Limewash is an aged mixture of salt, hydrated (also called slaked) lime, mineral based pigments and water. It can be applied to a variety of porous surfaces like brick, stucco, and raw wood. Today, it is most commonly applied in a white shade to brick homes to create a distressed, old-world appearance.
Limewash is anti-microbial and anti-fungal and can be tinted any colors (though whites and off-whites are the most popular). While painted brick deteriorates over time since moisture trapped in the brick cannot escape, limewashed brick will be able to breathe and stay strong.
What is Limewash Paint?
Lime paint is hydrated lime (also known as slaked lime) mixed with water, natural pigments, and sometimes other ingredients like salt. That mixture is then aged and thinned to the perfect painting consistency. It is sold in cans much like a typical latex paint.
Limewash paint is naturally VOC free, and it’s eco friendly. It’s antimicrobial and antifungal, which makes it suitable for interior and exterior use. It is brush-applied and has subtle color variations that give the paint subtle movement and natural color variation. It typically has a suede finish.
What Surfaces Can you Use it on?
Limewash paints can be used on a variety of surfaces. Each formulation is a little different so be sure to check with your paint’s manufacturer.
As a general rule, lime paints can be used on any porous masonry or concrete. They can be used over previously painted surfaces as long as you use a primer first. You can also use limewash paint for small crafts though you will probably need a primer.
Limewash paints were designed hundreds of years ago before the advent of latex paints and plastics. They are made for use on raw wood and unsealed masonry. Specialty primers have been developed since then that allow the paint to adhere to latex paint, plastic, etc.
For exterior use, many companies only recommend to use their paints on exterior masonry. Materials like siding are not made in a way that the paint can adhere to well.
How do you use Limewash Paint?
Depending on the surface you’re applying to, you may need to start with a specialty lime paint primer. If not, just be sure the area is clean and dry.
Apply lime paint with a natural bristle block brush. This allows you to cover large surfaces quickly and gives the paint its characteristic movement and suede finish. You will probably need two to three coats.
When applying the paint, you use a crows-foot pattern to give the paint natural movement when it dries. If you’re painting a large surface, be sure to feather out the edges so that you don’t get a harsh line where the paint has dried.
If you’ve bought a limewash paint for brick, you can distress it before it is fully dry. Again, look to your manufacturer for specific instructions, but usually you can spray on water, which removes some of the limewash.
How does Limewash Compare to Whitewash?
Limewash is a finish designed for raw wood or unsealed masonry and has been around for centuries. While a simple limewash just consists of water, salt, and hydrated lime, a more complex version is an aged lime putty mixed with natural pigments that the user dilutes with water to create a usable wash. As it dries, it can be distressed by spraying on water to remove some of the finish.
Whitewash is a finishing technique for raw wood, masonry, and even previously painted surfaces. The user chooses a white or off-white paint color and dilutes it with water. Especially when used on brick, the user can remove excess paint with a rag to allow some of the natural brick to show through.
What is the Difference between Lime Paint and Limewash?
Lime paint is typically designed for interior use and will come in a can just like any other interior latex paint. Lime wash is an exterior product that comes concentrated in a paste form.
While the formulation is similar, there are some differences that make each suitable for different applications.
Why Should you use Limewash Paint?
I highly recommend you consider lime paint for your next painting project. These paints are environmentally friendly and add depth to your space. They truly transform the spaces you use them in.
From limewashed brick to walls, these beautiful paints will give character to your space. If you have questions or have an experience with limewash paints you want to share, leave me a comment below!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is limewash paint easy to work with?
The painting process is very easy, but it is different from the process we use for acrylic, latex, and chalk paints. This means there is a bit of a learning curve. However, once you’ve gotten a rhythm, the process is really easy and moves quickly.
How long does limewash paint last?
In the can, limewash paint has the same lifespan as a latex paint. It separates, so if it’s been sitting around for a while, you may need to take it to a store to have it spun.
Once you’ve applied it, limewash is designed to last for years and years. Unlike latex paint, it won’t chip or peel over time. It does, however, begin to take on a more worn look. The aging process just adds more life to your lime wash walls.
Is limewash paint easy to clean?
