Create a Distressed Limewash Finish on Brick Walls
Application Tutorial with Tips + Tricks
Words
© Andreas Riedel
Published
2025.02
How to get the look of worn or aged brick
This is the right guide for you if you want to learn how to limewash brick walls:
- for a rustic look that's full of character and charm.
- with a mottled colour (like the Lady Carolina Restaurant pictured here)
- control paint opacity to create a 'whitewashed look'
Distressed limewash on brick walls offers a beautifully worn, vintage aesthetic that brings dimension and character to your space. Whether you're toning down the bold red-orange hues of exposed brick with a 'whitewash' look or adding a new layer of colour, there are endless possibilities since you can control the level of transparency and rustic appeal to suit your style.
Distressed Limewashed Brick in Lady Carolina Restaurant
Distressed Application Technique
- Prepare the Surface: Clean the surface thoroughly before painting.
- Control Absorbency: Brush clean water onto the bricks to reduce absorbency. This controls the transparency of the finish. For highly absorbent bricks or to control transparency further, wet the surface before applying the first coat of limewash. Dip your brush in water occasionally to prevent specific areas from absorbing too much paint.
- Prepare the Limewash: Dip the Limewash Brush into the paint (about 1 cm) and shake off excess.
- Application Technique: Hold the brush at a right angle to the wall (as seen here); avoid excessive pressure. Spread the paint in all directions with light and easy strokes, varying direction constantly. Allow the bristles to do the work.
- Work Light and Fast: Work quickly, spreading the paint as far as possible. If the bricks are too dry, dampen them again.
- Avoid Excess Paint: Be mindful not to deposit too much paint into deep holes or recesses. Keep a cotton cloth on hand to gently wipe away any excess paint immediately.
Tips & Tricks
Tips & Tricks
Test and Play to Perfect Your Technique
The distressed limewash effect is all about layering and texture. Start by brushing water onto areas where you want less paint to appear—this reduces the amount of paint absorbed in those spots. Then, apply your limewash in layers, gently rubbing back certain areas with a wet cloth to achieve a beautifully worn look.
Every brick surface is unique, so we recommend testing your technique on a small section first. Experiment with layering, wiping, and adjusting transparency until you achieve your desired effect. The beauty of limewash lies in its versatility, so don’t be afraid to experiment!
Whitewash Effect
If you're aiming for a classic whitewashed effect, see below for some extra tips on controlling the transparency of the paint and the balance of how much brick is visible.
Controlling Coverage and Transparency
Very Transparent Look
For a very transparent finish where the brick colour is muted but visible in places, use Transparent White, our non-pigmented limewash. This method offers more control as you can apply it in multiple layers, each layer creating a more opaque finish.
Semi-Transparent White
If you'd like to be able to build up your colour more easily to a semi-transparent finish, use the colour Whitewash. This is a pure white limewash paint colour with no colour undertone. As you can see in this image, the coverage can be built up from minimal to more evenly white.
Medium coverage to Fully Opaque
Use the colour Chalk for a full-white effect. Chalk is our most popular white limewash paint. It is a perfect soft chalky white, and has no yellow undertone. You can still use the Distressed Application technique detailed below to create some variation in transparency in different sections of your wall.
View Our Standard Brick Surface Guide
for more information on full coverage limewashing.
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