Limewashed brick is a beautiful, timeless material used to adorn both exteriors and interiors of homes. Characterized by its matte, muted finish, limewashing brick provides an elegant aged look, bringing old world charm to any space. Limewashing brick has recently seen a resurgence in popularity, with homeowners seeking alternatives to painted brick that provide more depth and texture. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about limewashed brick.
What is Limewashing?
Limewashing is an ancient technique that has been used for centuries across Europe. It involves applying multiple thin coats of lime putty or lime paint onto porous masonry such as brick, stone, or concrete. Limewash penetrates the surface and forms a mineral bond over time, creating a patina-like appearance. It allows the natural texture of the brick to show through, while gently weathering over the years. Limewash is distinct from whitewash, which consists of chalk mixed with water and binders. Limewash chemically reacts with carbon dioxide in the air, while whitewash remains soluble and can be washed off with water.
The limewash technique provides numerous advantages:
- Allows underlying brick texture to show through for a natural, distressed effect
- Environmentally-friendly and breathable – allows interior and exterior walls to ventilate
- Long-lasting limewash patina develops over time
- No sanding or stripping required prior to application
- Flexible finish accomodates minor cracking and shifting
- Easily touch up damaged areas unlike paint
- Available in range of tinted colors beyond basic white wash
Limewash brings the authentic charm of weather-worn European buildings to any home. Its understated, neutral palette works beautifully in both traditional and contemporary spaces.
History of Limewashing
The ancient Mesopotamians and Egyptians were among the first to use lime plaster, followed by the Greeks and Romans. However, the technique of limewashing proliferated in northern Europe during the Middle Ages. Limewash served the practical purpose of protecting porous stone and brick buildings and churches from weathering. The readily available materials – limestone and chalk – made limewashing a cost-effective alternative to paint. Limewashed exteriors became ubiquitous across England, France, Germany, and Italy by the 18th century.
In the USA, early American colonists brought limewash across the Atlantic Ocean. Its bright white finish gave primitive sod and timber structures a clean, tidy appearance. As brick became more common in the late 1700s, limewashing brick façades gained favor as a protective coating. Versions of limewash were also used on interior plaster walls.
The Industrial Revolution brought mass production of Portland cement. Whitewashed exteriors gradually fell out of favor in the early 20th century as cheaper paints could be manufactured. But over the past few decades, limewash has seen a revival in popularity as homeowners seek timeless, organic finishes. Its artisanal Old World look provides texture and depth difficult to replicate with paint alone.
Benefits of Limewashing Brick
Limewashing brick offers many advantages that explain its renewed popularity in construction and renovation projects.
1. Preserves Natural Brick Texture
Unlike paint, limewash fully penetrates the brick while allowing the original contour, pits, and imperfections to show through. This creates added visual depth and dimensionality. Light plays across the subtle variations in texture, resulting in a warm, muted finish.
2. Develops Patina Over Time
While paint often chips or peels, limewash ages gracefully. Successive coats merge seamlessly, developing a distinctive patina. The limewash finish will gently wear, fade, and deteriorate slowly, reminiscent of antique European buildings. Properly maintained limewash can endure for decades.
3. Environmentally Friendly
Limewash is far more ecologically sustainable than paint or other coatings. It allows structures to breathe, reducing condensation in interiors. Limewash contains no VOCs, toxic chemicals, or solvents. Any runoff during application poses no environmental hazard. Limewashing brick is often the choice for eco-conscious homeowners.
4. Versatile Use
Beyond exterior facades, limewash can be used to finish interior exposed brick walls, fireplaces, and floors. Tinted limewash comes in a limitless palette of soft, muted colors that beautifully complement any style from modern to farmhouse. Limewash creates a cohesive aesthetic indoors and out.
5. Lower Cost
Limewash is generally more affordable than premium masonry paints. If desired, homeowners can apply limewash themselves as a DIY project to further reduce costs. Limewash only requires periodic touch ups rather than full re-coating every 5-10 years for paint. Over the long term lifespan of a home, limewash provides a cost-effective finish.
6. Easily Repairable
Should any damage occur over time to a limewashed surface, it is relatively easy to spot repair. Any flaws blend with the existing finish since the patina is naturally uneven. Compare this to painted brick, where touch ups result in obvious patches. Limewash avoids this unsightly effect.
7. Historic Accuracy
For heritage home renovations, limewash offers historical authenticity difficult to achieve with modern paints. Quality limewash contains the same simple, pure ingredients used centuries ago. Restoring traditional limewashed brickwork preserves the home’s period architecture.
8. Flexible Application
Limewash bonds well to existing paint or other coatings, eliminating the need to sand or strip the brick façade prior to application. It can also flex and weather small cracks in the masonry over time without requiring repairs. This makes limewashing suitable for distressed or imperfect brick surfaces.
Disadvantages of Limewash
While the advantages make a compelling case, limewashing brick does come with a few drawbacks to consider.
