I live in an older brick house and have for many, many years. I am soooo tire of the tradition red-brick color and want a change. Can I paint my brick another color? If so, what is the best product to use? What are the drawbacks? Is washing the brick with vinegar the best way to ensure the paint doesn't peel? How long would your average paint job last? and so on and so on and so on....

Yes you can paint brick and it hold paint very well, and you can get easily ten years out a paint job.

You will need to wash the brick to remove dirt amd mildew and that can be done with a prodcut called JOMAX. You don't need vinegar.

Go to a local paint store (not a big box) and tell them you are painting brick for the first time and they will give you the correct primer and topcoat system to do the job. It needs to be a masonry primer and not just regular exterior primer.