Lime wash paint is not easy to clean. Unlike latex paints which can be scrubbed with soap and other cleaners, lime paint has a more absorbent patina, which means liquid stains are absorbed, and the finish can be damaged by scrubbing.
However, since lime pain is antimicrobial, it is ok to leave uncleaned. Once the stains or dirt really start to look bad, you can paint over them with another coat of the lime wash.
Can you paint over limewash paint with latex?
Most paint brands require the use of a specific primer in this case. The primer allows the limewash paint to adhere to the walls.
What are the best limewash paint brands?
Before we begin, I want to specify that this article is about interior lime paint for walls and ceilings. If you’re looking for limewash for exterior masonry, you can read about my experience testing Romabio here. If you need a basic introduction to the differences between lime wash and lime paint, you can start here.
Now that we’re on the same page, let’s get started.
Kerry Pieri from Harper’s Bazaar
While a movement toward using clean, nontoxic products in everything from skincare to cleaning goods is consistently gaining momentum…the unique look of the paint technique is what initially drew…devotees in.
A brief history of lime paints
From Common Use to Little-Known Luxury
Currently, we can date the use of limewash back to the Roman empire in 100BC. Slaked lime was mixed with mineral pigments, water, and other additives that helped stabilize the paint and extend the working time. For a traditional lime paint, the additive would be salt, but sometimes milk caseins were added–the beginnings of milk paint, which would be popularized later.
Lime paint was valued for preserving the structures it was applied to. It allows porous surfaces like stucco and wood to breathe naturally, and it has antifungal properties. However, it’s porous nature means that it is almost impossible to clean: it will simply absorb any cleaner applied to it.
Fast forward to colonial America where the use of lead paint is widespread, and you see a change in the characteristics of paint. While a new coat of lime paint would be applied every several years to cover stains and refresh the color, lead paints would remain clean and vibrant for up to 20 years. There is a shift in popularity from lime and milk paints, which wear down over time, to stronger coatings.
When lead paints were shown to be the cause of Painter’s Disease–originally known as a strange set of symptoms that accosted and often killed otherwise healthy young painters, now known as lead poisoning–latex paints rose in popularity. This rise started in the 1950’s along with a wave of homeowners switching from contractor work to DIY projects.
Latex paints are a blend of water, a resin, a solvent (to keep the resin dissolved in the water), pigments, and other additives to improve the qualities of the paint. They are easy for an inexperienced homeowner to apply, durable enough to last, but not so durable that repainting in a new color every so often seems unreasonable.
Unfortunately, latex paints contain VOCs, which, according to EcoHome, “are added by manufacturers partly to slow drying times, but predominantly to prevent paint from freezing during transportation.” They add, “We grew to accept VOCs in our paints and not a lot of thought was put into why, or if they were actually necessary.”
VOCs added to the paint during the manufacturing process will dissipate into the atmosphere in a process called off-gassing. While you may think off-gassing only occurs during the first few days after the paint has dried, Green Seal estimates that “less than 50% of the VOCs in latex paint (applied to a surface) are emitted in the first year.”
So for multiple years after painting, you’ll be breathing in those VOCs. Even paints labeled low VOC or no VOCs are suspect. A low VOC paint can have as little as 25% fewer VOCs than a regular paint, and a no VOC paint can still have dangerous compounds that, while not labeled VOCs, behave in the same way. Check out the full article by EcoHome for a more in-depth discussion: Choosing non-toxic paint – Ecohome
With a growing consciousness of the products we use, their effect on our health, and their effect on the environment (coupled with design trends “decidedly softer and more naturalistic” than the “years of…leaning toward the super sleek” described by Harper’s Bazaar), limewash paint interior are reentering the design scene. Most lime paint interior companies craft completely natural paints that are eco-friendly and truly VOC free. The suede texture and subtle color variation in lime paint is well suited to the shift towards soft and welcoming spaces.
Picking a Color and Perfecting Application
Most lime paints are colored with mineral pigments. This gives the colors a lot of character. An airy blue feels like clouds. An olive green brings your space the same life rushing through forests. Earthy reds ground the space and bring an atmosphere of peace.
