Limewash Paint

• perfect for all modern and traditional projects
• lime or cement rendered walls
• mud / clay / gypsum plaster
• brickwork
• plaster board /drywall construction
• ceilings
• natural or artificial stone
• modern and historic buildings
• raw pine or similar wood panelling,
• natural or artificial (absorbent) stone
• adobe blocks, / rammed earth /mud brick,
• cement blocks / concrete, historic houses, strawbale.

Coverage per coat, per litre applied

7–10 m2 (75–107 ft2) unpainted walls
10–15 m2 (107–160 ft2) over BAUWERK Prep-Coat
15–20 m2 (160–215 ft2) prev. painted

Recommendations for coverage are to be used as a guide only, variation in quantity needed will depend on the porosity of the surface to be painted. We always recommend the use of Sample Pots for an accurate colour representation and consumption for your particular surface and light conditions.

STEP 1
First apply 2 coats of a good quality water based drywall/plasterboard undercoat-primer, to ensure an even absorbency across the wall surface. Do not use a solvent based product. Most building merchants can recommend the right product for you. Follow the manufacturers instructions, but apply at least two coats.

STEP 2
Then apply 1 coat of BAUWERK Prep Coat. You can use a roller to apply Prep Coat.
BAUWERK Prep Coat is not a sealer, it builds a bridge between a non- or very low absorbing surface and the following limewash application. It also creates a unified, matt white background with the correct absorbency for lime wash.

If you have a repaired or stained wall:
STEP 1
First apply 2 coats of a good quality water based drywall/plasterboard undercoat-primer, to ensure an even absorbency across the wall surface. Do not use a solvent based product. Most building merchants can recommend the right product for you. Follow the manufacturers instructions, but apply at least two coats.

STEP 2
Then apply 1 coat of BAUWERK Prep Coat. You can use a roller to apply Prep Coat.
BAUWERK Prep Coat is not a sealer, it builds a bridge between a non- or very low absorbing surface and the following limewash application. It also creates a unified, matt white background with the correct absorbency for lime wash.


Previously painted walls that are without damage, repairs or stains:
STEP 1
If previously painted walls have gloss paint, lightly sandpaper over. Matt finishes don't require sanding.

STEP 2
Apply 1 coat of BAUWERK Prep Coat. You can use a roller to apply Prep Coat. BAUWERK Prep Coat is not a sealer, it builds a bridge between a non- or very low absorbing surface and the following limewash application. It also creates a unified, matt white background with the correct absorbency for lime wash.

This concerns bricks, stone, mortar, concrete, render or similar materials

For exterior application make sure the weather is going to be clear for three days after application.
We recommend the ideal temperature for painting to be 8 – 30°C

STEP 1
If your surfaces are very dry and absorbent dampen walls sufficiently with clean water immediately prior to painting the first lime wash coat. That helps ensure the paint can be spread out thinly. Never add water to the paint.

The first lime paint coat can be applied as soon as surface is ready – no curing time needed. No other products are required.

This concerns bricks, stone, mortar, concrete, render or similar materials.

For exterior application make sure the weather is going to be clear for three days after application.
We recommend the ideal temperature for painting to be 8 – 30°C

Quick Makeover (internal and external)
STEP 1
Carry out any surface repair and remove all dust and loose particles. Sand well if previous paint has any gloss level.

STEP 2
Apply lime wash paint directly if you are not too concerned about a perfect finish and don't mind if some of the history of the walls repairs remain visible. Repairs will be lesser visible with white or lighter colours. Darker colours may show more surface variations.
Externally such a quick makeover will have less durability than a surface that has been properly recoated prior to limewash paint application.


Thorough Makeover (externally)
STEP 1
Carry out any surface repair and remove all dust and loose particles. Sand well if previous paint has any gloss level.

STEP 2
Either remove all previous paint finishes (exemption: lime wash paint finishes), or if that is either too costly or impractical and your older paint layers are well anchored on to the masonry surface, apply a new moderately absorbing finish, such as a cement based thin coat render.

STEP 3
Apply lime wash paint directly into the newly created finish. No other products are required.

When building or renovating, schedule BAUWERK painting to be the last trade.
With large expanses work to a natural break in the wall, with an assistant.

