Applying limewash

[MetManMark]

All
Apologies if this has already been discussed at length before...
Our house has lime render which is in good condition despite the layers of wallpaper we have had to strip. We were thinking that we would use lime wash throughout for walls & ceilings. Given that we need at least 3 coats and there is quite a lot to do I was wondering what people though of us using a sprayer was? The idea of having to use a brush to do it all somewhat depresses me - especially as I understand it is quite milky in composition and the thought of doing all the ceilings is not good.
Any top tips gratefully received.
Cheers
Mark

 

[skier-hughes]

Rose of Jericho recommend only brushing.
It is so, so, so easy to brush on it takes no time at all.

 

[Penners]

I've never used limewash, so I don't know whether this concern is based on fact or rumour, but would I be correct in suggesting that limewash might be a bit troublesome, as an interior finish? I've heard that it can rub off on clothes, hands, etc.

Other breathable paint finishes (eg: distemper) might be more durable and apparel-friendly.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Certainly casein distemper is reckoned to be good for high usage areas.

I've no experience with limewash, but I have with soft distemper, and I found it around 50% more difficult to use than modern emulsion. I can't imagine that spraying it on would have worked. It has to be to put on by brush, and you drag the brush in all directions.

I can't really say whether it comes off easily as it's on the ceiling and upper walls above picture rail height. There are lots of limewash fans on the forum and I'm sure some will be around to answer your query after the Bank Holiday. In the meantime, Rose of Jericho are really helpful over the phone and they're the experts!



I

 

[robgil]

Once you put distemper on you are stuck with it. Limewash can be durable if done properly. It will only rub off on clothes if the rubber really rubs hard , in normal conditions this probably will never happen.
Make your own limewash , it's easier to apply , cheaper , will give you a much more durable finish and a sense of satisfaction.

To mix limewash simply add water to putty, for the first in initial coat I sometimes use a 50/50 mix although it can depend on the surface to be limewashed,I have found daub for instance to require an initial mix of 70 (water) to 30 (limewash). The next coats can have more and more putty added on each coat. The reason being if the limerwash dries out too fast it gives you a chalky finish, the slower the drying period the more durable the finish.
Also too much putty will cause the finish to craze so very very light coats are all that is required.

Mist down the surface with a garden sprayer, take it one panel at a time. Apply the limewash then mist down the next panel and also mist down what you have just limewashed until there is no more suction in the wall.
Sometimes it is good to mist down twice before applying the limewash.

When you have called it a day mist down everything again then repeat before going to bed, I also mist down again the following morning. Then repeat for the second coat.

Limewash will initially be translucent but will dry to a solid colour. The more you dampen it down the more solid the colour when dry. The reason for this I assume is lime wont set by drying, it sets by carbonation which takes longer however keeping it damp will speed up the process.

If done properly you should be able to rub your fingers hard on the limewashed surface and rub off very little, if any lime.

 

[MatthewC]

The idea of having to use a brush to do it all somewhat depresses me - especially as I understand it is quite milky in composition and the thought of doing all the ceilings is not good.

I had the same concerns and used a breathable emulsion on our ceilings with a roller. However, when I then did the walls with limewash, it went on very quickly by brush and without the promised mess. The results are good and it doesn't (yet!) come off. I was warned off distemper as you have to re-do it periodically and can only use more distemper as robgil says. You might also want to consider "earthborn" emulsion paints which are breathable, but I have no personal experience of these.

Edited to add: Even though the walls were not too messy, I would still not want to do a ceiling with limewash!

Matthew

 

[Moo]

I was warned off distemper as you have to re-do it periodically and can only use more distemper

Matthew

Surely the same applies to limewash?

 

[Penners]

I was warned off distemper as you have to re-do it periodically and can only use more distemper

Matthew

Surely the same applies to limewash?

I certainly thought so - indeed, more frequently than distemper.

 

[lou]

I am going to try limewash in some areas internally because i love the uneven finish but would recommend earthborn clay paints too for difficult areas. I have recently used this on a VERY patchy wall with a range of surfaces to contend with including modern satin emulsion, hemp plaster and straight onto gypsum skim. The coverage is excellent, they are easy to use and wash out from brushes easily (and clothes). I haven't got shares either but am considering it!

