Whitewash Brick

Whitewash brick is a finish of thinned white masonry paint brushed on and partly wiped back so some brick color shows through. Unlike limewash, it is a paint film, so it keeps its look longer before softening but is harder to undo. It works on bare brick and, with more prep, on brick painted before.

What is whitewash, exactly?

The word gets used for several finishes, so here is ours: a white or off-white acrylic masonry paint, thinned with water, brushed onto the brick and wiped or ragged back while it is wet. The Brick Industry Association's Technical Note 6 calls this a semi-opaque paint. It notes that when light-colored paint is used this way, the finish gets the name whitewash because it looks like limewash, but it is a faux finish with different performance.

Whitewash vs limewash: what is the practical difference?

TN 6 lays out the difference. Diluted acrylic latex forms a film on the surface of the brick, while limewash soaks into its pores. That has three effects:

• Wear. TN 6 says semi-opaque paint should not be expected to be as durable as limewash outdoors, since the paint is more likely to peel or flake and will need recoating over time.
• Breathability. Multiple heavy coats or repeat coats can reduce how well the brick lets moisture out, which limewash does not do.
• Where it works. Whitewash can go over sound painted brick. True limewash needs bare, porous brick.

If you want a finish that fades softly and breathes, see limewash brick. If you want a more textured, mortar look, see German schmear.

How much brick should show through?

That is the main design choice, and it is set by how thin the paint is and how much is wiped off.

• Light wash. Mostly brick, with a white haze. Good for toning down orange or red brick.
• Medium wash. About half and half. The most requested look.
• Heavy wash. Mostly white, with brick color showing at the edges and in the texture.

We brush test patches at two or three strengths on a hidden wall, let them dry and look at them in morning and afternoon light before choosing.

Colors besides white

Whitewash does not have to be pure white. Warm whites and soft creams take the edge off red brick without looking stark, and a pale gray wash cools down orange brick. A tinted wash still lets the brick show through, so we test it next to the trim and roof colors before choosing. Mortar joints take more of the wash than brick faces, so joints usually end up lighter.

How whitewash is applied

1. Clean. The brick is washed and left to dry. Mildew and loose material come off.
2. Check the mortar. Loose joints are pointed out before work starts.
3. Mix. The paint is thinned to the strength picked from the test patches, and the mix is kept the same for the whole wall.
4. Brush and wipe. Small sections are brushed on and wiped back while wet, so the edges blend.
5. Second pass if needed. Thin spots get a light second pass once the first is dry.

In summer heat the wash dries fast, so we work in shade where possible and keep sections small.

Brick from the 1980s and 1990s

Many whitewash requests come from homes of that era, with red or orange brick that owners want to soften. In Corinth about 54 percent of homes were built from 1980 to 1999, and in Highland Village about 49 percent, by Census estimates. See interior painting in Corinth and in Highland Village for fireplaces in those homes.

Can whitewash be removed later?

Not easily. Because it is paint, it works into the brick texture and the mortar, and getting it all back out is slow and rarely complete. That is the trade for its longer-lasting look. If you are unsure, limewash is the more forgiving choice.

Fireplaces and local rules

Whitewash is a popular choice on fireplace brick. Our brick fireplace painting page covers the surround and why the firebox is left alone. Outside, homes in Denton's Oak-Hickory district face rules on painting brick that was never painted; the limewash page explains them. For solid paint on brick, see brick house painting.

Nearby

• Exterior painting
• Limewash brick
• Brick house painting