You’ll find at least one shade of lime paint for every color in the rainbow, plus paints in off-whites, browns, and greys. Lime paint manufacturers focus on creating a limited number of truly beautiful shades, each shade containing a symphony of color. I think this makes finding a paint color easier than if I went to a Home Depot to see thousands of color cards, one hardly distinguishable from another.
Lime paint colors can also be layered to create unique looks. Bauwerk recommends starting with a couple coats of a dark color before using one coat of a white shade. This creates a white look with lots of texture and depth!
All lime paints have essentially two pigments: one mineral pigment and the lime itself, which is white when it dries. These two different types of pigments are what create the natural color variation and movement in the finished patina. Because of this two-pigment formulation, lime paint needs to be applied differently than a latex paint.
Lime paint also needs to be brush-applied with a large block brush. It cannot be rolled or sprayed on. I’ve included some videos here so you can watch the application process, but there are just three basic parts to the technique:
- Paint with X brushstrokes. This creates natural movement and clouds of color. Paint in straight lines, and that’s how the pigmentation will show up: linear. It will look like you painted with badly mixed paint.
- Don’t go back over an area you’ve already painted. Once you’ve put the paint down, just let it be. Lime paints are thinner than latex paints; as soon as the paint hits the wall, it begins to absorb and dry. Going back over it can result in smudging and ruining the natural dispersion of the pigmentation.
- Don’t let the free edge of the paint dry. Work rapidly to cover the whole wall before the edges of your paint dry out. This can cause harsh lines to show in the final patina. If the wall you’re working on is too large to paint entirely without letting an edge dry, feather the edge out.
Before we close the application section, there is one other common issue that needs to be addressed: primer. Most surfaces will need to be prepped with a mineral-based primer before applying the lime paint. This is especially true for previously painted surfaces. Since lime paint isn’t resin-based like chalk, acrylic, latex, and other types of paint, it only adheres well to specific surfaces.
Most lime paint brands sell a primer specifically designed for their lime paint formulation. You cannot substitute a traditional primer. If you’ve been reading up on lime paint, you’ve probably seen this blog post, which describes a bad experience with lime paint. The primer is what ensures you won’t have the same issues.
Lime Paint Brands and How to Choose One
When I first started looking into lime based wall paints, I thought there were only a couple brands to choose from. With a little more in-depth research, I was able to find a ton of different brands with unique color selections, selling points, and service locations.
I think it’s important to note, however, that all of these brands sell quality products. I haven’t seen any negative stories about a specific brand. While I haven’t used all of these brands myself, all my research indicates that you can’t really go wrong when choosing a supplier for your lime paint.
Find a brand that services your area with colors you love. It can also be good to consider whether the brand sells the applicator tools you’ll need and any other products the brand sells.
Bauwerk Colour was founded in Australia in 2000 and now ships their products worldwide. Their range of products includes interior and exterior lime paint, primers, garden pot paint, brushes, and a concrete sealer.
With worldwide shipping and a huge selection of color choices, this is the brand to shop with if you’re looking for a specific shade. Two decades of manufacturing and customers in all sorts of climates and you know this company is creating a quality product!
This is a newer brand to the lime paint scene. It has a limited color selection, but all of the colors are gorgeous! I love shopping with brands like this; it makes it easier to pick a color when you have a small number of beautifully mixed colors to choose from.
All their paints are manufactured in the U.S. and tinted in small batches. They manufacture lime paint, two primers (an interior and an interior/exterior), mineral stain, a matte sealer, and a specialty brush. They also sell a slurry, which can be used to add more texture to the paint.
They offer free shipping to the U.S., and while they do ship to other countries, it may get more expensive.
Portola Paints and Glazes
This company was founded in 1998 by two artists. The colors they offer are simply gorgeous! Similar to J.H. Wall Paints, the color selection is limited, but each color is carefully crafted and guaranteed to be beautiful.
Portola Paints and Glazes offers a traditional line of coatings with an acrylic series, an enamel series, and an exterior series and a specialty line with limewash paint and a plaster. The specialty line also includes decorative finishes (satin, wrought iron, and copper), and they sell primers and sealers. Portola ships to Canada and the U.S.
Color Atelier is a San Francisco based brand selling lime paints and plasters. They also offer supplementary products like tools, primers, and sealers. They ship their products all over the U.S. and sell on Amazon.
