What is the difference between limewash and French wash?

Limewash is lime and pigment that soaks into mineral surfaces and gives a chalky, breathable finish. French wash is a tinted glaze worked over a painted base coat. Limewash reads more raw and aged, and French wash reads softer and wipes clean once sealed.

Can you limewash over painted walls?

Yes, with a mineral prep coat first. Lime cannot bond to acrylic paint by itself, so the prep coat gives it a surface to grip. French wash goes over painted walls as it is.

Can limewash be used outside?

Yes. Limewash suits exterior render, brick and masonry, where it weathers into a patina. French wash is an interior finish.

What are the downsides of limewash?

It marks more than paint, you cannot scrub it, and the colour shifts as it ages. Most people choose it for that last point. Scuffs touch up with another coat over the area.

Does limewash stop mould?

Lime's high pH resists mould, and it lets moisture leave the wall. It helps in a humid Brisbane house. It will not fix a moisture problem in the wall itself.

Is limewash still in style?

Yes. Architects and designers use it for its soft, mineral surface, and it suits both character homes and new builds. It reads calm next to timber, stone and linen.

Specialty wall finish at Hutch & Co, Brisbane, under raking light.

Limewash and French wash in Brisbane

Limewash and French wash for Brisbane homes and fit-outs. Soft, mottled wall finishes with movement you can see in the surface, applied by hand.

Get a quote Call 0435 174 517

QBCC 15243288 · Our own team · Brisbane inner east and river suburbs

Limewash and French wash walls

Both finishes give a wall soft, cloudy movement that flat paint cannot. Limewash is a mineral coat that soaks into the wall and ages into a patina. French wash is a tinted glaze worked by hand over a painted base.

We apply them in living rooms, bedrooms, entries and commercial fit-outs. At Hutch & Co in Bulimba we finished a salon fit-out.

Lower Bowen Terrace - a pale interior where the light reads across the wall surface.

Elliott Shaw on site — Brisbane architectural build.

Why clients choose Shaws.

Our own team: No subcontracted crews. The person who quotes your job is on site while it runs.
Licensed and insured: QBCC 15243288, fully insured, and both in writing before anyone starts.
One job at a time: We do not split a crew across parallel sites, so a start date means a start date.
We come back: If something needs attention after we have finished, we return and sort it out.

QBCC 15243288 · Fully licensed & insured

Limewash and French wash finishes.

The looks available within limewash and French wash.

Limewash

Chalky, cloudy and mineral. It softens over the years and suits render, brick and walls that want an aged look.

French wash, subtle

Two tones close together, so the movement shows when the light crosses it. Works where the wall sits in the background.

French wash, contrast

A wider gap between the base and the wash, which gives the cloudy, weathered look the finish is known for.

Metallic glaze

A pearl or bronze glaze over the base. It catches light from one direction, so the wall changes through the day.

What people say.

We’ve engaged Elliott across six properties throughout Brisbane, South Stradbroke Island and Stanthorpe, and the quality of his work has consistently been exceptional. His attention to preparation, product knowledge, communication and eye for colour and finish set him apart. Elliott is professional, honest, respectful and an absolute pleasure to have on site. I have no hesitation recommending him to anyone seeking a true painting professional.

Mary Anne·Homeowner·Multiple Locations, South East QLD

01/04

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See all our work

Talk to us about limewash and French wash for your project.

Get a quote Call 0435 174 517

What to know about limewash and French wash.

What suits your home, and what to expect from the finish.

What limewash is

Limewash is slaked lime and pigment, brushed on in thin coats. It soaks into mineral surfaces such as render, brick and masonry, and cures back toward limestone. The result is a chalky, cloudy matt finish that shifts as the light moves across it.

Lime breathes, so moisture can leave the wall. Its high pH also resists mould, which counts for a lot in a Brisbane summer. Over plasterboard or acrylic paint, limewash needs a mineral prep coat so the lime has something to bond to.

What French wash is

French wash is a tinted, translucent glaze worked over a painted base coat with a brush and cloth. It forms a film on the surface, so it suits plasterboard and painted walls. The look is softer and more even than limewash, with the colour broken up by the movement of the brush.

Both finishes get sold under confusing names. Some hardware-store "limewash" products are ordinary acrylic paint in a limewash colour.

Limewash or French wash?

Choose limewash for render, brick and masonry, for the most chalky and mineral look, and for exterior walls.
Choose French wash for plasterboard and painted interior walls, when you want a finish you can wipe, and for a softer pattern.
Both suit living rooms, bedrooms, entries and feature walls. Neither suits a shower recess.

How they age

Limewash weathers into a patina, and the colour softens over the years. A scuff touches up with another coat over the area. French wash stays closer to the day it went on, and once sealed it takes a soft damp cloth. Neither is a scrubbable surface, so busy hallways and kids' rooms suit paint better.

For more depth and a polished option, look at Venetian plaster.

Common questions.

Tell us about the job.

Send us a brief, a plan set or a few photos. We come back within two working days.

Or reach us directly

QBCC 15243288 · Fully licensed & insured