Architects, interior designers and developers increasingly write limewash into their schemes, but a limewash wall is not specified the way you specify an emulsion. The finish is mineral, it moves with the light, and the result depends on the substrate, the primer, the tool and the hand. This guide sets out what to put in the specification for a ZUBRA COLORS Limewash wall so that the finish on site matches the finish you approved, and so that the client knows how to look after it.

Why professionals specify limewash

Designers choose limewash for reasons that are hard to get from synthetic paint:

• A finish with depth. Applied by brush, limewash gives soft, cloud-like movement and tonal variation. Applied in layers, it can range from a light mist of colour to a deep, almost stone-like wall.
• A vapour-open, mineral surface. Limewash does not form a closed plastic film, so the wall stays breathable. It is free of formaldehyde and suits bedrooms, children's rooms and workspaces.
• Range across styles. The same material works in minimal Scandinavian schemes, warm Mediterranean interiors, industrial lofts and classic period rooms, and it sits well next to oak, larch, stone, brick, concrete and glass.
• Easy renewal. A limewash wall does not have to be stripped to be refreshed. Re-prime where needed and apply a new coat; each mineral layer bonds to the one beneath.

What to put in the specification

A good limewash specification describes a system, not just a colour. The ZUBRA COLORS system has four parts:

1. Substrate preparation – clean, dry, sound, repaired.
2. PrepCoat primer – the mineral base coat every ZUBRA COLORS shade is developed and tested on.
3. Limewash – colour reference, technique and number of coats.
4. Protection (zoned, optional) – Protective Sealer – Matte only where the wall needs it.

Naming the primer matters. PrepCoat evens out absorbency, improves adhesion and gives the paint a uniform background, so the colour on the wall reads like the approved sample. ZUBRA COLORS develops and tests its colours on PrepCoat, not on other primers, so a substitute primer is a variable you cannot control.

Substrates

Limewash with PrepCoat can be specified on:

• gypsum plaster and cement-lime render;
• plasterboard;
• exposed natural brick;
• previously painted walls (latex, acrylic or ceramic paint), after degreasing, cleaning and, where glossy, light sanding – see our rules for limewash over painted walls;
• ceilings, niches, arches, columns and flush (concealed) doors that are filled and primed like the wall.

Furniture, MDF and lacquered or laminated fronts need an extra step: a bonding primer for plastics or laminates first, then PrepCoat, then limewash, and a protective sealer on top. Without that, the mineral layers can delaminate from a closed surface.

PrepCoat is a primer, not a filler. It will not hide cracks, holes or uneven plaster, so the specification should require all repairs to be filled, dry and sanded before priming.

Colour reference and custom colours

Specify the shade by its number and name (for example #227 Sunlit Beige) and attach an approved sample panel. If the palette does not cover the project, ZUBRA COLORS can match a custom colour from an NCS, RAL or HEX reference – get in touch with the reference and the project size.

Technique and finish

The tool defines the look, so write it into the spec:

• Brush – the Limewash Painting Brush 12 cm or a wide, soft natural-bristle brush, worked in irregular, crossing strokes. This gives the classic cloud-like movement and the most depth.
• Roller – a flatter, more uniform pastel finish with little visible texture. Suits strict minimal interiors.
• Spray – useful for priming large areas and for ceilings or awkward geometry; a sprayed limewash coat gives a very soft, even mist. It needs an experienced operator.

State the number of coats and, for layered work, the order of tones or dilutions. Two separate brushes – one for primer, one for limewash – should be standard on site: even a well-washed brush holds traces of primer that change how the paint behaves.

Sampling and approval

Because limewash is hand-applied and responds to light, approve the finish on the real substrate, not on a render or a screen.

1. Shortlist with hand-painted Colour Cards. They are easy to carry between rooms and to put in front of a client.
2. Build a sample area on the actual wall with PrepCoat and a Tester 250 ml (approx. 3–4 m² per coat; two coats show true depth).
3. Judge it dry, in daylight and under the project's artificial lighting, at several points in the room.
4. Test the sealer on part of the sample if any zone will be protected – even a matte sealer changes the look slightly.
5. Record and keep the approved panel as the benchmark for the contractor.