 

[Keithj]

Um ... I have a large pot that says it's distemper on the label, but it was sold to me as limewash. I've been treating it like limewash, and it's behaved like limewash. Have I been teased?

 

[JoceAndChris]

My distemper also behaved very much like Rob's description of how to apply limewash.

 

[MatthewC]

I was warned off distemper as you have to re-do it periodically and can only use more distemper

Matthew

Surely the same applies to limewash?

I certainly thought so - indeed, more frequently than distemper.

Surely limewash is essentially lime putty with a pigment, and so when applied to new lime plaster the coloured surface carbonates and becomes effectively part of the wall? Therefore it should be possible to put other finishes over the top if you wish. On the contrary, distemper does not form the same bond to the wall surface and (I am led to believe) any finish on top will just pull the distemper off.

 

[skier-hughes]

I've used caesin distemper in both kitchen, bedroom and en-suite.
Apart from where we clean round the sink with a wet cloth and are obviously rubbing the paint it is all very much stuck on the walls and ceiling. It looks really good, doesn't rub off on clothes, and was really easy to apply.

 

[worms]

I was wondering what people though of us using a sprayer was?
Any top tips gratefully received.

DON'T DO IT! I tried putting home-made limewash through a garden sprayer. It clogged after about five seconds, took a couple of hours to clean out of the sprayer and the sprayer was never really the same again!

Of course, a proper paint sprayer and well-filtered limewash might work better!

 

[MetManMark]

Thanks for all the comments. Two questions that I probably already know the answer to:
1) There is some old paint - can I limewash over this? (probably not)
2) There is some sand & cement render that has been used to patch - can I limewash over this? (dunno)

I have been advise for areas that have already been painted I should use something like Dulux supermatt instead (ie non-vinyl). Comments?

Thanks in advance
Mark

 

[lou]

Above, I have waxed a bit lyrical about Earthborn clay paints. Do check them out as I have just used them to cover in just two coats many different surfaces, including some very rough surfaces and some satiny-looking modern paint. It won't exactly cover up the changes in surfaces but as long as you aren't looking for perfection they make them tolerable and have the added advantage of being completely healthy and breathable - no pong paints!
Just a word of caution - the woodwork paints don't always resemble the colour chart so advise getting a sample first. Nevertheless I am very pleased with the results on both wood and walls. They aren't cheap or easy to get hold of everywhere but because coverage's so good they seem to go a long way. Bit of a limited palette unless you go to a supplier that has a tinting service.

 

[Moo]

I would recommend earthborn clay paints too for difficult areas. I have recently used this on a VERY patchy wall with a range of surfaces to contend with including modern satin emulsion, hemp plaster and straight onto gypsum skim. The coverage is excellent, they are easy to use and wash out from brushes easily (and clothes).

Thanks so much for that information. You've described our walls with uncanny accuracy, and until now I've been postponing the much-needed repaint of our 'circulation areas' ** because of the awful mixture of surfaces.
Where do you get your earthborn clay paint from?

** can't think of any other term to describe hall/stairs/landings - is there a better one?

 

[skier-hughes]

JO painted over normal emulsion with the casein distemper in the hall landing stairs and it covered fine, could have done with two coats, but it's fine as is. It copes with dogs rubbing up and down it along the hallway.

 

[JoceAndChris]

I painted over all sorts of paints with soft distemper, the colour was very uneven and it took 4 coats but it's ended up interesting and period looking - the top of the pic shows it -R of J's "Tuscan Red"

The colour doesn't exist in Dulux. I even tried to match FnB's Red Earth in Dulux and that was also not exisiting. You could use matt Dulux paint in your painted sections Mark, but the depth and range of colours you get in paints with lots of natural mineral pigments ( Farrow and Ball, Little Greene and Fired Earth) are infinitely nicer.

 

[lou]

This is a fairly useful search for stockists http://www.earthbornpaints.co.uk/stockists.php

I'm in Wales and London and have struggled to find very local, reliable stockists. I would suggest you ring before visiting any of them as they often hold a limited range but will usually order in for you. Some of the stockists are tinting centres and have a wider range of colours but may need notice of what you want.

I would reiterate that the colour chart is definitely not always a reliable indication of the final colour!