- Requires multiple coats and proper curing time for full durability
- Not as uniform or consistent coloring as paint
- Lower water resistance compared to paints with binders
- Limited UV light resistance resulting in fading over time
- More thickness and bridging of small gaps required compared to paint
- Limewash’s high alkalinity can damage plants or landscaping from runoff
Homeowners will need to weigh the pros and cons against their specific needs. For many applications, the beauty and organic character of limewash makes it the ideal choice.
suitability of Brick for Limewashing
The porous, pitted nature of brick makes it an ideal surface for limewash application. But not all bricks are equally suited.
Best Brick Types
- Handmade bricks
- Historic bricks with irregular shapes
- Old or antique bricks
- Salvaged bricks
- Soft red or brown bricks
- Porous, limestone-based bricks
The imperfections and weathered finishes of these bricks complement limewashing. The limewash adheres well to the textured, permeable surface.
Bricks containing limestone, clay, or shale tend to absorb limewash readily. Soft, crumbling bricks are stabilized beautifully by multiple coats of limewash.
Poor Brick Candidates
- Modern, smooth machine-made bricks
- Hard dense bricks like engineering bricks
- Glazed or treated bricks
- Previously painted or sealed bricks
- Damp bricks with salt damage or efflorescence
The slick surfaces and lack of absorption in these bricks can lead to poor adhesion and frequent touch ups with limewash. Testing a small section is recommended.
In general, the rougher and more distressed a brick wall is, the better the limewash finish will adhere and appear. A combination of new and old bricks on the same facade is often an ideal candidate. The limewash will help visually blend the disparate textures.
Preparing Brickwork for Limewashing
Proper preparation is crucial for successful, long-lasting limewash application and performance.
Cleaning
Start by thoroughly cleaning the brick surface. Remove any existing flaking paint by wire brushing. Eliminate dirt, grime, mold or moss with a mild alkaline/detergent product. Rinse thoroughly.
Acidic cleaners are not recommended as they may damage the brickwork. Avoid using high pressure power washing which can erode the brick surface needed for limewash bonding.
Repairing Brickwork
Inspect the masonry after cleaning and repair any cracks, missing sections, or structural deficiencies. Use appropriate color matched mortar for re-pointing. Fill any large crevices to provide a continuous surface.
It’s preferable to lightly abrasive blast eroded or damaged brick sections to remove weak surface layers. This permits the limewash to bond tightly.
Remove Efflorescence
Any white alkaline deposits of efflorescence should be eliminated prior to limewashing. Carefully remove the powdery residue without damaging the brick surface.
Test for Damp
Brickwork must be fully dry before applying limewash. Use a moisture meter to check for excess moisture content if dampness is suspected. The source of dampness should be addressed prior to limewashing.
Apply Breathable Masonry Primer
For low suction bricks, the use of an alkali-resistant primer formulated for masonry will improve limewash adhesion and provide a stable base. Allow primer to fully cure before limewashing.
Choosing the Right Limewash
Homeowners will need to decide on the specific type and color of limewash that will meet their aesthetic goals and suit the brickwork.
Types of Limewash
Hydraulic limewash uses natural hydraulic lime binder. It provides good flexural strength and breathability while maintaining vapour permeability. However, hydraulic limewash requires dampening the brick prior to application.
Non-hydraulic limewash utilises matured slaked lime putty. It penetrates and bonds to brick through slower carbonation but offers high vapour permeability. Non-hydraulic limewash is suitable for most heritage applications.
Clay limewash contains clay powders providing flexibility as well as a wider range of tints. However, clay reduces vapour permeability compared to pure limewashes.
Lime paint contains pigments and modernBinders for ease of application. But this comes at the cost of reduced breathability and natural limewash appearance.
Premixed limewash offers convenience but less ability to customise and reduce pot life. Natural site-mixed limewash is preferable.
For most homeowners seeking an authentic limewashed look, a matured non-hydraulic limewash will be the best choice. This classic version provides the greatest vapour permeability for both exterior and interior use.
Limewash Colors
Limewash comes in a range of colored tints beyond basic white wash.
- White / Off-white – clean, bright finish but can appear stark over time
- Cream – warm off-white that softens and yellows naturally
- Grey – muted, timeless color perfect for modern homes
- Earth tones – soft ochre, straw, rose, peach complement brickwork
- Pastels – gentle tints of sky blue, lavender, moss green weather beautifully
Colored limewashes showcase more variation compared to paint. Test patches are recommended to gauge the color accuracy prior to large scale application.
The limewash color can also be custom tinted on site by blending powdered natural pigments to achieve the desired hue.
Limewash Finishes
Smooth Finish – Multiple thin coats create a consistent minimally textured matte finish.
Textured Finish – Base coats are textured with a trowel or sponge, and final coats softly blur the distressing.
Stipple Finish – The limewash is dabbed on with a brush rather than rolled for a mottled, variegated look.
Salt Finish – Table salt is cast against the wet limewash and then brushed off to expose underlying brick texture.
Roughcast Finish – A final coat of natural lime plaster with aggregates creates a highly textured, rustic finish.
Mixing and Preparing Limewash
Mixing limewash on site allows full control over pigment color, proper maturation of the putty, and application consistency.
