Wondering if you can limewash painted brick? Here’s what you need to know about this popular painting technique! Learn the benefits of using lime wash paint on brick and find out how to do it yourself.
Aside from a front door makeover, one of the quickest ways to modernize a home is by painting the exterior.
When we were working on this curb appeal design, lime-based paint was our first choice for the raw brick exterior.
Not only does limewash never crack or peel, but it’s also eco-friendly and a natural anti-fungal to deter pests.
It’s also fade resistant and comes in just about any color you can imagine.
To make lime washing less intimidating, we’re sharing everything you need to know…
What is Limewash Paint
A lot of people tend to confuse “limewash” for “whitewash”. In fact, they’re very different things.
Limewash is a non-toxic paint, not a type of application like whitewashing. It can only be used on porous surfaces such as brick, stucco, cement, or plaster.
Traditionally limewash has been limited to going over only porous surfaces such as brick, stone, concrete, and plaster.
JH Wall Paints has developed a Mineral Primer that creates a microporous surface for the limewash paint over new drywall and interior and exterior previously painted surfaces.
It’s made from crushed limestone that’s heated and diluted with water to make a thick paste used for painting.
You can also tint limewash in just about any of your favorite paint colors, like Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams.
Because of the thick consistency, the completed lime paint will have a matte, suede finish once it’s dry.
The darker the lime paint color, the more you’ll notice the patina over time.
Limewash paint has been around for centuries and is a very popular paint for adding subtle texture and color variation to walls over time.
Why Use Limewash Paint on Brick
There are several major benefits of working with limewash paint.
The first is that it will never crack or peel like traditional paint because the unpainted brick absorbs the color into the surface.
Benefits of a Limewash Painted Brick house
1 — Limewash paint is very durable and will never crack or peel like latex paints.
2 — It has a high UV resistance so the color won’t fade from consistent sun exposure.
3 — The paste-like paint is made with crushed limestone, so it’s non-toxic and eco-friendly.
4 — Since hydrated lime has a high pH level, it makes for a natural anti-fungal that deters pests.
How To Choose An Exterior Paint Color
Classic white brick was our first choice for this house makeover. We opted to use JH Wall Paints in a custom tint to match Benjamin Moore’s White Dove.
Custom tinting your paint means you can easily match the house trim and other non-porous surfaces to the limewashed brick.
For instance, the wooden white trim is painted with latex paint that perfectly matches the white painted brick.
How To Apply Limewash Brick Paint
It’s common to spray or roll traditional exterior paints. But with limewash, it’s meant to be brushed on using a block brush or masonry brush.
There are plenty of how-to videos for limewash painting, and once you understand the basics, it’s a very easy process to adopt.
While brushing on the paint can take a bit longer to apply, it’s very easy to DIY on your own.
You can even get the hang of it when painting samples for your white color options.
Testing out white wall paint colors will also allow you to see how the limewash takes to your specific type of brick.
Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
— When choosing a color, keep in mind that lime paint will dry much lighter than the wet color.
— You can paint over top of a limewash paint job, but you will need to use a mineral primer.
— If you’re painting in a high-traffic area, you can seal the paint with an interior and exterior sealer for easier cleaning.
— To add depth, you can get creative with how you brush on the paint for added texture and dimension.
— Limewash paint can be used on both interior and exterior surfaces.
You can also add a pop of color to your front door as we did with this blue-grey door (color is Sherwin Williams Racing The Rain) makeover.
If you couldn’t tell already, we love statement doors like our pink door that we repainted and decorated for our colorful front door Christmas door reveal.
Or our front door makeover with wood panels.
Pair it with modern house numbers, cedar planters, a decorative trellis, and a woven doormat to complete the outdoor makeover!
Find more how-to projects and house updates below —
- Our most popular Ikea bed frame DIY.
- How to make an easy, custom Ikea TV stand.
- An easy DIY triangle wall paint idea.
- How to paint an accent wall…
Don’t forget to share your Limewash Paint On Brick with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations!
This looks awesome. Love the way it turned out, and very informative at the same time. I never thought that this is also eco-friendly and has an anti-fungal effect. Thank you for sharing!
I have a fully painted fireplace. (Already painted) I am wanting to re-do it and wondered since it is already fully painted, could a lime wash work. Reason I am asking is the brick mortar was also painted as well. Its all one color all dark brown, mortar too
Hi Kim! You can lime wash a painted surface, but you’ll need a neutral sealer or primer for the lime wash to really adhere. Hope this helps!
That is a great idea, but do you know that water proofing is much better to paint on bricks just look at my work http://www.levittownfoundationwaterproofing.com
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beautiful makeover! We are hoping to paint our brick house white soon too so this project is especially inspiring!
Let us know how your house turns out, Jennifer! XOXO
Simply Beautiful!
Thanks, Kathie! XOXO
This looks so nice! I’m definitely going to show this to my hubby!
Thanks, Beth! XOXO
Wow – what a difference in the before and after photos! Loads of helpful tips here – especially about how to apply the limewash paint properly. And I didn’t know that it’s both eco-friendly and also a natural anti-fungal – those are serious pluses! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Shelley! It really did make a difference and we especially were pleasantly surprised to learn that this would be an eco-friendly makeover too!
You have inspired me and my brick house! Thank you!
Glad we could! XOXO