builder about creating a sample wall on-site so you can compare combinations in the actual lighting and surroundings of your home! 

Up Next: Read our guide to choosing the best mortar color for white brick, plus what to consider when deciding between natural and painted white brick.