Grit + Limewash = Grit in my limewash.

[robgil]

Whats that then? Its like sand. My freshly limewashed wall feels like sand paper.
Is this normal?

 

[skier-hughes]

Dust?

 

[Penners]

No experience of this myself, but could your limewashing have brushed grit out of the substrate?

 

[MdB]

What did your unlimewashed walls feel like? More layers of limewash will start to cover the grit but if that isn't going to be the finish you would like, I guess you will need to go over the wall with a scraper.

(edited so as to make you wonder what Penners is on about below.)

((Sorry Penners - back of the class for me....))

 

[Penners]

Are you sure you're using pure limewash, and not some dilute lime mortar (which might have had sand added)?


(Edited so that everyone will wonder what MdB is rambling on about).

 

[robgil]

Dunno what it is guys , its coming through in every coat. Its like sand. I am going to try a bit of lime wash on a clean surface to rule out the putty being contaminated. I am painting over daub and plaster But I would have thought after a good 5 or 6 coats the daub would have been sealed in by now.

 

[ian]

Rob, I had something similar occuring from time to time. Some was grit picked up from the first couple of coats. The rest I found could be due to using the same bucket over and over. As you work the lime wash on the inside sides of the container dries off and becomes flakey/clumpy. Moving the bucket etc disturbs this and it sinks into mix, being disturbed when you stir it. I had to pass my batch mixed limewash through a sieve again when refilling the "working" bucket and making sure I rinsed out the working bucket before filling from the batch mix store. You are sieving the initial mix of limewash, arn't you? I find it easiest to sieve the lime wash once mixed, not as the other half was doing and trying to sieve the putty as she added it to the water! The gritty stuff on the wall usually wiped off when set with just a firm wipe over with your hand, before the next coat.

 

[robgil]

I am using a very light sand paper rub to remove it. What I have to ascertain is wither or not the grit is in the lime wasah or if it is dust balling on the wall. I think the latter might be a stab in the dark.