- The lime putty base must be matured for at least 2-3 months, up to 12 months for optimum quality.
- Using mature lime putty prevents shrinkage cracks, poor carbonation, and adhesion issues.
- Slowly slake quicklime by adding water to create the lime putty base.
- Measure and mix the lime putty, pigments if using, and water thoroughly to disperse particles.
- The limewash should have a creamy milk-like consistency – not watery or thick.
- Only mix enough limewash that will be used the same day before drying out in the bucket.
Preparing limewash correctly helps ensure proper application and performance for the life of the finish.
Applying Limewash to Brickwork
Limewashing requires specialized techniques and multiple thin coats for successful results.
Coverage Rates
- Plan for 4-6 m2 coverage per litre on textured brickwork surfaces.
- At least 3 coats are ideal, with additional spot touch ups as needed over time.
- 280 litres will cover approximately 1000 square feet of wall space.
- Incorporate adequate drying time of 12-24 hours between coats.
Estimating the right quantities for the project and having extra limewash for touch ups is prudent.
Application Tools
- Use natural bristle brushes for best results. Synthetic bristle brushes don’t hold the limewash properly.
- Sponge roller can help achieve a consistent smooth finish.
- Low pressure sprayer is useful for large intricate surfaces but avoid overspray.
- Hawk and trowel creates textured trowel-on finishing effects.
Application Techniques
- Apply limewash in two directions – vertically and horizontally – to get into all the brick’s crevices.
- Work in small sections uniformly to prevent lap marks and variation in thickness.
- Avoid touching up dried limewash if possible. Feather in edges immediately while wet.
- Watch for drips and runs on the brick and gently brush out before drying.
- Do not overwork the limewash or attempt touch ups once drying has commenced.
- Maintain a wet edge and continuous application until section is completed.
Take time with the limewash application for optimal appearance and performance. Proper limewashing technique comes with practice and experience.
Curing and Maintenance of Limewashed Brick
Limewash needs sufficient curing time before exposure to weather and regular maintenance to maximize longevity.
Curing Time
Limewash matures over time, gaining durability and water resistance while allowing breathability.
- Allow at least 7 days curing after final coat prior to exposing exterior limewash to rain and snow.
- Interior limewash should have 2-3 days curing time before furnishings placed against walls.
- Full limewash carbonation and hardening continues for many weeks.
- Avoid aggressive cleaning, abrasion, or harsh chemicals until limewash is fully cured.
Proper curing time prevents damage and washes away the patina. Have patience for the limewash to reach its peak hardened state.
Maintenance
Despite being durable, limewash is not a set-it-and-forget finish. Plan on minor maintenance to maximize longevity.
- Inspect limewashed surfaces yearly for any damage or deterioration
- Reapply limewash in thin coats to faded or compromised areas as needed
- Avoid applying new limewash over poorly adhering existing coats which appear powdery or chalky
- Remove and redo small sections if extensive failure, cracking, or delamination occurs
- Clean gently with plain water annually using soft brush or cloth, avoid strong chemicals
- Watch for efflorescence deposits or moisture damage and repair any sources
- Reapply entire limewash coat every 8-12 years depending on exposure and wear
With careful maintenance and proper repair, limewash can easily last 15-20 years on well-prepped substrates. This exceeds the lifespan of many paints.
FAQs
Does limewash protect brick?
While offering somewhat less water resistance than paint, limewash does protect porous masonry from weathering. Its high alkalinity inhibits mold and algae growth. Limewash prevents freeze/thaw damage of soft old bricks. But issues like efflorescence should be addressed prior to prevent damage.
Does limewash peel or chip?
When applied correctly to suitable brickwork, limewash has excellent adhesion and does not peel or chip like paints. Minor surface erosion may occur over time rather than sudden finish failure. Any damaged sections can be touched up without obvious patches.
Does limewash smell?
Limewash has little to no odor during application and once fully cured when VOC free. A faint mineral lime aroma is detectable when applying limewash but dissipates as it dries within a few hours. There are no lingering chemical smells like some paints.
Does limewash change brick color?
Limewash subtly alters the brick color depending on the number of coats applied. With multiple coats, the patina builds to soften and mute the underlying brick tone. Limewash gently ages the brickwork, not dramatically altering its appearance. White limewash naturally yellows over time.
Can you limewash interior brick?
Limewash is well-suited for interior applications due to its breathability. Limewashed brick walls and fireplaces allow interior humidity to escape while providing charming distressed textures. Colors like pale blues and greens enhance the natural brick tones beautifully.
Does limewash rub off on cars or clothing?
Limewash fully penetrates the masonry surface rather than leaving a chalky coating like whitewash or paint. Once cured, everyday contact with limewashed surfaces will not result in rubbing off on cars, clothing, or other items.
Conclusion
Limewashing brick is a timeless, environmentally-friendly finish option that introduces aged European charm to any home. When properly applied to suitable brick façades, limewash develops a distinctive patina full of depth and character unmatched by paints. Its breathability and flexibility accommodates the natural imperfections inherent to classic brickwork.
With a range of tinted options, limewashing can provide exterior curb appeal along with beautifully