Their color palette is limited but contains a lot of beautiful blues and neutrals. This is the brand I’d recommend purchasing from if you want to buy on Amazon.
Vasari sells lime paints and plasters as well as the primers, sealers, and tools needed to apply them. Vasari was founded in 2003, and is manufactured in California, and ships worldwide.
This company has a small selection of colors, but many customers choose to have custom shades made. You can also purchase their product through Amazon.
To summarize, lime paint is valued for it’s unique suede finish with subtle movement and natural color variation and it’s natural formulation, good for both the environment and your health.
You can find lime paints both in vivid hues and earthy neutrals, but, unlike latex paints where you’ll have to choose between hundreds of greys, scores of lavenders, and rows of olives, lime paint colors are more limited in selection. Each color is carefully crafted to be the best it can be so you know the color you pick will be gorgeous and have lots of character.
Lime paint needs to be applied with a large masonry brush in an X or crows-foot pattern to evenly disperse the natural pigments and hydrated lime.
While you may consider these products practically the same, they are incredibly different and give incredibly different end results. Consider the pros and cons of each before deciding which is best for your project.
|
Romabio |
Giani |
| VOC Count |
0 |
85g/gal |
| Allows Brick to Breathe |
yes |
no |
| Color Choices |
yes (7) |
no |
| Comes with Everything You Need |
no |
yes |
| Indoor or Outdoor Use |
yes |
no (indoor only) |
|
| Distressed Look Possible |
yes |
yes |
| Full Coverage Possible? |
yes |
no (not in the nature of whitewash as a product) |
Limewash is a finish designed for raw wood or unsealed masonry and has been around for centuries. While a simple limewash just consists of water, salt, and hydrated lime, a more complex version is an aged lime putty mixed with natural pigments that the user dilutes with water to create a usable wash. As it dries, it can be distressed by spraying on water to remove some of the finish.
Limewash has incredible properties. It’s antimicrobial, antifungal, and an insecticide. It allows the surface it’s applied on to breathe naturally, which preserves the strength of that surface. It is equally applicable in indoor and outdoor settings and only looks better over time.
Limewash is also completely VOC free.
Whitewash is a finishing technique for raw wood, masonry, and even previously painted surfaces. The user chooses a white or off-white paint color and dilutes it with water. Especially when used on brick, the user can remove excess paint with a rag to allow some of the natural brick to show through
Whitewash is just a mixture of white paint and water. It is better for brick than a solid coat of paint, but it doesn’t allow the brick to breathe naturally like limewash. Whitewash is not designed to hold up over time and will need to be reapplied in outdoor settings.
The VOC count of whitewash will depend on the type of paint used in the process.
The Classico Limewash by Romabio
Romabio’s limewash is crafted in Italy. It has all the fantastic qualities of limewash listed above, and it comes in seven different color choices.
While the product is mainly marketed to the exterior of brick homes, it can be used on any natural brick or stone, inside or outside.
The product is shipped in a paste form that needs to be diluted before application.
The Brick Transformations Kit by Giani
The whitewash kit by Giani comes with everything you need to complete your project including paint, lint-free cloths, drop cloths, etc. It is an interior product marketed for fireplaces.
The paint is low VOC and specifically designed for brick. The paint must be diluted with water before use.
The Romabio limewash paste was about the same texture as softened butter. I expected it to be more difficult to work with (something along the lines of solid ice cream), but it was very easy to scoop out of the container.
It does take a little effort to get it thoroughly mixed with water. I would recommend using a metal mixing tool attached to a drill as opposed to a wooden stir stick.
As I applied it, the product looked very streaky, but the brushstrokes were much milder when the product dried.
Once the product was mostly dry, I started to distress it. I definitely recommend waiting as long as possible to start distressing.
Because the wash was not completely dry, even the drips from the water I sprayed on it removed a lot of product. I ended up using a lint-free cloth to blend the finish and get it looking the way I wanted.
The Giani paint was about the same texture as sour cream. When I was shaking the can, I thought it sounded really thin, but it wasn’t that much thinner than the Romabio. In fact, when diluted, both products had about the same consistency.
