Understanding Texture
Achieving the right texture for wall surface and your painted limewash finish
The signature look of limewash paint
One of the defining characteristics of limewash paint is its cloudy, mottled appearance. Limewash paint is absorbed into the surface so the visual depth is not created with a physical, three-dimensional buildup, but by minerals in the paint catching the light.
Limewash paints easily adhere to rough surfaces and enhance smooth ones, thanks to the natural colour variations that develop within the paint. Your colour choice and application technique can help influence the level of visual texture in the final paint finish. It's difficult to define what limewash colours will or won't produce strong visual texture as there are a lot of external factors, but we can offer some recommendations based on your desired outcome.
Q. Can I limewash my walls if they already have some texture? Would I need to skim coat first?
Limewash paint will not change the underlying texture of your wall, it will only add colour. If you are looking for more or less texture of your substrate (surface) you would need to either create more texture with another layer of suitable material or smooth it over with a suitable skim coat material.
For more on applying limewash paint, take a look at our application instructions
This is a limestone wall that has been painted with limewash paint. Similarly, you can paint over rough stucco or lime plaster. Learn more about applying to different materials in Surface Guides
Q. Can I create texture with limewash paint?
Even on smooth surfaces, limewash paint effortlessly adds texture, especially with darker shades. For whites and very pale colours, achieving this effect requires a bit more thought. See below for more on what texture to expect from 'white' paint colours.
With mid to dark colours, creating texture with limewash paint often comes down to your brush technique. There's no right or wrong approach—feel free to experiment and find your own unique method for achieving interesting wall finishes. Below, you'll find common application techniques and their effects on visual texture.
Visit our Youtube Channel for more tutorials and tips + tricks.
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Typically limewash paint produces a cloudy, mottled appearance, but, this visual effect is much more subtle in our palest paints because white is a shade, not a colour, and the appearance of texture can only be created with colour. This typically applies to the following paints in our collection:
- Whitewash
- Chalk
- Stone
- Raw White
- Bleached White
- Transparent White
- Eggshell
- Intention
Depending on your desired outcome, here are some options to consider.
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Q. How can I maximise texture in my white limewash colour?
Apply your chosen white limewash paint using one of the hacks below to increase the texture contrast.
Prep Coat + smaller brush
Apply Bauwerk Prep Coat before limewashing regardless of your surface material. Apply your initial layer(s) of limewash as normal, but on your last coat use the traditional cloud painting technique with a smaller brush, like our 3cm x 10cm Block Brush. This method increases the number of brush strokes and angles for light to bounce off of, resulting in more visual interest.
Application Technique
Paint using our traditional cloud technique, making a large painted area. However, don't join them up or blend the edges together...leave them as separate clouds. This approach will leave more visible nuance in the limewash paint. View our Cloud Painting Technique here.
Colour Underlay
Apply a darker colour limewash paint for your first coat. Cover this with 1-2 layers of your chosen white limewash. This will allow small areas of darker tone to peek through and provide tonal contrast, like this space using Hoarfrost and Raw White. Watch our Layering Technique Tutorial.
