To clean limewashed walls, we recommend lightly wiping with a clean, damp cloth. Ensure that you do not scrub, use excessive water or use any soaps on the limewash, as this will damage the surface.

Do not clean your limewashed wall too soon after painting. Our paints become more durable after they have cured and hardened on the surface. Allow up to 2 weeks for your walls to properly cure.

Here at Bauwerk, we believe that children deserve a safe home, free from harmful substances that could affect their long-term health. Babies are particularly vulnerable to chemical exposure, as their skin absorbs up to three times more chemicals than adults, and they breathe twice as much air, increasing their exposure to airborne toxins. Due to the natural makeup of our paints, our limewash is solvent and VOC free, 100% non-toxic and does not contain plastics or chemicals.

We do not add any chemicals to our paints to make our paints scrubbable, nor do we add artificial nanoparticles to protect the surface. We place a higher value on a safe environment than a ‘perfect’ finish. Yes, children will touch the walls and sometimes scribble on them. But that is something even a chemically laden paint seldom survives without a visible trace. It is safer and often times quicker to simply paint over the mess small children can create. If you use a very light coloured shade, like Chalk, this can be done just as a localised patch without the need to redecorate the entire wall.

Limewash paints have a different composition and underlying structure, which means they work a little differently than conventional paints.

Durability

When painting Bauwerk Limewash Paint over porous materials such as render, cement, bricks or concrete, our paints are exceptionally durable because they are absorbed into the surface. Because our paints are absorbed, they do not create a film over the surface like a conventional paint. They penetrate into the micro pore structure and return to a state of stone with millions of micro-crystals, which refract light uniquely.

If you are painting over sealed or previously painted walls, the look will be the same, but limewash will not be as indestructible as more conventional, non-natural paints.

Whites and light colours are very durable, and they are very easily patchable. It is good to specify lighter colours where you wish to have greater durability.

Learn more about durability.

Cleaning and General Maintenance

To maintain your walls, or if they just need a refresh, it is very easy to apply another layer of your limewash. To do so:

• Brush off any dust. Light surface contamination can be dabbed off with a clean linen cloth. Wax or oil spills should be sanded back.
• Apply a fresh coat of limewash paint to the nearest break (like the corner of a wall). If you're using one of our lightest 'white' shades, you can simply cover the area needed as it will blend with the existing limewash paint. Touch-up of smaller surface areas is best done by applying very little paint onto the brush, dabbing it on the area that needs touch up, and feathering it out in all directions.
• There is no need to remove existing lime paint. Long-term maintenance is therefore easier with limewash paints, as older layers never require stripping back. They can easily painted over when parts have worn thinner.
  

Be aware that our paints are susceptible to marking when splashed with oils or fats due to their chalky nature. When using in kitchens or bathrooms, be mindful of placement. Learn more about limewashing kitchens and bathrooms.

Scrubbable & Washable
If we were to make our paints scrubbable, then we would need to change the nature of our paint to include chemicals. We don’t want to use or introduce these unnecessary chemicals into our environment. Also, our paint would lose it's unique glow and texture, which is a result of the refraction of light off of the millions of micro-crystals from the limestone used.


Ultimately choose Bauwerk Colour limewash paints because you love the way they look, and the way they don't harm our environment.

For ease of maintence choose one of our 'whites' or very light colours. They are very durable and very easily spot-patchable. Some of our favourites for this purpose are the colours Chalk, Stone or Bleached White from our family of white limewash paint colours.

Allow for regularly scheduled maintenance to protect and nourish original and repaired render surfaces. We suggest a yearly inspection.

Maintaining your limewashed external garden wall is straightforward. You can opt for spot repairs or apply a fresh coat across the entire surface. There's no need to remove previous layers of limewash paint.

If your walls have flaking or bubbling paint (oil or water-based), you have two options. You can strip it back or remove easily removable parts and accept that you may need to touch up areas where old paint comes off for the next few seasons.

Please note: Horizontal surfaces may receive more weather exposure and therefore may require more frequent touchups. Efflorescence, soluble salts, or other substances like tannins, may seep out of the walls. Limewash paint does not conceal these substances and they may be visible through your paint finish. The need for maintenance coats depends on the wall construction quality and exposure to heavy rain and prolonged humidity.

Incompatible Materials

Bauwerk Limewash Paint is not compatible with all types of silicones, glossy surfaces, highly hydrophobic materials, and timber that contains tannins as it will cause discolouration.

Like all surfaces subject to wear and tear, your Limewashed walls may require maintenance over time. We recommend simply applying a light refresher coat of limewash paint to maintain your walls. It is quick, easy and makes your walls more beautiful and durable with every layer. 

We work with nature to make paints that are good for the environment including your home environment, many standard paints have a toxic mix of chemicals such as biocides, plastics and heavy metals to make them function as paints that stick to your wall, and make it possible to scrub them. With natural antibacterial qualities, our paints are suitable for a high-humidity environment. We have specially developed our Bauwerk Prep Coat as a bridge coat between standard paint and primers to make Limewash more durable, and easy to apply. If your walls need a refresh, simply whoosh on another coat of limewash, it's quick and easy, and it can be repainted anytime. Each coat makes it more durable and best of all more beautiful, every coat just enhances what is there.

In most cases, you can simply apply one or two new coats of limewash over your existing Bauwerk Limewash. However, there are a few exceptions to keep in mind:

• If your wall is damaged and needs patching, you'll need to start again with primer and Prep Coat.
• If you're painting a lighter colour over a much darker one, it’s a good idea to use Bauwerk Prep Coat to create a fresh, white base.

For more technical information, contact sales@bauwerkcolour.com