The German smear technique uses mortar and water to create the white smear, which is then painted or troweled onto your surface. Bricks are only partially covered, allowing for varying amounts of red and white brick to be exposed once some of the wet mortar is wiped away.
German schmear is really a way of whitewashing faux brick, and both techniques make the brick look white and aged. The main difference is that traditional whitewashing uses thinned white paint to cover the brick, while German schmear covers the brick in mortar or a similar material.
German Smear Origins
So, depending on the look you're going for, a mixture of wet mortar is troweled or painted onto the surface of your brick. Then, before it's completely dry, some of it is wiped or scraped off to expose parts of the brick. This gives it a rustic kind of “Old World” look that never goes out of style.
Unlike lime wash or paint that must be power washed and refreshed with a new coat every 5 to 7 years, German schmear is a permanent solution. While it cannot be applied to brick that already has been painted, German schmear will bond with clean brick to provide texture and an old world look of heavy mortar joints.
To master the whitewashed look, it all begins with picking the right paint color. Shades of white, cream and even grey all make suitable choices and can accentuate the room's best features. The one you choose needs to look good with the original brick and closely match the mortar's color between the bricks.
Limewash brick is a great choice for a vintage home look on new bricks. On the other hand, whitewashing bricks is recommended for those searching for a solution that is more permanent. Because whitewashing is mixed with paint, it can be used on previously painted brick.
Price Both German smear and limewash are affordable options for finishing a brick house, but German smear is the slightly less expensive method. You can pay as little as $30 for a German smear or between $1,500 and $3,000 if you hire a pro to do everything for you.
Typically, German smeared brick will last for several years, withstanding elements such as rain and wind.
Limewash uses crushed limestone and usually shows up softer. It's better for a full coverage look while German schmear uses mortar and is better for a distressed look.
There's a popular brick treatment on the rise, but don't be fooled—it's actually a centuries-old technique that proves what's old is new again. Meet German schmear (or German smear), the technique that gives your brick a patinated farmhouse look, and typically at a lower cost than paint.
Customers say the TXI white mortar mix is easy to use, requiring only water for mixing, which saves time and effort. Many appreciate its consistent texture and performance, particularly for projects like German smear techniques and brick repairs.
Painting, whitewashing, or limewashing your brick home can cost anywhere between $1.50 to $4.50 per square foot, depending on the complexity and specific requirements of the job. This broad range accounts for both the materials and labor involved in the process.
Whitewashed brick is fairly easy to identify. All the brick is covered in a thin layer of translucent white or grey paint that allows you to see the brick underneath. Whitewashing brick is very quickly going out of style. Most whitewashed fireplaces look half done.
White wash is a type of paint. It's made of chalk and lime, with other additives sometimes. It's considered cheap paint, and doesn't last very long.
Give an existing fireplace a facelift, update a brick accent wall, freshen a stone or brick floor, or refinish the exterior of your home with this look. It can soften an outdated color of exposed brick in the kitchen or family room. Once applied, it doesn't need to be sealed and upkeep is minimal.
STEP 1. First, you'll need to prep the brick for German smear. Remove dirt, grease, and mildew by brushing the brick with a stiff bristle brush or spraying it with water. There's no need to remove hard water stains from the surface of the brick, because these won't impact the adherence of the mortar.
This is why brick is often referred to as a material that “breathes.” Painting it creates a barrier, trapping moisture inside the brick, which can lead to: Deterioration: The outer layer of brick can flake or crack due to trapped moisture freezing and expanding.
Painting adds curb appeal.
And of course, any time you improve curb appeal, you're increasing the value of a home. Keep in mind that this may not be the full layer of paint you typically imagine: techniques like German schmear (a type of mortar wash) also make a big impact.
German schmear is a permanent application that gives brick a distressed aesthetic. Whitewash is watered-down paint, while German schmear contains mortar. Both methods cost around $30 to DIY. Whitewash is easier to apply, while German schmear is more labor intensive.
However, the process requires more skill than limewash as it is a mortar that needs to be applied and wiped off in a particular way. Importantly, neither limewash nor German smear can be applied over painted brick.
Until cured, it has almost no sticking power. Even then, whitewash can sometimes rub off on clothing or other surfaces, even years after painting. It adheres fairly well, however, to porous substances like adobe.
Whitewashing brick is typically inexpensive, can be done with paint lying around the house, and the wash is typically easy to apply and dries quickly. Cons of whitewashing masonry include: A diminished, natural-looking appearance. Chipping and peeling of paint that was not fully absorbed by the brick.