The paints
Two finishes made from stone, and what they do
Limewash and mineral paint are both mineral coatings. They are made to bond with a mineral wall, which is why they suit the walls of old houses.
Limewash is slaked lime, water and pigment. It hardens into lime as it takes in carbon dioxide from the air. Mineral paint, also called silicate paint, is made with a potassium silicate binder that reacts with the wall. Neither forms a plastic skin. Both let the wall dry out through the finish, which is what old plaster and brick were built to do.
In short
Limewash: soft, cloudy, brushed; for lime plaster, brick and stone
Mineral paint: deep, even matte; for brick, stucco, masonry and plaster
Latex paint: not ours; right for drywall, wood and trim
Limewash or mineral paint
Two ways to coat a mineral wall
We choose by the surface, the room and the look you want, and the test patch settles the rest.
| Limewash | Mineral paint | |
|---|---|---|
| Binder | LimewashSlaked lime | Mineral paintPotassium silicate |
| Bonds to | LimewashLime plaster, brick, stone | Mineral paintBrick, stucco, masonry, plaster |
| Look | LimewashSoft, cloudy, brushed | Mineral paintDeep, even matte |
| Coats | LimewashSeveral thin coats, with drying between | Mineral paintUsually two |
| Dries to | LimewashPaler and softer than it looks wet | Mineral paintClose to the color it goes on |
| Touch-ups | LimewashBlend into the brushwork, though the patch may show | Mineral paintBest done to a whole wall at once |
Where it works
Surfaces they like, and surfaces they don't
They bond to
Lime plaster
Brick and stone
Stucco and cement render
Bare concrete and masonry
They need help on
Gypsum plaster, which needs a mineral primer
Painted brick or plaster, once the film is off
Drywall, which needs a special primer
Glossy or oil-based paint, which has to come off
We turn down
Wood and trim
Metal
Walls that are wet or crumbling to the lath
Anywhere you want a washable satin finish
Questions
About the paints
What is mineral paint?
Mineral paint, also called silicate paint, is made with a potassium silicate binder. On a mineral surface such as plaster, brick or stucco it reacts with the wall and becomes part of it, instead of drying to a film on top. It dries to a deep, even matte.
What is limewash?
Limewash is slaked lime and water with pigment. It dries into lime as it takes in carbon dioxide from the air, and it bonds best to lime plaster, brick and stone. It goes on in thin coats and dries paler and softer than it looks wet, with cloud-like variation by design.
Will it look like latex?
No. Limewash is cloudy and brushed by nature, and mineral paint is a deep, even matte. If you want a uniform satin finish that scrubs clean, latex is the right paint and we will say so before you pay for a patch.
Do you coat drywall?
Mineral paint and limewash are for mineral surfaces. On drywall they need a special primer and the result is different from plaster, so we say so before taking the job.
How long does it last?
That depends on the surface, the product and which side of the house takes the rain. We tell you what to expect for your walls at the visit, and it goes in the written estimate. We do not quote years from a brochure.
The test patch
See it on your own wall first
We paint a square of mineral paint or limewash in a spot you pick, in the coats the wall would get. Look at it for a week, in morning light and under lamps, then decide.