Stir thoroughly and decant in a suitable container or bucket.
We recommend a machine stirrer if you have one like a bamix stick blender, or egg whisk.
Ensure no pigment remains in the bucket, continue to stir paint regularly throughout the painting process.
Do not paint from a full paint bucket, decant and work with only around 8 cm (4 inches) of paint in a bucket.

Dip the brush into bucket, flick off the excess paint.
Brush can hold a lot of paint but should not be dripping.
Stir paint often.

Using a BAUWERK natural bristle brush, it is important to spread your paint as far as you can, use loose free strokes to stretch the paint as far as possible in a uniform direction.
Do not leave drips or runs.
Maintain a wet edge at all times to prevent colour overlays.

When wet it will be darker and transparent.
As it dries it will lighten to the chosen colour and become opaque.
It is very important not to overcompensate for this transparency by overloading the brush as this can result in white patches on your final finish.

We find that 2 coats is usually enough, but you may also add a 3rd if you wish.
If you find you have over applied or have runs or drips, lightly sand then reapply.

Check out our range of ‘how to’ videos on our website and Instagram Reels.

For exterior application make sure the weather is going to be clear for three days after application.
We recommend the ideal temperature for painting to be 8 – 30°C (45°F – 85°F)
Do not paint if surface and/or air temperature fall below 5°C (40°F) during application or curing.

Lime wash paint is touch dry usually in around one-two hours, however allow 12 hours between coats.
It will cure for about two weeks by slowly absorbing CO2 from the air.

Limewash paint should be stored in a airtight container, frost free, away from direct sunlight and out of reach from children.

Generally the paint should be used up within 6 months of purchase date. Many colours will store much longer, depending on the pigments the paint is made of.

Brushes wash out quickly with minimal water and without harm to groundwater.
Any lime wash paint leftovers are best allowed to completely dry out. Discard the remaining cake with normal household rubbish. Re-use the paint bucket, then recycle it.

Paint splashes can cause irritation to the skin and eyes. Please wear personal protection.
Store away from children.

BAUWERK lime wash paints, including the pigments, are completely VOC free. They do not contain biocides, formaldehydes, fungicides or other health damaging substances.
Also all of our paints are pure water based paints, free of solvents, free from ‘forever chemicals’, such as PFAS and artificial nano-particles.
Made from minerals, our limewash is naturally antibacterial, making it great for use by those with allergies.

Methylisothiazolinone

Methylisothiazolinone is used as a biocide in products such as cosmetics, wet towels, shampoos and also in conventional paints to prevent them from developing bacteria or fungal growth. In the case of conventional paints they are a problem as they off-gas for many months after they have been used to renovate a room.

Bauwerk Colour lime wash paints are completely free from biocides of any type, including Methylisothiazolinone.


Cadmium
Cadmium is a heavy metal and is present in a number of pigments used to create vibrant colours, such as a fire engine red or a Canary yellow.
BAUWERK Colour does not offer such shades of colour based on Cadmium containing pigments as we do not want to handle such pigments, nor do we believe they should be or need to be introduced into our homes, offices and interior spaces.


PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), known as “forever chemicals”
We do not add, nor promote the use of PFAS chemicals either as a ingredient of our lime wash paints, nor as finishing sealers.

This group of synthetic chemicals are used to prevent corrosion, reduce friction and make products waterproof and stain-resistant. PFAS also show up in paint and sealants.

PFAS’ incredibly strong carbon-flourine bonds mean these chemicals do not biodegrade. Renovations will not last for ever but PFAS persist and accumulate in soil, water, air, wildlife and our bodies. PFAS have been found in human breast milk and the blood of 97% of Americans. Exposure to some PFAS has been linked to fertility problems, changes in metabolism, and an increased risk of obesity and cancer – yet so much still remains unknown about their long-term consequences. The substances can take thousands of years or longer to degrade, and their health costs are estimated at €52-84bn (£45-73bn) a year.

Eroded by the elements or dumped down drains, PFAS end up in the water system. Once there, remediation – removing the pollution – is impossible. Water-treatment plants can use activated carbon to filter out some, but not all, PFAS and other contaminants, but it is expensive and requires high-temperature incineration. Most of the chemicals from that silky smooth painted wall or rust-free railing ultimately end up in the ocean.

