From first call to a cured wall
Aurora Limewash: What to Expect From a Limewash Project in Aurora
A step-by-step look at a typical exterior limewash, so nothing about the visit or the work is a surprise.
- Aurora and ten towns within 20 miles
- Written price before work starts
- Licensed, insured local contractors
- Historic district rules covered
Aurora Limewash wrote this walkthrough for owners of brick homes around Aurora who have never had limewash done and want to know what the process looks like. Every contractor works a little differently, but a careful limewash job follows the same order, because each step depends on the one before it.
The first call
Expect questions about the house rather than a price over the phone: the town, whether the brick has ever been painted or sealed, how much shows and on how many storeys, and the look you want. If the house might be in a historic district, this is when to say so. The contact page lists what helps.
The site visit
The contractor splashes the brick to test absorption, checks the mortar, looks for efflorescence, staining and old paint, and measures the masonry. You talk colour and coverage, from a faint wash to near-solid white. A written price follows the visit, and it should say what preparation is included.
Not sure what your brick will take? Describe the house, the brick and the look you want, and get a straight answer on coats, prep and a typical price.
Call (630) 528-2808Approval, if you need it
In a historic district in Aurora, St. Charles, Batavia or Geneva, the certificate comes before any work. A test panel and the product's published data help the application. Homeowners associations may want their own sign-off.
Preparation day
Windows, trim, doors, lights, plants and paving are covered, because limewash is caustic while wet, with a pH of 13 on the maker's data. The brick is washed, efflorescence and growth are cleaned off, and any repointing or paint stripping is done first. New mortar is left to cure before limewash goes over it.
The test patch
A small area is washed at the agreed dilution on a less visible wall and left to dry. You judge it dry, in daylight. If it is wrong, the maker's 5 to 7 day reversibility window means it can be washed back and adjusted.
Application
The wall is dampened, then the first coat is brushed on with a wide masonry brush, often starting on the shaded side. Romabio's instructions give 2 to 8 hours of drying before the second coat. For the aged look, the wash is sprayed or wiped back as it sets, letting brick show through. After 3 to 4 hours of drying, normal rain no longer affects it.
Not sure what your brick will take? Describe the house, the brick and the look you want, and get a straight answer on coats, prep and a typical price.
Call (630) 528-2808Cure and clean-up
Protection comes off, splashes are rinsed, and the wall is left to cure. It will keep lightening for several days as it dries out and hardens. Most owners are surprised by how much softer the finished wall looks than it did wet.
The years after
The finish weathers gradually. HomeGuide puts reapplication at every 5 to 7 years to keep the original coverage, and a recoat is a re-wet and brush, covered on the limewash touch-up page. Keep a note of the product and tint, because it makes matching easy later.
Living in the house during the work
Exterior limewash is outdoor work, so most households carry on as normal. Windows near the wall being washed stay closed while the crew works, and anything parked next to the house is moved. Pets and children should keep clear of wet limewash and of the buckets, because lime is caustic until it has dried and hardened. Interior jobs, like a fireplace, mean one room out of use for the day and some furniture moved.
What a fair warranty looks like
Ask what the contractor stands behind and for how long, and get it in writing. Limewash is designed to weather gradually, so a warranty against fading would not make sense; what matters is workmanship, such as limewash that fails to bond on properly prepared brick, or damage to surrounding surfaces. Ask too whether touch-ups in the first season are included, since that is when any patchy areas show.
Paying for the job
A written price should come before any work, and it should list the product, the coats, the preparation and the protection. Many contractors ask for a deposit to schedule the work, with the balance on completion. Settle the payment terms when you accept the quote, and keep the approval from any historic district or homeowners association with the paperwork.
The days after the last coat
For the first days, the limewash keeps changing as it dries and hardens, usually getting lighter and more even. Avoid washing the wall or aiming sprinklers at it while it cures. Romabio says normal rain will not affect it after 3 to 4 hours of drying, so an ordinary shower is nothing to worry about. If any area looks wrong after it has fully dried, raise it with the contractor within the first week, while the maker's 5 to 7 day reversibility window still makes adjustments easy.
Keeping it looking right
Limewash needs no regular cleaning. Keep sprinklers pointed away from the wall, keep gutters and downspouts working so water is not running down the brick, and let plants grow back from the wall a little so it can dry. When exposed walls start to show more brick than you like, a recoat is a short job.
Questions people ask
How long does a limewash project take?
Preparation, a test patch, and two coats with 2 to 8 hours between them. The contractor sets the schedule with the written price.
Do I need to be home during limewashing?
Not usually for the work itself, but be there for the site visit and to judge the test patch.
Why does limewash look darker when wet?
It dries much lighter as it cures. Judge the colour only once a patch is fully dry, in daylight.
What should a limewash quote include?
The product, number of coats, preparation such as cleaning, repointing or stripping, protection and clean-up.
What happens if I do not like the test patch?
It can be washed back in the first 5 to 7 days and the dilution adjusted before the whole house is done.
Do I need to move plants away from the house?
Plants next to the wall are covered during the work, because limewash is caustic while wet. Ask the crew about anything delicate.
When can I judge the final colour?
Once it has fully dried, usually after several days. Limewash keeps lightening as it cures.
Talk it through before anyone opens a bucket
Say what the brick is, whether it has ever been painted or sealed, and how much of it shows from the street. You will hear what the job usually involves, what it tends to cost, and whether your town needs a sign-off first.
Call (630) 528-2808