Lime render

Lime wash is pure slaked lime in water. It produces a unique surface glow due to the double refraction of calcite crystals. Limewash and whitewash both cure to become the same material.

When whitewash or limewash is first applied it has very low opacity, which can lead novices to over-thicken the paint. Drying increases the opacity, and subsequent curing increases it even further.

Limewash relies on being drawn into a substrate, unlike a modern paint that adheres to the surface. The process of being drawn in needs to be controlled by damping down. If a wall is not damped, it can leave the lime and pigments powdery on the surface; if the wall is saturated, there is no surface tension and the limewash can fail. Damping down is not difficult, but it does need to be considered before the limewash is applied.