Brick Painting
Previously painted brick and masonry recoated with breathable masonry paint after cleaning, repointing checks and priming.
DetailsExterior painting
Limewash and mineral paint in Park Ridge, IL
We apply limewash and mineral silicate paint to brick ranches, Georgians, chimneys and fireplaces around Park Ridge. These breathable finishes soften or change the color of masonry without sealing moisture into the wall, and we start with a dry sample panel.
- Dry sample panel before the full wall
- Breathable finishes for bare masonry
- Wash-back patina or fuller coverage
Short answer
Limewash is a lime-based finish that soaks into bare brick or stone and hardens inside the surface, leaving a matte, breathable color that wears slowly instead of peeling. Mineral silicate paint bonds into masonry for a more even, longer-lasting color. Both need bare, porous masonry. Around Park Ridge and nearby suburbs, limewash or mineral paint typically costs $3.10 to $6.95 per square foot, depending on coats, prep and wall height.
Paint lines we use most, matched to the surface: Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams and PPG for walls and trim, Romabio for limewash, Cabot and Sikkens for wood stain.
Benjamin MooreSherwin-WilliamsPPGBehrValsparFarrow & BallFine Paints of EuropeRomabioCabotSikkensZinsserRust-Oleum
How limewash and mineral paint differ from regular paint
Ordinary acrylic paint forms a film on top of the surface. Limewash does not. It soaks into porous brick, reacts with carbon dioxide in the air and hardens back toward limestone inside the surface. The result is a matte, chalky finish that lets water vapor pass through, and it wears slowly over years rather than peeling.
Mineral silicate paint works differently but aims for the same thing. It bonds chemically with the mineral surface, so it becomes part of the masonry instead of sitting on it. It gives a more even, solid color than limewash and lasts longer between coats while staying breathable.
Both need bare or mineral surfaces. Limewash will not stick to brick already coated with acrylic or oil paint. If your brick has been painted, the job moves to brick painting with a masonry paint, or to a conversation about whether the old coating can come off.
Choosing the look: soft wash, aged patina or fuller coverage
Limewash can read several ways depending on how it goes on. Brushed in one thin coat, it lets the brick color show through. Brushed on and then partly washed back with water while still wet, it gives the aged, old-world patina people often ask about for brick ranches and Tudor chimneys. Built up in two or three coats, it covers more fully but still reads softer than paint.
We always brush a sample panel on a hidden part of the wall and let it dry for at least a day. Limewash goes on dark and dries much lighter, and the color of the brick underneath changes how it reads. A dry sample in your own light avoids surprises across a whole house front.
Makers such as Romabio sell both limewash and mineral paint lines. We choose a product for the wall and the look you want, and only after checking its data for use on bare masonry.
- Thin single coat for a soft wash
- Wash-back for an aged, uneven patina
- Two or three coats for fuller coverage
- Mineral paint for even, longer-lasting color
Prep and weather for a lime finish that lasts
Limewash needs clean, damp, porous masonry. We wash the brick to remove dirt, mildew and loose material, then mist it right before applying so the lime does not dry too fast. It also wants moderate temperatures and slow drying, so we avoid hot afternoons in full sun and cold days near the bottom of the product's range. Mild days in late May, June and September usually suit it best near O'Hare.
Mortar joints must be sound before any finish goes on. Where joints are cracked or soft, we flag them for pointing first. Indoors, limewash on a brick fireplace surround or a basement brick wall follows the same steps, with floors and the hearth covered and the firebox left alone.
Is limewash a good fit for your brick?
These are the situations where we usually suggest limewash or mineral paint over regular paint.
Dated orange or red brick
Postwar ranch brick that feels heavy or dated can be softened toward white or gray while still reading as brick.
Mismatched additions
A newer addition or patch in a different brick can be blended with the original using a mineral paint or fuller limewash.
Brick that has never been painted
Bare masonry is what limewash needs. It changes the color without the film and peeling risk of paint.
Damp or older walls
Walls that hold some moisture do better with a breathable finish than with a tight film that traps water.
