Two-story suburban house near Naperville, IL with a limewashed brick front on the ground floor and greige vinyl siding above

For houses that are brick on the street side only

Aurora Limewash: Brick Front Limewash in Aurora

The brick front that makes a newer house look dated, softened to sit with the siding instead of fighting it.

Aurora and ten towns within 20 miles
Written price before work starts
Licensed, insured local contractors
Historic district rules covered

Aurora Limewash arranges limewash for brick front elevations in Aurora and the surrounding suburbs, the brick that runs across the street face of a house otherwise clad in siding. It is the most common limewash job on newer subdivision homes, and one of the most affordable, because the brick area is small.

A brick front limewash typically runs $1,600 to $6,400; painting that same brick with acrylic instead commits you to repainting every few years and to $1.50 to $9.50 a square foot in stripping if you ever want the brick back.

$1,600 to $6,400 for a 400 to 800 sq ft brick front

Measure the brick on the front, less windows and the garage door. A front with 400 to 800 square feet of masonry, at the $4 to $8 a square foot a Chicago-suburb limewash applicator publishes, works out to $1,600 to $6,400. Fronts that wrap the corners, a brick chimney chase, or a second-storey gable in brick add to it.

Get a price: (630) 528-2808

Signs a brick front is working against the house

The brick is a strong orange, red or multicolour blend that clashes with the siding colour
The siding has been replaced or repainted and the brick now looks like the old house
The brick front stops at the corners and the change of material looks abrupt
You are planning to sell and the front elevation is what buyers see first

Why brick fronts are the easy win

A brick front is usually a single plane at ground-floor height, reachable from a short ladder, with sound mortar because it is young. That combination makes it quick to prepare and quick to wash, and it is why the per-house price is a fraction of a full brick exterior.

The design job is the harder part. The limewash has to sit with the siding colour, the roof and the trim, so choosing the tint matters more than on an all-brick house. A warm white or a pale grey usually bridges the gap between red brick and greige siding.

Dense brick needs a test first

Some brick fronts use hard, dense face brick with a smooth or wire-cut face. Some absorb well; some barely absorb at all. A splash test and a small trial patch settle it. Where the brick is too dense for limewash, a mineral silicate paint gives a breathable alternative, covered on the brick painting page.

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) 528-2808

Corners, returns and where the wash stops

Where the brick returns a foot or two around the corner and then meets siding, the limewash should stop at a clean line on the brick, not on the siding. A crisp stop at the corner trim reads as intentional. A ragged one reads as an unfinished job, which is the one thing a front elevation cannot afford.

Subdivision rules before town rules

Newer subdivisions around Naperville, Plainfield and Oswego are rarely inside a historic district, but many have a homeowners association with exterior colour rules. Check the covenants and get any approval in writing before work starts.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to limewash a brick front?

Typically $1,600 to $6,400 for 400 to 800 square feet of brick at $4 to $8 a square foot. Wrapped corners and chimney chases add to it.

What are the signs a brick front would look better limewashed?

A brick colour that fights the siding, siding that has been updated while the brick has not, or an abrupt material change at the corners.

Will limewash work on newer, smooth brick?

Often, but not always. Dense face brick can absorb too little for limewash to bond, so a splash test and a trial patch come first.

Does my HOA need to approve limewash?

Many associations in newer subdivisions control exterior colours. Check your covenants and get approval in writing first.

How long does a brick front take?

Preparation, then two coats with 2 to 8 hours of drying between them. The contractor sets the schedule with the written price.

Often done together

Exterior brick limewash

A breathable lime finish over the whole brick exterior, from a faint wash to near-solid white.
Mineral paint for brick

For the owner who wants painted brick, without the peeling that ordinary paint brings.
Brick staining

The finish to choose when you want different brick, not white brick.

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.