Further information can be found here:
https://www.consumernotice.org/environmental/water-contamination/pfas/

And here is a guide on how to avoid PFAS:
https://www.consumernotice.org/environmental/water-contamination/pfas/how-to-avoid-pfas/


Artificial Nano Particles

Artificial Nano Particles are being praised as some of the new paint ingredients as making the paint application process so much easier. However, that convenience is marginal and up until now it is not clear, how such particles can affect human health. The particles are so small that they easily can pass through any cell membrane of the human body. The effects on that are still being studied, but risks include a change on the human DNA structure.

We believe such risks are completely avoidable and would therefore never include such substances into our lime wash paint.


Paint for people with MCS/CIRS syndrome. (Multiple chemical sensitive & chronic inflammatory response syndrome)
We can supply paint that is suitable for people suffering a multiple chemical sensitive & chronic inflammatory response syndrome.

The ingredients list would only include:

• pure calcium hydroxide
• natural clay
• mineral pigment (heavy metal free, only earthen pigments)
• water
  

The paint supplied would be 100% solvent and VOC free.

Only water vapour in the drying process would be released into the room.


If you suffer from MCS/CIRS syndrome and would like to paint your home please contact us and we will assist you.

SD-Value

Bauwerk lime wash paints have an SD value of 0,011 to 0,013. They belong to the top of the range of paints in terms of permeability.

A truly breathable paint should have an SD Value ranging from 0.01 to 0.05. This equates to moisture having to travel 1cm to 5cm to pass through the paint, meaning it has very little resistance and can pass freely without being slowed or stopped. Conventional masonry paints will likely have an SD Value of 1 or above. This equates to moisture having to travel through the equivalent of 1 metre of air to escape.

LRV value

We are very sorry, we are unable to determine light reflectance values due to the nature of the product. The reason is that lime based paints do not reflect light as conventional paint do. Conventional paint reflect light in a similar manner as a mirror. Lime paints, however, form millions of micro crystals that scatter the light, similar to a diamond. Hence the value changes with the viewing angle.

In buildings with accessibility requirements we do suggest a contrasting skirting colour if wall and floor colours are to be within a similar tonal colour range. 

We have also seen recessed skirting lighting as strip lighting, which will aid in the discerning between walls and floor.

Yes, Bauwerk paints are suitable for a high humidity environment. The paint is not film-forming and therefore not prone to blistering or peeling, even in high humidity environments such as bathrooms. Also, our paint is naturally anti-bacterial and will resist mould. 

The paint can be used on all wall and ceiling areas, except for the inside area of a shower or the immediate area adjacent to a bath.

We would also recommend that you use a splash back behind the sink and toilet areas, as lime paint is absorbent and can become stained by toothpaste etc. With white colours this is lesser of a concern. They are also really easily touched up and repainted.

Bauwerk Paint is not a water-proofing material, it is water resistant.

Some things to consider if you are building new or do a major upgrade:
The perfect substrate in a bathroom is an absorbent render. That can be either a cement or lime render or a mix of both.

There are very good pre-mixed thin coat renders available that can be used also over drywall construction or existing well adhering older renders, plaster or paint finishes. They add typically only 1-2 mm in thickness to the wall surface.
Also, any re-painting over such a surface will be very easy.

However, you can use Bauwerk Limewash Paint over conventional paints or new plasterboard, once the walls have been prepared to be equally absorbent (a water based dry wall primer, for instance).
It is then followed with one coat of BAUWERK Limewash Prep-Coat (can be rolled on), and finished by two applications of Bauwerk Lime Paint.

Generally we do not recommend to seal the finished walls - we try to keep it as natural as possible. Sealing the wall will also require another undercoat once you want to re-decorate in a few years time. Otherwise it is just another layer or two of Bauwerk Colour paint on top of your previous application, which is very quick and does not produce any fumes. They can be added on a need to basis.

By the way, many sealers rely for their seemingly magical properties on PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), known as “forever chemicals”. This group of synthetic chemicals are used to prevent corrosion, reduce friction and make products waterproof and stain-resistant. PFAS also show up in many paint (not in Bauwerk Paints!) and sealants.