For a full walk-through of the sampling stage, see how to order and test limewash samples.

Durability and protection zoning

Limewash does not need a sealer by default. In living rooms, bedrooms, offices and most children's rooms, an unsealed wall keeps the fully matte, soft mineral look and the best breathability. Sealing walls "just in case" is one of the most common specification mistakes.

Specify Protective Sealer – Matte only in zones with water, grease or frequent touch:

• kitchens and areas behind worktops;
• bathrooms and the area around basins;
• entrance lobbies, door surrounds and corridor niches;
• furniture and doors finished in limewash.

Set expectations with the client. Even a matte sealer adds roughly 5–10% sheen and can deepen the colour slightly. It sits on the surface rather than soaking in, it raises resistance to dirt, grease and handling, but it does not make the wall scrubbable like a latex paint. With flush (concealed) doors, seal the whole wall, door included, so there is no difference in sheen or tone when the door is closed.

The sealer goes on in one thin coat, with a roller suitable for protective decorative coatings, no sooner than 24 hours after the last coat of limewash. For the wider question of when sealing is worth it, see do you need to seal limewash paint? and what to expect from limewash over 6–24 months.

Site conditions and programme

Limewash rewards patience, and the programme should allow for it:

• PrepCoat: minimum 6 hours before painting, 8–12 hours is better, 24 hours is ideal – and the safest choice in cool or humid rooms.
• Between limewash coats: the same rule – at least 6 hours, ideally 8–12, up to 24 in cool rooms. Coats applied over a damp layer cause streaks and patchy colour.
• Sealer: at least 24 hours after the final limewash coat.
• Never apply to damp, dusty or greasy surfaces.

On a commercial job, these waiting times are usually what decide the sequence of rooms, so plan trades around them rather than squeezing coats into one day.

Maintenance and renewal: what to hand over

Include a short care note in the handover pack:

• Clean gently with a damp cloth or soft sponge – no aggressive detergents, abrasive pads or scrubbing (see how to clean and maintain limewash walls).
• Keep a labelled tester of each shade for touch-ups.
• To refresh or change colour, there is no need to strip the wall. Going darker, limewash can go straight on; going from dark to light, or refreshing after a few years, re-prime with PrepCoat first.
• Damaged sealed areas: lightly sand the spot, apply a fresh coat of limewash, then re-seal.

This makes limewash a practical choice for hospitality and office interiors that are refreshed regularly: a tired wall is repainted, not removed. For bulk quantities and trade accounts, see limewash paint for professionals.

Specification checklist

Before the drawings go out, check that the limewash clause answers each of these points:

• Substrate type for each wall, and the repairs required before priming.
• Primer named as ZUBRA COLORS PrepCoat, with dilution (undiluted under dark colours, 10–20% water under light colours) and the minimum drying time before painting.
• Colour number and name for each area, with the approved sample panel referenced.
• Tool and technique (brush in crossing strokes, roller or spray) and the number of coats.
• Minimum drying time between coats, with longer allowances for cool or humid rooms.
• Zones to be sealed, the sealer named, and the 24-hour wait after the final coat.
• Separate tools for primer and limewash.
• Handover items: care note and a labelled tester of each shade.

A clause that covers these eight points leaves little to interpretation on site, and gives the contractor and the client the same picture of the finished wall.

FAQ

Can I specify a different primer under ZUBRA COLORS Limewash?

We do not recommend it. Every ZUBRA COLORS colour is developed and tested on PrepCoat; with another primer, absorbency, adhesion and the final tone become unknowns.

Can limewash go on furniture or joinery?

Yes, with a bonding primer for plastics or laminates first, then PrepCoat, limewash and a protective sealer. Flush doors filled and primed like the wall are treated as wall.

Does a sealer make limewash washable?

It makes it easier to wipe and more resistant to dirt and grease, but it is not a scrubbable finish. Clean with a damp, soft sponge.

Can a roller or sprayer be specified instead of a brush?

Yes, but the result is different: a roller or sprayer gives a flatter, more even finish. If the design depends on cloud-like movement, specify a brush.

Can ZUBRA COLORS help with a large project?

Yes. Contact us with drawings, areas and colour references, or see our services.