Again, it did take a little effort to get the product fully blended with the water. The company claims you can do it with just a stir stick, but I ended up having to really work the paint into the water with my paint brush.
Initially, the product gave a very full coverage. I did find it difficult to get the distressed look I was going for, but I think it would have been easier on real brick, which is much more porous. (I was using a faux brick board.)
Ease and Enjoyment of Application
I far preferred applying the Romabio wash. Because the product is non-toxic and water-based, I knew anything I got it on would be easy to clean up, which made the process way more enjoyable.
I did have a couple hiccups in the distressing process, but I was able to accomplish the look I wanted without too much stress.
The product had no discernable scent, and it was incredibly easy to clean off the brush and rag I used.
I really did not enjoy using the Giani product. I had to pull out old bags to protect the area I was working on. The rag I used is still soaking in the sink–it’s been difficult to remove all the paint.
The distressing process was not easy. I do think, however, that it would have been much easier on real brick as opposed to the faux brick board I was testing on.
The product did have a slight scent. It didn’t bother me, but I was working outside on a windy day.
One of the key features of Romabio’s limewash is that you can remove it easily within five days! I did find it very easy to remove five days after I had applied it.
So if you hate the look or the color, you can remove it with some water and a stiff bristled brush. After those five days, however, it does begin to calcify, which makes it much more difficult to remove.
However, the product isn’t designed to stay the same forever. The finish changes over time into a beautiful, aged patina.
Once the Giani paint started to dry, it was almost impossible to remove. You really have to get the look you want the first time around.
Because the brick absorbs some of the paint, whitewashing is really hard to remove at any point. However, it can be covered over with a solid coat of another paint color.
The results you get will stay the same–pretty much forever.
I love the finished look of the Romabio lime wash. The limewashed brick looks like it’s been around for centuries, standing the test of time–a far cry from the original brick, which would have won an Ugliest Brick competition.
The old-world feel brings me back to a time when there was more care put into homes and what we put inside them. That old-world feel has a charm that never goes out of style.
I would highly recommend the Romabio Classico Limewash. It is absolutely beautiful and is good for your brick and the environment. I will say that the old-world feel may not be right for all decor schemes so consider the way your current decor will match the look, especially when you’re finishing an indoor brick wall or fireplace.
I do not like the Giani Brick Transformations Kit. I personally do not like the look of whitewashed brick. It has none of the loveliness of a white-painted fireplace and none of the charms of a limewashed fireplace.
Even if you like the whitewashed look, the Giani kit is an expensive way to accomplish it. Just pick up a quart of paint, rip up an old t-shirt, and pull out an old paint brush. Why invest your money in a kit when you likely have half the materials laying around at home already. You’d also be able to choose the perfect shade of white for your space, which the Giani kit does not allow you to do.
However, the quality of the kit was fine so if you don’t have the painting materials already and like the shade of white the kit comes in, it’s not a bad purchase!
If you have questions or an experience with one of these products you’d like to share, leave a comment below! If you enjoyed this content, consider subscribing to our newsletter for more product reviews and exclusive promotions!
| Limewash paint is an incredible finish that’s been around for centuries. In a culture that values affordability and efficiency more than sustainability, quality, and beauty, limewash has fallen out of the spotlight.
If you run down to your local hardware store and ask for an interior wall paint, you’ll be given a wide selection of latex-based paints, but you may never be given the option of a lime-based paint. I’m here to answer your questions and give you all the information you need to decide if a lime-based paint is right for your home. |
Limewash paint is an incredible finish that’s been around for centuries. In a culture that values affordability and efficiency more than sustainability, quality, and beauty, limewash has fallen out of the spotlight.
If you run down to your local hardware store and ask for an interior wall paint, you’ll be given a wide selection of latex-based paints, but you may never be given the option of a lime-based paint. I’m here to answer your questions and give you all the information you need to decide if a lime-based paint is right for your home.
Lime paint is hydrated lime (also known as slaked lime) mixed with water, natural pigments, and sometimes other ingredients like salt. That mixture is then aged and thinned to the perfect painting consistency. It is sold in cans much like a typical latex paint.