PFAS’ incredibly strong carbon-flourine bonds mean these chemicals do not biodegrade. Renovations will not last for ever but PFAS persist and accumulate in soil, water, air, wildlife and our bodies. PFAS have been found in human breast milk and the blood of 97% of Americans.
Exposure to some PFAS has been linked to fertility problems, changes in metabolism, and an increased risk of obesity and cancer – yet so much still remains unknown about their long-term consequences.

Eroded by the elements or dumped down drains, PFAS end up in the water system. Once there, remediation – removing the pollution – is impossible. Water treatment plants can use activated carbon to filter out some, but not all, PFAS and other contaminants, but it is expensive and requires high-temperature incineration. Most of the chemicals from that silky smooth painted wall or rust-free railing ultimately end up in the ocean.

For the above reasons we are reluctant to make recommendations, please check the ingredients of the sealant you may choose and contact the manufacturer if you want to make sure to exclude such harmful substances.


However, there may be instances where a sealant is necessary or you just prefer it that way. In such a case please choose a water based sealer that dries completely flat/invisible. We would recommend to do a small test area first, some sealer make the paint appear a touch darker or lighter than without a sealer.

The most durable substrates in combination with lime wash paints are cement or lime based renders. Such finishes do not require any primers or undercoats, the paint is applied directly and do not mark as easily as the paint can penetrate deep into the substrate and bond there.

All prices are shown on the BAUWERK Colour websites. Select the region you want to ship to first.

In the Colour Lab you can select the colour you are interested in.
Next select the product.
Where we offer multiple sizes select GET STARTED and you will see the prices for each product variant.

If you are painting natural surfaces such as render or brick our paints are wonderfully durable as they are absorbed into the wall.

If you are painting our paints on already painted or sealed walls, they are not as scrubbable as other paints. Because our paints are made from natural materials, they are not made to be indestructible, it is part of the beautiful natural qualities of the paint. However they are perfectly durable enough and have been used in thousands of homes all over the world.
We have especially developed our BAUWERK Prep Coat as a bridge coat between standard paint and primers to make limewash more durable, and easy to apply. If your walls need a refresh, simply whoosh on another coat of limewash. Its quick and easy, your limewash surface can be repainted anytime without the inconvenience of smells or toxic fumes. Each coat makes it more durable and best of all more beautiful, every coat just enhances what is there.
With natural antibacterial qualities, our paints are suitable for a high humidity environment such as bathrooms or damp basements. and will not blister or bubble

Our paints are suitable for a high humidity environment. The paint is not film-forming and therefore not prone to blistering or peeling, even in high humidity environments such as bathrooms. Our paint is also naturally anti-bacterial and will resist mould. The paint can be used on all wall and ceiling areas, except for the inside area of a shower or the immediate area adjacent to a bath. We would also recommend that you use a splash back behind the sink and toilet areas, as lime paint is absorbent and can become stained by toothpaste. BAUWERK Limewash Paint is not a water-proofing material, it is water resistant.

You can use our paint over conventional paints or new plasterboard, once the walls have been prepared to be equally absorbent (a water based primer, for instance). It is then followed with one coat of our Limewash Prep-Coat (can be rolled on), and finished by two applications of BAUWERK Lime Paint.

Yes, provided that the old paint coat is stable and not flaking, is free of dirt, dust, grease and soluble salts. If there are different substrates in your wall ie. different materials – you may see a slight variation in the colour or ghosting. Gloss or semi gloss walls should be sandpapered – interior walls then should be undercoated with BAUWERK Prep Coat.
Check out our handy preparation guide for advice on the correct preparation.

Yes, they are. BAUWERK Limewash Paints have been used for many commercial projects, including:

- retail shops, such as clothing, furniture, juwellery, luxury goods, perfume, flower and gift shops to name just a few
- hotels in various locations around the globe, from tropical islands to resorts, from uptown luxury stays to simple B&B's
- head offices of large corporations, meeting rooms and common areas
- hospitality industry, such as coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores et cetera
- museums, art galleries and exhibitions
- film and photo shoots, lime wash paints are preferred as they are completely matt in appearance and dry very quickly

Yes, we do. If you are specifying colours for your clients please contact us via Email and we will assist you.
Also you can apply to our BAUWERK Trade Program and after we reviewed your application you might gain access to some exlusive products as well as a Discount.

We have many more FAQ's on many topics - see our main FAQ sections or Contact Us or feel free to provide feedback via our FEEDBACK widget on the side of this page.