How Many Coats of Limewash Paint, and How Long Between Them?

Short answer. Most limewash paints need two or more coats, while true limewash made from lime putty usually needs three or more very thin coats to build an even colour. Each coat should be dry to the touch before the next, which is often several hours and can mean leaving it overnight. The colour keeps settling for days or weeks afterwards as the lime cures.

Why lime needs more coats than ordinary paint

Ordinary emulsion is designed to hide what is under it in one or two coats. Limewash works the other way. Each coat is thin and partly see through, and the soft, cloudy look comes from layering. True limewash is the thinnest of all, so it needs the most coats.

Limewash paints are thicker, so they usually need fewer. The exact number depends on the product, the colour and the surface.

A general guide to coats

• True limewash on bare lime plaster or stone. Commonly three to five thin coats, sometimes more for a strong colour.
• Limewash paint on a prepared wall. Often two coats, with a third if the colour is uneven.
• Refreshing old limewash. Often one or two coats over the existing surface once brushed down.

Strong or deep colours tend to need more coats than soft whites and stones, because the first coats can look streaky. A very absorbent wall, such as old brick, can also drink the first coat and need an extra one. Always check the instructions on your product. Zavoré's Lime Paint page has the details for that product, and you can ask us if anything is unclear.

How long to wait between coats

Each coat should be dry to the touch before the next goes on. In a warm, airy room that may be a few hours. In a cold or damp room, or outside in cool weather, it can take much longer. Many people leave lime coats overnight.

Do not rush drying with heaters or fans pointed at the wall. Lime that dries too fast can turn powdery. For true limewash, misting the wall with water before each coat helps the new coat bond and dry evenly.

When the finish is really done

Lime goes on dark and dries much paler. It then keeps settling as it cures, taking in carbon dioxide from the air. This can take days or weeks. Wait until the wall is fully dry before you judge whether it needs another coat or decide the colour is wrong.

Small differences in tone at this stage are normal and are part of the look, so do not add a coat just to make every part match perfectly. Hold off hanging pictures or pushing furniture against fresh walls for a few days so the surface is not marked while it hardens.

Planning your days

Because of drying time, limewash is rarely a one day job. A room with three coats might run over three days or more. Outside, the weather decides the timetable. Our guide on how to apply limewash explains each step.

To see how your colour looks fully dry, order a sample board. For advice, call 07592 929191 or email sales@zavore.co.uk, or read about our limewash installation.

Questions we get asked

Why does my limewash look darker when wet?

Lime always looks darker wet and dries much paler. Judge the colour only when the wall is fully dry.

Can I do two coats in one day?

Sometimes, in a warm, airy room with a thin product. Wait until the first coat is dry to the touch.

What happens if I put the next coat on too soon?

You can lift or drag the coat underneath, which leads to streaks and patches.