Over the last four years, Britain & Co. have seen an increasing requirement to provide historic paint finishes using linseed oil paints, distemper and limewash.

Limewash paint is a thin-dilution of pure slaked lime, water and alkali-fast powder pigments that produces a unique surface glow due to the double refraction of calcite crystals upon curation. It is this glow that gives a soft-textural appearance to the finish, creating a sense of movement and breathability.

Traditionally used on porous building surfaces such as lime plaster, lime render, limestone or soft brick, limewash is normally reserved for internal use however, exterior grade limewash paints exist that contain additional binders to improve ‘rain-shedding’ and durability. It is now gaining popularity as a domestic finish within the design community with branded paints such as Corical, Kredezeit and Ressource.

Due to it’s thin consistency, special consideration must be given to providing protection around the application area. Limewash can permanently stain certain surfaces, easily destroying decorative schemes and in addition, is very easy to apply incorrectly, with people creating too thick a layer due to it’s low opacity when first used. This opacity then increases during drying and subsequent curing.

As such, applying limewash requires a firm understanding of historic paints and surfaces, natural colourants and application methods to gain an even and beautiful finish.

A lack of understanding can lead to disastrous consequences and so, to achieve the desired finish in a safe and effective way, we would always recommend contacting a professional to carry out the application for you.

Our Director, Chris Britain, developed his specialist knowledge of working with limewash and distemper through working alongside his father – Joe for over 30 years, initially as an apprentice. This experience provided Chris with an insight in the use of traditional paint finishes by working in historic buildings such as churches, castles and other listed buildings where these finishes were required.

Chris is passionate about sharing this knowledge with our team of specialist craftsmen, ensuring that the techniques taught to him are passed on to the next generation.

*Due to the very private nature of some of our recent limewash projects, we have used some limewash images from our sample library and reference collection to illustrate this article.

For more information about our experience working with limewash paints, or to enquire about how we might assist you with a project involving this finish, please contact us at info@britaindecoration.com or by telephone on 0207 917 1724.