8 Exterior Brick Stain Colors to Make Your Home Pop

Each of your house’s bricks is one-of-a-kind, but if they don’t match your personality or they look faded and outdated, it might be time to spruce them up. The cost to paint brick is up to 10 times the price of staining bricks. So, before you hire an exterior painter near you, consider these eight brick stain colors.

1. Brown

Forever earthy, you really can't go wrong with staining your brick brown. After all, brown is a dark, down-to-earth color that complements a variety of palettes. 

Brown might bring you back to 70s-style houses, but it doesn’t have to if that’s not your vibe. You can transform any brick home into a stylish abode using a brown stain. Pair your freshly stained bricks with an even darker brown garage door and exterior door. Then, give your trim, fascia, and soffit a beige or white coat of paint to really bring out the different shades of brown in your brick.

For inspiration: 

• BEHR® Cafe Iruna 

• Stayntech® Modern Soya

• James Alexander Limewash Cacao Brown 

• Sherwin-Williams Charred Walnut

2. Black

First, let’s clarify something. If you use black stain instead of paint on bricks, you won’t actually have black bricks. Stains are partially translucent, so even the darkest stain hues will appear light in comparison to solid pigments like paint.

This isn’t to say that you can’t have a dark stain, however. If you’re looking for the darkest of the dark for that smoky look with natural brick undertones, there are several black stains that will do the job. A black stain will turn your brick into a kaleidoscope of dark- and medium-colored shades for a unique look fit for a contemporary home.

For inspiration: 

• BEHR® Tar Black

• Stayntech® Ironclad

• James Alexander Limewash Carbone Gray Black

• PPG Bark

3. Red

From rustic red brick ranches to Colonial-style homes, red brick has a certain charm to it. This warm brick stain color is a sound choice for your bricks, as it’s been used for decades as an essential brick color of choice. But don’t let its history fool you. 

Red brick can be modern, bold, and fresh just as much as it can be historical, quaint, and classic. For example, red brick with black accents can turn even the most historical red brick home into a contemporary masterpiece. Meanwhile, a pop of fresh white paint can liven up red bricks for a timeless style.

Colors that complement red brick include brown, gray, black, and sage. You can even go bold with pops of bright yellow paint to bring out the natural beauty of red-stained brick. 

For inspiration: 

• BEHR® Red Baron 

• BEHR® Tile Red 

• James Alexander Limewash Montagna Rossa Brown-Red 

• Sherwin-Williams Naturally Red

4. Sage

You’ve probably heard of painting trim in sage to match your red bricks, but staining your bricks sage is a lesser-known but creative way of pulling any green undertones out of your bricks. Darker bricks will appear dark gray, while lighter-colored bricks will have a gray appearance with a twist of light green.

Sage brick stains tend to have a gray-green hue that practically calls for a brown or white trim. Light brown accents will give your bricks a bright and natural look, dark brown has a more modern aesthetic, and white accents will make your home look more traditional.

For inspiration: 

• Sherwin-Williams Fall Grass 

• James Alexander Limewash Muschio Warm Gray-Green 

• BEHR® Flintridge 

• PPG Light Sage

5. White

If you like a white brick color but don’t want to paint your brick solid white and lose that staple feature that makes brick so unique, then a white stain may be the perfect alternative to painting your brick house. Depending on the color of your bricks before staining, applying a white stain will still reveal the underlying colors beneath the stain.

Once you're done, be prepared for shades of dark brown, red, and even pink or beige to show through the stain. Pair the bricks with trim, doors, shutters, and columns that either bring out these undertones or make them more subdued to use this to your advantage.

For inspiration: 

• BEHR® Ultra Pure White 

• Stayntech® White

• James Alexander Limewash Bianca White 

• Sherwin-Williams Extra White

6. Yellow/Gold

Staining your home’s brick yellow is a less common color choice, but gold hues paired with a light brown roof can turn your home into a sun-bathed oasis come the golden hour. 

Pair yellow-stained bricks with a white or dark brown trim to play with the different shades of light brown that will show through the yellow stain. Your house will appear lighter with white accents and darker with brown accents.

For inspiration: 

• James Alexander Limewash Grano Scuro Natural Yellow

• BEHR® Gold Torch

• James Alexander Limewash Canarino Yellow 

• Sherwin-Williams Aztec Sand

7. Dark Gray

Not quite black and not quite gray, dark gray stains really have the ability to turn brick homes into the perfect modern aesthetic. Lighter pops of color will show through the stain, adding more contrast to the darker slate sections of brick and giving your house an appearance as unique as a fingerprint.

Under a dark gray stain, paired with white or black trim, your house will look unrecognizable (in the best of ways).

For inspiration: 

• BEHR® Flat Top 

• Stayntech® Slate 

• James Alexander Limewash La Columba Gray 

• Sherwin-Williams Silver Gray

8. Gray

Gray is one of the most sleek, modern, and beautiful brick stain colors. It’s no wonder why so many people choose to go against the grain of standard red, black, and brown and opt for exterior gray paint. Gray can help neutralize red brick, transforming even the brightest red bricks into subtle hues of gray.

For inspiration: 

• BEHR® Silver Gray

• Stayntech® Modern Aluminum 

• James Alexander Limewash Peltro Gray 

• Sherwin-Williams Muddy Gray

Cost to Stain Exterior Brick

The cost to stain exterior brick depends on several factors, including the size of your home, the condition of your brick, how accessible it is, and whether you DIY or hire a professional. On average, you can expect to pay $1 to $4 per square foot or between $1,200 to $10,000. 

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro 

If you go the DIY route, you can save a significant amount of money on your exterior brick staining project. This will likely be the case, even if you have to invest in special tools like a sprayer. However, if you don’t have much experience with exterior painting, your brick needs repairs, or you’re concerned about safe ladder access, hiring a local exterior painting contractor may be your best bet. Just be prepared to spend 50% or more on your project.