Lime for painting: Whitewashing. Do you know? Full guide here.

Antonio Neves
Written by
Antonio Neves
Published on
9/3/2024
Updated on
30/3/2024
Lime for painting: Whitewashing. Do you know? Full guide here.

Lime for painting: Whitewashing. Do you know? Full guide here.

Painting with lime, or Whitewashing, is one of the oldest and simplest ways to paint a wall. But is it really a good option for you to use in your business? If you are thinking of using lime to paint your house and need more information about this procedure, this article is for you.

Here, you have access to a complete guide on how the whitewashing process can be an option to do the surfacing of its construction.

Of course, the traditional method ends up being the most chosen by professionals, as it is safer and more well-known. But, this does not rule out the possibility that you can use lime for painting.

What you need to understand is that they are different things and that each one serves a purpose. Today, our focus is on whitewashing, a procedure that is still widely used and often ideal for some cases.

If you are interested in this topic, I am sure that this article will be very useful to you. Here, you will learn what whitewashing is, what are its advantages, disadvantages, where you can use it and how to prepare the mixture and apply the lime to the wall. So read to the end, as I guarantee you won't regret it!

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What is whitewashing?

First of all, let's understand what whitewashing consists of, this ancient procedure that is still one of the options for coating buildings.

Whitewashing consists of painting using lime, obtained by the thermal decomposition of limestone, an ore found in nature. With the arrival of industrialized paints, whitewashing fell out of use, but it is still a very interesting option, especially when the budget is tight. Thus, lime for painting is a cheap and efficient alternative, being a simple and rustic way to cover walls.

If you don't want to spend money on painting your house, lime produced for this purpose is an assertive alternative, as it is cheap, yields and is easy to find. In addition, it can acquire different colors with the addition of pigments easily found in building material stores.

Lime also adheres very well to various types of surfaces, especially the most porous and rough ones, and is not recommended only on acrylic putty, on surfaces that are too smooth (ceramic) or reinforced concrete. Therefore, in most cases, both on external and internal walls, whitewash goes super well.

What are its advantages?

Get to know the pluses What lime can offer for your work can help you a lot in deciding if whitewashing is an interesting option for what you need. Read carefully and then, knowing its drawbacks too, it's easy to decide whether or not it's worth using it.

Kayaking, therefore, offers several benefits where it is used, including:

  • Much more economical than industrialized paints;
  • Easy application;
  • Easy to find;
  • Disguises wall defects;
  • Excellent adhesion to various types of surfaces and durability;
  • It does not create a film on the surface, allowing gas exchange to continue to take place;
  • It can be used in large and varied areas, such as walls, facades and internal walls;
  • Good fixation, which can be washed 10 days after application;
  • Free of toxic substances.
  • Excellent finish to give a rustic and natural air;
  • It prevents the appearance of fungi and bacteria;
  • Great option to protect walls exposed to the sea air;
  • If done correctly and if the lime is of good quality, it has a durability similar to traditional paints.

Did you just see how lime for painting has many advantages and can be very useful for your work? You can't argue that the whitewashing process is interesting, but before hitting the hammer on that choice, take a look at the disadvantages, in the next topic, that they present.

And drawbacks?

In addition to knowing all the advantages of using lime for painting, which are many, you also need to understand what are its disadvantages and its negative points. Then, read this topic to understand and compare the advantages and disadvantages. That way, you'll be able to put it in the balance to decide if it's a good fit for you!

When we talk about the disadvantages that whitewashing can offer, we have the following aspects:

  • The color fades more easily: places covered with lime, cannot be washed as often, and the action of heavy rains can cause fading or peeling of the coating.
  • It is not waterproof: traditional paints have a very large waterproofing function, which helps prevent infiltration. This is not the case with surfaces that are covered by the whitewashing process, which are more susceptible to the action of water.
  • Finish: although lime in paint is a good option to give an interesting finish to surfaces, it does not compare with the final result of using a traditional paint. The difference is visible.

These are the main disadvantages of using whitewash for painting. There are not many of them, but you need to evaluate them calmly to better understand this procedure.

Where to use whitewashing?

Lime painting requires little material, availability of financial resources and specialized labor, offering satisfactory results. However, the mixture must be prepared and applied correctly. In this sense, it is essential to understand where you can use whitewashing, as not all surfaces can receive this type of coating.

After all, where can you use lime for painting? It can be applied in the following cases: external and internal walls, rustic and porous surfaces, walls, facades and even on damp, cool walls. It is not recommended to use whitewashing in the following places: very smooth surfaces (such as ceramics), on acrylic putty or putty, walls that have already received other types of paints and on reinforced concrete surfaces.

Respecting these limitations, it is possible to enjoy the many benefits that whitewashing can provide for your work. Just follow these recommendations and expert guidance.

How to prepare the mixture for painting with lime?

Prepare the mixture from lime to paint is a fundamental step to guarantee a satisfactory final result. In addition to the application being done correctly, the mixture must be prepared in such a way that it meets the minimum requirements for its effectiveness. Remember that it is essential to consult a specialist and follow his recommendations, but we can summarize the steps of preparing the mixture in a few topics since it is a very simple procedure, which are:

  • Mix 3 liters of water for every 1 kg of lime;
  • Apply the mixture horizontally;
  • If applied vertically, the mixture should be more viscous, consisting of 1 kg of lime for 1.5 liters of water.

The mixture must be applied twice, with an interval of 24 hours between coats. The first layer serves to seal the surface while the second is to give the final finish.

I'll give you a golden tip: after the surface dries, you need to water it to ensure greater protection against the action of water and its possible consequences, the pathological manifestations. To avoid infiltration, fungi, mold, in short, any problem resulting from contact with water, you must apply BlokSeal CC on the coating after curing, the perfect water repellent to prevent the passage of water, protecting the surface without altering the color and shine and preventing the accumulation of dirt, making it easier to clean. To learn more about this fantastic product, talk to the team at Blok.

Conclusion

As you can see with the information I provided here today for you, whitewashing is an interesting procedure that may be useful for your work. Analyzing its characteristics, it is possible to decide whether it is worth using it or whether it is better to resort to traditional paints. If you choose lime for painting, don't forget to apply BlokSeal CC to guarantee a preserved and beautiful surface for much longer, right? I hope you have answered your doubts about this issue. Until next time!

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