Is your stone looking a bit outdated, either on the exterior of your home or a smaller surface, such as a fireplace? Limewashing stone is an excellent way to update the look of your home and give it a timeless finish while maintaining the natural and breathable texture of your stone. However, not all stone can be limewashed. Before you head out to purchase your Romabio limewash stone products, you need to test the surface to ensure you can adequately limewash stone and achieve a quality finish. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through the process of testing to see if limewash will work on your stone and share our top Romabio product recommendations for the job.
In This Post
Can You Limewash Stone?
The answer to this question is: sometimes yes and sometimes no.
Raw stone that is unsealed is the perfect surface for limewashing, as the porous surface allows the limewash paint to penetrate the surface, creating a breathable, natural finish that doesn’t need primers or sealants.
For stone surfaces that are unsealed, limewash is a great option for changing up the color of stone on your house while keeping the natural texture and character intact.
If you’re looking for a whitewashed look on your stone, limewashing is a great alternative that offers a more durable finish that naturally patinas over time. Whitewashing is actually a slightly different process than limewashing that uses a water-based paint that sits on top of the surface. Limewashing uses mineral-based paints that soak into the porous surface and naturally patina over time, giving the surface a classic, rustic look.
How To Test If You Can Limewash Stone?
Before applying limewash to your stone, it’s important to check whether your stone’s surface is suitable for limewash. Oftentimes, stone masonry professionals will add a clear coating or sealant to the stone during the building process, so you must check for this beforehand. Remember, it must be unsealed in order to be compatible with limewash paint. Additionally, stone surfaces that have previously been painted with a traditional paint will not allow the limewash to adhere properly.
Here is a simple test to determine if your limewash stone surface will be able to soak in limewash paint effectively:
Step 1: The Water Test
Splash some water onto your stone surface.
If the water beads up on the surface, your stone has been sealed, meaning the limewash won’t be able to penetrate the stone. In this case, you can use a primer and a Masonry flat paint for a solid look.
If the water absorbs into the stone, that means your stone is unsealed and you can apply limewash.
Step 2: Test a Small Area With Limewash
If you’d like to further test for the compatibility and look of limewash on your stone, you can apply a diluted sample of limewash to a small, inconspicuous area of your stone (such as a corner). Let it dry for 24-48 hours and check to see if it adheres without peeling or flaking. If so, your stone is ready for limewashing. If it flakes off, your stone may be sealed, previously painted, or not porous enough, meaning you will need to go a different route, such as with a primer and Masonry flat paint.
What Are The Disadvantages of Limewashing Stone?
Limewashing stone offers a beautiful, natural, and timeless finish, but there are a few things to keep in mind before investing in the products and starting your limewash stone project.
As mentioned, limewash isn’t created for sealed or painted stone surfaces. It won’t adhere properly to these types of surfaces without proper preparation.
If you want to limewash a previously painted stone surface, you’ll need to prep the surface using a mineral primer or acrylic primer.
Limewash’s patina is also weather-dependent, so you may need to touch it up over time as it naturally wears away.
Limewash comes in limited colors with a naturally rustic appearance. Traditional Romabio limewash stone products often come in soft, medium-toned colors, but you can find some darker hues with the Venetian Glaze product line.
Romabio Limewash Stone Product Recommendations
Speaking of Romabio, they are our #1 choice for limewash paint products and Masonry paints. They offer high-quality, mineral-based paints that work great on porous surfaces, such as brick and stone. You can read more about why we love Romabio in this blog post.
Our top 2 Romabio product recommendations for limewashing stone are:
- Classico Limewash – This is a slaked-lime paint that comes in stunning light to medium colors and gives a timeless finish. It’s durable, low maintenance, and can be removed easily within 48 hours of application.
- Venetian Glaze – This product is a lime-based glaze that allows for greater color shifting. It’s available in both light and dark shades. This product is more durable, making it ideal for limewash stone exterior projects.
Ready to Limewash Stone?
If you’re looking for a way to refresh and modernize your stone while keeping its natural beauty and texture intact, limewashing is an excellent option. Just make sure to properly test it ahead of time to ensure the limewash product will adhere well and give you the stunning, long-lasting finish you’re looking for.
If you’re ready to move forward with your stone limewashing project, visit our contact page to book your free estimate today.
Our team is highly-rated when it comes to limewashing using Romabio products, and we’d be happy to help bring your project to life!
