Frequently Asked Questions About Limewashing Brick: Your Guide to a Beautiful Exterior

Hello everyone! We’re absolutely thrilled to share that our home has been featured in Country Living Magazine this month! This exciting moment has brought back a flood of questions about our limewashed brick exterior. Since many of you are considering a similar transformation, we’ve compiled a comprehensive FAQ to address your most common queries. We hope this helps you make informed decisions about your own home projects.

Our limewashed brick project, completed with Romabio last January, has been a true game-changer for our home. We’re still incredibly happy with the results, and we’re excited to share our experience and insights with you. This isn’t a sponsored post; we’re simply sharing our journey to help you!

Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about our limewashed brick:

1. What do your neighbors think of the limewashed brick?

We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our neighbors! They often compliment the new look of our home. We live in an older neighborhood with a variety of architectural styles, including several homes with painted brick. While our home is the only one limewashed, our neighborhood embraces diverse aesthetics. It’s essential to consider your own neighborhood’s character and always check with your Homeowners Association (HOA) before making any exterior changes.

2. Should I choose limewash or paint for my brick?

If you’re torn between limewash and paint, we recommend testing Romabio limewash on a small section of your brick. You can purchase a quart of Romabio limewash here to test it out. This allows you to see how it looks and feel about the result before committing to the whole project. Remember, limewash can appear pinkish before drying and may require two coats.

Here’s a crucial point: Limewash can be removed within the first five days of application with water. You can also remove it with muriatic acid. However, once brick is painted, it’s a permanent decision. You can limewash over paint later, but not the other way around. So, starting with limewash gives you more flexibility.

3. Is limewashing just a passing trend? Will it date my house?

Limewash is a timeless technique with roots in European architecture. Romabio uses authentic Dolomite lime from Italy, making it a genuine product. While popular now, limewash has a classic appeal that transcends fleeting trends. We’ve seen beautiful limewashed homes in upscale neighborhoods for decades, a testament to its enduring charm.

4. Can I DIY limewash, or do I need to hire a professional?

For smaller projects, such as a fireplace, limewashing is definitely DIY-friendly! We successfully limewashed both of our fireplaces in an afternoon, and we love the outcome. Romabio offers video tutorials to guide you. However, for a home’s exterior, the decision depends on the size of your house and your comfort level with the process.

We chose to hire Hans from Reflections of Italy for several reasons:

1. Safety: Our two-story, nearly 3,000-square-foot home made working from ladders risky.
2. Time: Juggling full-time jobs and childcare made it challenging to dedicate the necessary time to the project.
3. Skill: While we enjoy DIY projects, limewashing a brick exterior requires significant artistic skill. Even hiring a painter can be risky, as limewashing differs from painting.

Hans is an artisan trained in Italy, and he meticulously studied our home’s architecture to decide how the limewash would naturally weather. He told us he often fixes limewashing jobs done by professional painters who remove the limewash unevenly. So, consider that factor when making your decision.

Although we’re usually proponents of DIY projects to save money, this project was an instance where professional expertise made a big difference. If you’re looking for an artisan, Hans travels throughout the Southeastern U.S. You can also contact Romabio directly, as they can recommend trained contractors.

We hope this FAQ provides helpful guidance for those considering limewashing their brick. We couldn’t be happier with our decision. Limewashing has become a popular style, and we believe it’s a trend that’s here to stay because of its timeless aesthetic.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask in the comments below!