Lime Wash for Brick and Stucco Homes in Pasadena and Nearby Cities
A soft, matte, old-world finish that soaks into masonry instead of sitting on top. It won't peel. It wears slowly and gently over time.
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CSLB License #1092503 · 18 years of experience · 61 five-star reviews
What is lime wash?
What is lime wash?
Lime wash is made from slaked lime, water and natural pigment. It's one of the oldest wall finishes there is.
Regular paint forms a film on the surface. Lime wash doesn't. It soaks into brick, stone or stucco and hardens as it cures, so it becomes part of the wall. That's why it lets the wall breathe, and why it doesn't chip, peel or flake like paint can.
The look is soft and chalky, with gentle movement in the color. The white of the lime always mutes the color a little, so a lime wash reads calmer than the same color in paint.
Where lime wash works, and where it doesn't
Where lime wash works, and where it doesn't
Works well on:
Brick: chimneys, walls, porch piers, fireplaces
Stucco
Natural stone
Interior brick and some interior plaster walls
Needs a special primer first:
Brick or stucco that has already been painted. Makers sell a mineral primer so the lime wash can grip.
Not a fit:
Wood and metal
Floors, steps and other flat surfaces you walk on
Made for Spanish, Mediterranean and Craftsman homes
Made for Spanish, Mediterranean and Craftsman homes
Spanish Colonial Revival and Mediterranean homes are all about stucco, and stucco is one of lime wash's best surfaces. The finish gives a new stucco wall the soft, aged look these styles were built to have.
On a Craftsman, lime wash is a way to refresh a brick chimney or porch piers without the shiny look of paint.
Our warm, dry climate is kind to lime wash too. It weathers most where it takes rain and hard weather, and we get little of either.
How lime wash ages
How lime wash ages
Lime wash doesn't fail the way paint does. Over the years it slowly chalks and wears, most on the walls that take the most weather. Many owners like that. The patina is part of the look.
How long before it needs a refresh depends on your walls, your sun and how much wear you're happy with. One major maker says an exterior can go decades in a mild climate like ours. Some owners add a fresh coat every several years to keep the color even. There's no set schedule.
Care is simple:
Wash with water and a mild soap. No pressure washer.
Touch-ups blend in. Wet the area and brush on more lime wash.
Our lime wash process
Our lime wash process
Walk-through and written estimate. Henry checks what's on your walls now: bare brick, painted brick or stucco.
Protect. Windows, trim, plants and hardscape get covered. Lime wash is wet and runny going on.
Clean. Dirt, loose material and old flaking paint come off.
Prime if needed. Painted surfaces get the maker's mineral primer.
Apply. The lime wash goes on and soaks into the wall.
Review with you. You see the finish before we call it done.
Homeowners on how we treat older homes
Homeowners on how we treat older homes
"I couldn’t be more pleased with HR Painting & Design Inc. From start to finish, their crew was professional, punctual, careful, and respectful of our historic home. They showed up on time every day as promised and treated the house with the care and attention it deserves. The quality of their work is exceptional, and it’s clear they take genuine pride in what they do. I would wholeheartedly recommend HR Painting & Design to anyone looking for craftsmanship they can trust."
Mike B, Google, September 2026
"Just got my house painted by HR Painting & Design and we are very pleased. They did a great job on a 100 year old house. The team is great! Thank you."
Michael Amado, Google, March 2026
More from HR Painting & Design
More from HR Painting & Design
Kitchen and built-in cabinets: see cabinet painting.
Lime wash near you: Pasadena, San Marino.
Get your free written estimate
Get your free written estimate
Rather talk? Call or text Henry at (626) 438-5068.
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