Limewash paint is naturally VOC free, and it’s eco friendly. It’s antimicrobial and antifungal, which makes it suitable for interior and exterior use. It is brush-applied and has subtle color variations that give the paint subtle movement and natural color variation. It typically has a suede finish.
What surfaces can you use it on?
Limewash paints can be used on a variety of surfaces. Each formulation is a little different so be sure to check with your paint’s manufacturer.
As a general rule, lime paints can be used on any porous masonry or concrete. They can be used over previously painted surfaces as long as you use a primer first. You can also use limewash paint for small crafts though you will probably need a primer.
Limewash paints were designed hundreds of years ago before the advent of latex paints and plastics. They are made for use on raw wood and unsealed masonry. Specialty primers have been developed since then that allow the paint to adhere to latex paint, plastic, etc.
For exterior use, many companies only recommend to use their paints on exterior masonry. Materials like siding are not made in a way that the paint can adhere to well.
How do you use limewash paint?
Depending on the surface you’re applying to, you may need to start with a specialty lime paint primer. If not, just be sure the area is clean and dry.
Apply lime paint with a natural bristle block brush. This allows you to cover large surfaces quickly and gives the paint its characteristic movement and suede finish. You will probably need two to three coats.
When applying the paint, you use a crows-foot pattern to give the paint natural movement when it dries. If you’re painting a large surface, be sure to feather out the edges so that you don’t get a harsh line where the paint has dried.
If you’ve bought a limewash paint for brick, you can distress it before it is fully dry. Again, look to your manufacturer for specific instructions, but usually you can spray on water, which removes some of the limewash.
The painting process is very easy, but it is different from the process we use for acrylic, latex, and chalk paints. This means there is a bit of a learning curve.However, once you’ve gotten a rhythm, the process is really easy and moves quickly.
How long does limewash paint last?
In the can, limewash paint has the same lifespan as a latex paint. It separates, so if it’s been sitting around for a while, you may need to take it to a store to have it spun.
Once you’ve applied it, limewash is designed to last for years and years. Unlike latex paint, it won’t chip or peel over time. It does, however, begin to take on a more worn look. The aging process just adds more life to your lime wash walls.
Lime wash paint is not easy to clean. Unlike latex paints which can be scrubbed with soap and other cleaners, lime paint has a more absorbent patina, which means liquid stains are absorbed, and the finish can be damaged by scrubbing.
However, since lime pain is antimicrobial, it is ok to leave uncleaned. Once the stains or dirt really start to look bad, you can paint over them with another coat of the lime wash.
Can you paint over limewash paint with latex?
Most paint brands require the use of a specific primer in this case. The primer allows the limewash paint to adhere to the walls.
What are the best limewash paint brands?
You can buy limewash paint online from a variety of sellers. The most important thing to do will be to find a company that ships to your area and has a paint color you love!
I recommend starting your search with Color Atelier, J.H. Wall Paints, and Portola Paints and Glazes.
Why should you use limewash paint?
I highly recommend you consider lime paint for your next painting project. These paints are environmentally friendly and add depth to your space. They truly transform the spaces you use them in.
From limewashed brick to walls, these beautiful paints will give character to your space. If you have questions or have an experience with limewash paints you want to share, leave me a comment below!
Whether you are painting a nursery, refinishing a piece of furniture, or in need of finger-paints for young children, it’s important to consider the safety of the paints you buy. Though babies’ weakened immune systems make finding baby-safe paint especially important, buying safe, eco-friendly paint is important for your health and for the environment.
VOC-free wall paints fall into essentially three categories: small, medium, and large brands. I’d recommend starting with the medium brands. These brands have a pleasant online shopping experience as well as plenty of reviews.
I highly recommend ECOS and Clare. These are medium-sized brands selling high-quality, eco-friendly paints that are, of course, VOC free.
With a broad color selection and reasonable pricing, you’ll be able to use these paints all throughout your home.
You can also purchase zero VOC paints from smaller bands like Green Planet Paints and Green Building Supply. While smaller brands may have limited colors or provide a less up-to-date online shopping experience, they often have quality products and a helpful customer service team.
While big-name brands like Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, and Valspar are a logical first choice when paint shopping, they are my last resort. Newer brands that originated specifically to offer eco-friendly paints typically develop formulas from the ground up using high-quality pigments, environmentally conscious processing methods, and clean ingredients.
