Nothing compares to the sight of a freshly limewashed house, but limewashing your home’s exterior is no DIY project. If you want stunning results from your limewashing, it’s crucial to have a team of experienced professionals. Five Star Painting of Alpharetta offers exterior limewash painting services in Alpharetta, Georgia. If you want a weather-resistant coating for your home’s brick surfaces that gives a rustic patina, limewashing is for you. Learn more about our exterior limewash painting services.
What Is Limewashing?
Limewashing exterior paint is similar to exterior paint in some ways and different than paint in others. Limewash, like paint, is applied to home exteriors to provide a protective and stylish coat. Limewash is most commonly used on brick surfaces, although it can be applied to many different materials. In contrast to paint, limewash is made from a combination of water and slaked lime. This organic mixture creates many natural color tones while offering many benefits that exterior paint does not offer.
The Benefits of Limewashing Your Home
Why would you want to limewash your home instead of having it painted? Well, there are many reasons. Some homeowners love limewashing purely because of the aged appearance it creates. Others are attracted to the functional properties of limewashed brick. The benefits of limewashing your home include the following:
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Stylish Appearance – Limewashed brick has an appearance that paint cannot match. Its chalky texture allows the beauty of your brick to be seen. At the same time, it provides a cleaner appearance than brick alone.
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Breathable – Limewash is a breathable coating that allows moisture to evaporate, which is especially important in the humid summer months.
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Antifungal – Limewash has high alkalinity, which sterilizes bricks and prevents mold, fungus, and other unwanted bacteria from growing. It also makes an unwelcoming environment for certain pests.
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Low Maintenance – Limewashed exteriors require very little maintenance because they are less prone to weather-related cracking or chipping, which require touch-ups.
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Eco-Friendly – Limewash is not made from synthetic chemicals. It uses natural clays, minerals, and organic pigments. This makes it a more environmentally friendly option than most types of exterior paint.
What Parts of My Home Exterior Can Be Limewashed?
Limewash can be applied to many different exterior surfaces of your home. However, brick is the most common exterior surface for limewashing because of its porousness. Limewash can adhere to several surfaces like wood or drywall, but it is not always the ideal coating for those materials. The best exteriors for limewash painting are porous surfaces such as stone, plaster, stucco, or cement. This is because limewash absorbs into surfaces, unlike paint which creates a film over the top of the surface. So, limewash looks and works best on permeable materials.
How Long Will Limewashing Last?
Experts recommend limewashing every five to seven years. However, the periods between limewashing applications will really depend on the appearance you want. While limewash is durable and can withstand the harshest weather, it does develop a uniquely aged appearance that many homeowners prefer. If you want to preserve this aged appearance, you may be able to extend the periods between limewashing applications.