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

Seven miles east of Aurora, across two counties

Aurora Limewash: Limewash in Naperville

From the historic district near North Central College to brick-front subdivisions, with the city's certificate rules in mind.

Call (630) 528-2808 See typical costs

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

Aurora Limewash arranges limewash, German smear and brick finishing for homes in Naperville, Illinois, about 6.7 miles east of Aurora, through local painting and masonry contractors. Naperville is the largest town in our area, with about 153,000 people across DuPage and Will counties, and only about 320 properties sit inside its local historic district.

A Naperville brick exterior typically runs $4,000 to $12,000 to limewash; start it inside the historic district without a Certificate of Appropriateness and the work can be stopped, and the $2 to $4 a square foot of stripping to undo it is yours.

$4,000 to $12,000 for a typical brick exterior

Limewashing a brick exterior in Naperville typically runs $4,000 to $12,000, at $4 to $8 a square foot as published by a limewash applicator working the Chicago suburbs. A brick front on a siding house is a smaller job, often $1,600 to $6,400 for 400 to 800 square feet of brick.

Get a price: (630) 528-2808

Signs a Naperville brick house is ready for a lighter look

A builder-grade brick front that no longer goes with updated siding and trim
Orange or multicolour brick that makes the house read older than it is
A brick fireplace inside that clashes with a renovated room
Bare brick with sound mortar that soaks up water when splashed

The historic district near downtown

Naperville has one locally designated historic district, about 320 properties including part of the North Central College campus and around 250 homes, plus five local landmark buildings. The city adopted its historic preservation ordinance in 2011; it sits in Title 6, Chapter 11 of the Municipal Code, and the Historic Preservation Commission uses the 2010 Historic Building Design and Resource Manual as a reference.

For a property in the district or a landmark, the city issues a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior alteration, construction or material change. Some work is exempt, some goes through a fast-track administrative review, and more complex work goes to the commission at a public meeting. The city's COA requirements table says which path a project takes, and the city also notes a building permit may still be needed. Check your address on the city's Your Place map before anything is scheduled.

Brick fronts across the newer subdivisions

Outside that district, most limewash in Naperville is on newer houses: brick across the ground floor of the street face, siding above and around the sides. That is the job the brick front limewash page covers. Dense face brick needs a splash test first, and a homeowners association may have its own colour rules, which are worth checking in writing.

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

Inside the house

Fireplaces and accent walls are the indoor half of the work here, and they need no city approval even in the historic district, which reviews exterior changes. Fireplace surrounds typically run $500 to $1,500.

Planning around the season

Exterior limewash follows the maker's weather rules: Romabio says not below 50°F or above 88°F, and not with two freezing nights to follow. In Naperville that means the same mid-May to early October window as the rest of the Fox Valley, so spring is when the calendar fills.

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to limewash a brick house in Naperville?

Typically $4,000 to $12,000 for a brick exterior, or $1,600 to $6,400 for a brick front on a siding house.

What are the signs my Naperville brick will take limewash?

It is bare, it soaks up a splash of water, and the mortar is sound. Sealed or painted brick needs other work first.

Do I need approval to limewash in Naperville's historic district?

Exterior material changes in the district need a Certificate of Appropriateness. The city's requirements table sets the review path.

Does my Naperville HOA need to approve limewash?

Many subdivision associations control exterior colours. Check the covenants and get approval in writing first.

Can a Naperville fireplace be limewashed in winter?

Yes. Interior work has no weather window and needs no historic district approval.

Common jobs here

Brick front limewash

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

The quickest way to change a room: a soft lime finish on the brick everyone looks at.
Exterior brick limewash

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

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.