In contrast, brands that were previously selling VOC laden paints will generally just make a couple of adjustments to their original formulation. This results in an inferior product often containing compounds that, while not labeled VOCs, are similar in the way they off-gas into your home.
While we’re discussing interior paints, I want to mention ProSolutions Fiberlock ChildGaurd lead-blocking primer. If you’ve purchased an older home where lead paint was used, it is essential to remove the lead paint or seal it in. While the Fiberlock paint isn’t VOC free, it is safer, easier, and cheaper than trying to remove lead paint, and lead is far more dangerous than VOCs.
While there are lots of new VOC-free wall paints in the market, my absolute favorite has been around for centuries. Lime paint is naturally VOC-free and non-toxic.
Beyond being extraordinarily good for the environment, lime paints are colored with pigments from the earth, leading to colors with lots of character. Please check out some of our other articles for more information on lime paint and brand recommendations.
If you’re searching for baby-safe paint for a crib, a pet-safe paint for your doghouse or cat tower, or an eco-friendly and safe paint for any furniture in your home, you have lots of high-quality choices! While each of the products below are VOC-free furniture paints, they all have unique properties that are best suited to unique applications.
Fusion Mineral Paint is a satin finish, all in one, multipurpose paint. It is completely VOC free and doesn’t need to be primed or sealed! This is super important since some VOC-free paints need to be primed or sealed with VOC laden products.
Fusion’s mineral paint is super simple to use. The brand sells all the tools you’ll need to use with the paint making them an easy one-stop-shop.
With a large selection of gorgeous colors in a rich satiny-matte finish, this paint is perfect for a wide variety of projects. I especially like to use it on intricate projects with a lot of surface area since I don’t have to go back over it with a sealer.
Dixie Belle’s chalk paint line is a beautiful and high-quality selection of chalky-matte paints. Like Fusion, Dixie Belle’s paints do not need to be sealed. However, they sell a huge assortment of finishes, some for additional protection and some for style.
My favorite thing about Dixie Belle is their passionate team of retail sellers. There is so much information about each of the Dixie Belle products, both on the Dixie Belle website and from their retailers. You’ll find tons of videos and tutorials and a ton of passionate people to help answer your questions.
Dixie Belle is another one stop shop, selling brushes, finishes, and all the tools you’ll need to complete a piece start to finish.
Milk paint, like lime paint, has been around for ages. In fact, milk and lime paint are very similar. On a basic level, milk paint is lime paint plus milk caseins.
If you haven’t worked with it before, milk paint is sold powdered since, once mixed, it doesn’t last very long. When you’re ready to paint, you mix the powder with water and shake to emulsify. Milk paint has a lot of unique properties and is unlike mineral and chalk paints. Check out this article for a little more information on the differences plus a review of a pre-mixed milk paint product.
To be clear, most milk paint brands are VOC free. Milk paints are known for being nontoxic and eco friendly. However, the Real Milk Paint Co. is a great place to start your milk paint shopping.
This company has a large color selection and sells a wide variety of finishes to choose from since you do need to seal milk paint.
While lots of brands create non-toxic acrylic paints for crafts, some people recommend avoiding these paints for babies and young toddlers. Acrylic paints are not designed for prolonged contact with the skin and they off-gas toxic chemicals.
I highly recommend starting with this article by Learn Play Imagine. It is a great resource with links to all sorts of DIY paint recipes from sidewalk chalk to watercolors.
If you want to make edible finger paint for young children who will put their fingers in their mouths, you have essentially two options. Some parents make tasty finger paints that are fun to play with and eat. Check out this recipe for a finger paint made with yogurt.
However, other parents prefer to use an unflavored paint. It’s safe if the baby sticks a couple fingers in their mouth, and it helps build the habit of not eating paint. These two recipes (1, 2) use cornstarch, and this recipe uses flour.
If you prefer to buy paint, you can get these powdered paints on Amazon. They are safe to eat and just need to be mixed with water. TheTot.com is also a great spot to get non-toxic craft supplies if you’re not into DIY.
Slaked lime has been used for centuries to create paints and washes for brick, stone, wood, and other porous materials. In today’s market you’ll find a variety of lime products. Let’s look at what each is and what they’re designed for.