A fireplace you want lighter
Interior brick fireplace surrounds take limewash well and look softer than a painted fireplace.
How a limewash job runs from sample to final coat
Confirm the brick is bare
We test whether any sealer or paint is on the brick, since limewash only bonds to clean, porous masonry.
Brush a sample panel
A sample goes on a hidden area and dries for at least a day so you see the real color in your light.
Wash and protect
The masonry is washed, windows, trim and plants are covered, and the walk and driveway are protected.
Point weak joints
Small mortar gaps are filled or flagged for a mason before any finish goes on.
Mist and apply
We dampen the wall and brush the limewash or mineral paint into the brick and mortar, working in sections.
Wash back or recoat
For a patina we wash back while wet; for coverage we let it cure and apply the next coat.
What limewash costs on Park Ridge area brick
Limewash is priced by wall area, and the number of coats and the prep needed move the number most.
| What is priced | Typical range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Limewash or mineral paint on brick or stone | $3.10 to $6.95 | per sq ft |
| Pressure washing before application | $345 to $890 | per house |
| Color consultation with sample panels | $165 to $345 | per visit |
These are typical ranges, and our walk-through and sample panel set the real number for your wall.
Full painting price guideWhat moves the price
- Number of coats and whether wash-back is used
- Limewash versus mineral silicate paint
- Cleaning, sealers or old coatings that must come off
- Wall height, chimneys and access
- Mortar repairs needed before application
Lime finishes on suburban brick and in historic districts
Brick ranches and Georgians in Park Ridge, Niles, Morton Grove and Des Plaines are the most common limewash jobs we see. Owners like that it softens the brick without the look of a painted house, and that it wears gradually. When it thins out years later, another coat can go on without scraping.
Freeze-thaw cycles are the main reason we like breathable finishes on masonry here. Water that gets into a wall needs a way out. A film paint can trap it, and when it freezes it pushes the coating off or breaks the brick face. Limewash and mineral paint let that moisture leave.
Limewash still changes how unpainted brick looks from the street. If your house is in a local historic district in Oak Park, Evanston or Hinsdale, check with the village or city first before any coating goes on unpainted brick or stone. In townhome communities, check your association's approved colors. Interior fireplaces and walls not visible from the street are usually a simpler choice.
Where we do limewash & mineral paint
We take limewash & mineral paint jobs in Park Ridge and the suburbs around it. A few of the places we work most:
Limewash & Mineral Paint: common questions
How long does limewash last on a brick ranch exterior near Park Ridge?
Limewash wears gradually rather than peeling, with the sunny and splash-prone areas thinning first. How long it lasts depends on the number of coats, exposure and how much wash-back was used. When it thins, another coat goes on without scraping.
Can limewash go over brick that already has paint on it?
No. Limewash needs bare, porous masonry to soak into. Over paint it will not bond and will rub off. Painted brick needs a masonry paint instead, or the old coating removed first.
Can limewash be removed if we dislike the color on our brick?
Fresh limewash can often be partly washed back while still wet, and some products can be scrubbed off in the first days. Once fully cured it is much harder to remove, which is why we always do a dry sample panel first.
Can you limewash an interior brick fireplace in a suburban home?
Yes. We cover the floor and hearth, wash the brick, mist it and brush the limewash on in thin coats. The inside of the firebox is left alone. Most fireplace surrounds take a day or two including drying.
What is the difference between limewash and mineral silicate paint on brick?
Limewash gives a soft, uneven, chalky look and wears slowly over time. Mineral silicate paint bonds into the masonry for a more even, solid color that lasts longer between coats. Both stay breathable.
Work that often goes with this job
Color Consultation
Large painted samples on your actual walls, checked in morning and evening light before a single gallon is ordered.
DetailsPressure Washing
Siding, brick, decks and walkways washed at the right pressure for the surface, as prep or as yearly upkeep.
DetailsExterior House Painting
Full exterior repaints with scraping, priming of bare wood, caulking and two finish coats, timed to the local paint season.
DetailsBook a walk-through for limewash & mineral paint
Call any hour. Someone picks up, takes the details and books a time to walk the job with you.