Limewash suppliers - price differences

[Pford75]

We are beginning to look at colours for the limewashing of our house exterior. Not after colour advice at this stage, but have been surprised by the price differences between some suppliers:-

Rose of Jerico = £58 for 15l
Mike Wye = £15-20 for 20l

Any ideas on the reasons for the price difference? Any thoughts/recommendations from others here on limewash suppliers you've used?

 

[christianb]

Why don't you make your own out of lime putty (hydrated lime, don't make it out of hydraulic) and add earth pigment? That way you'd end up with hundreds of litres of the stuff for less than £15.

 

[Pford75]

We make our own putty, but the sheer scale of the property means that making our own limewash would be problematic to say the least (and I'd be more confident about uniformity of colour if it was bought in).

Seeing as I will be scaffolding the entire property myself, stripping all the paint myself and then limewashing on my own....i'm not opposed to shortening the job by buying it in. Just wondered if there was any material difference between limewash from different suppliers.

 

[christianb]

Just wondered if there was any material difference between limewash from different suppliers.

I simply can't believe there would be. I mean, they might tell you that it's the finest slaked lime known to mankind, made with the breath of mermaids and sung to by fair maidens. But it's still bloody limewash at the end of the day.

As for problems making the stuff? Two plastic bins full of hydrated lime from the local merchants'? Surely that must be worth saving hundreds of quid?

 

[Flyfisher]

and I'd be more confident about uniformity of colour if it was bought in

I've read that it's wise to buy all the coloured limewash you need in one batch, or at least enough to do one complete coat because, even if bought in, it can be difficult to get an exact colour match. Apparently.

Fortunately, our house is white so it's not really an issue and I'm planning to make my own limewash when the time comes.

As for the wide price difference, I suspect it's mainly due to lime being something of a niche material and not the sort of thing you pick up in the local DIY shed. Those price differences do seem rather large though. I thought that silicate paints were expensive at around £100 for 12.5l but it's only about twice the price of that RoJ stuff.

Might be worth checking the formulations as I believe there are additives that can be added to limewash but, even so, that's a big price difference for what should, as christianb points out, be fairly simple stuff.

 

[Pford75]

Wondered if there might be a difference in the amount of pigment added? We were considering white, but are on a road with lots of farm traffic and were worried about how long the white would stay looking white vs. Dirty

 

[vicky whitworth]

Wow, can't believe that price difference. Particularly if you are considering white. I can see that some pigments could be more expensive than others but if these are like for like prices why the difference? Would you consider asking ROJ and Mike Wye a direct question? We have ours to do next year and I'll be heading for Mike Wye if those prices are right. Job has had to be postponed again this year as the money has run out.

 

[Penners]

it's still bloody limewash at the end of the day.

But bloody limewash is only appropriate if you're intending to paint the house Suffolk pink.

Just a little tip, there. :wink:

 

[Pford75]

I will certainly ask them the question. It's not so much that I just want to save some money, it's more a case of making sure that I am comparing like with like. White limewash is even cheaper - the prices I quoted were for pigmented limewash