Lime wash pastes were designed as an efficient way to distribute large amounts of limewash to a buyer. The pastes have a traditional formulation with slaked lime and natural pigments and are aged to give them their characteristic finish.
When you’re ready, you mix the paste with water to your desired consistency and apply. These lime wash pastes are typically designed for use on natural brick or stone. The lime wash will calcify to the masonry while allowing the masonry to breathe.
“Breathing” in this sense means that the moisture all masonry naturally absorbs will evaporate. Other finishes like latex paint do not allow water to evaporate, which will weaken the masonry and destroy the paint.
Romabio is the number one seller of lime wash pastes. The product is manufactured in Italy and gives a beautiful, old-world finish to brick and stone, and you can choose between multiple neutral colors.
Lime paint is typically designed for interior use and will come in a can just like any other interior latex paint. However, lime paint and latex paints are completely different.
Perhaps the most important difference is that lime paints are formulated with natural pigments and ingredients. Lime paints are completely VOC free, making them a popular choice for nurseries and children’s playrooms.
Lime paint is typically designed for interior use and will come in a can just like any other interior latex paint. However, lime paint and latex paints are completely different.
Perhaps the most important difference is that lime paints are formulated with natural pigments and ingredients. Lime paints are completely VOC free, making them a popular choice for nurseries and children’s playrooms.
Lime paints come in a variety of beautiful colors, and can be used on a variety of surfaces including exterior and interior masonry, interior walls, and other surfaces. Each paint manufacturer will have slightly more specific lists of what the paint should be used for.
The surface this paint is applied to will breathe, preserving the strength of the wood or masonry. Plus, the paint only looks better as it ages.
Another important difference between lime paint and other wall paints is the finish. While a latex paint is uniform in color and will come in a variety of sheens (e.g. matte, eggshell, satin, etc.), lime paint has subtle color movements and a velvety finish.
The velvety finish gives a space a soft and welcoming ambiance and the natural color variation is really unique and beautiful. You have some control over the strength of the color variation based on the application technique you use.
You can purchase lime paint from a couple manufacturers like Color Atelier and Vasari.
Lime paints and pastes are relatively similar in formulation. However, there are small differences making each more suitable for their individual applications. To cover the exterior of a home, a lime paste will be more suitable. It comes in a concentrated form, and you can choose the dilution of the paste to find the perfect finish.
In the interior of your home, a lime paint will be more suitable. You’ll have more colors to choose from, and it will come premixed to the perfect consistency for painting.
Hydrated lime is a slaked lime powder. Typically, it’s mixed with salt and water to form a basic lime wash. This can be colored with various natural pigments as well.
Simple lime wash made with slaked lime can be used on any unfinished porous surface like brick, stone, or wood. The lime wash will finish the surface without sealing it, which allows the surface to breathe.
Lime wash made this way has no VOCs so it’s safe for pets and people. Lime wash is also antimicrobial, antifungal, and an insecticide. This makes it a popular choice for chicken coops, treehouses, and other raw wood, outdoor applications.
While you may be able to find small amounts of hydrated lime at local stores, it will be much cheaper to buy in bulk online.
The key differences between this product and lime paints and putties is (1) price and (2) the aging and lack thereof. Buying hydrated lime in bulk is incredibly affordable. It’s often used in industrial applications.
Lime wash made with hydrated lime usually isn’t aged like lime paints and pastes so it won’t give the same finish. Again, this makes it more suitable for industrial applications especially in the farming and agricultural industries. However, lime wash from hydrated lime does have its place in residential and private use.
Liming wax is in a category all on it’s own. While there are a variety of formulations, it is essentially slaked lime mixed with a waxy substance or substances. It’s used to give a weathered, beachy finish to furniture.
The liming wax is designed to sit in the wood grain but not on top of it. It dries white and really helps the grain of the wood to stand out. It gives a bleached effect without harsh chemicals.
While lime products are all somewhat similar, they each have an individual purpose they’re most suited for.
If you have any questions or have an experience with lime products you’d like to share, leave us a comment! If you found this article helpful, consider signing up for our email list where you’ll be notified of new content and given access to special promotions.
