Guidance Notes

Lime Earth Paints Guidance Notes

Lime Earth Paints are suitable for interior and exterior walls. The porosity of the lime allows moisture to evaporate out of walls rapidly, making it suitable in areas where there is moisture, and also as an exterior paint. Its alkalinity naturally inhibits mould growth.

One Coat - Soft Matt Finish

Suitable for use on lime plaster, gypsum plaster, brick, renders & stone surfaces. Also on lining paper, wood & previously painted surfaces. For colours refer to colour chart below.

Application

Once mixed together, this paint will start to set - carry out preparation before mixing.

Ensure surface is free of all flaking paint, dust & loose paper. Prepare any uneven surfaces with lime plaster or mortar.

Dampen any porous surfaces with water. For damp walls, prime with pure lime-wash & allow a few days before applying Lime Earth paints. Allow a minimum of two weeks for newly lime-plastered walls to dry, & one week for gypsum plastered walls, before applying Lime Earth paint.

Mix any settled lime putty back into a smooth lime-wash in the tub before carefully adding contents of colour-bag, a little at a time, mixing the two together.

Apply by brushing onto the wall in different directions. Avoid cutting in around edges & always paint an entire wall in one go to avoid join marks.

Coverage

Coverage varies from 3 - 6 sq m per litre, depending on texture and absorbency of substrate. Lime Earth Paint normally covers with just one coat.

Health & Safety

Do not breathe dust. Avoid contact with eyes & skin. Wear suitable gloves & eye/face protection. Full safety data sheets are available upon request.

Further Guidance Notes

The following are guidance notes to be read in conjunction with information supplied by Lime Earth Conservation Ltd.

Lime Earth Paint is pre-tinted for ease of application using mainly natural earth pigments giving subtle depth and character that only the combination of lime and earth pigments can give. We liken different paint finishes to the way different fabrics look and behave. The same colour used to dye silk for example will look completely different if used to dye linen. This is because each fabric deals with light in a different way. So it is with paint, the crystalline structure of carbonised lime breaks up and diffuses light as it passes through it and bounces back. A modern paint reflects light more evenly and will not look as soft .

There should never be a need to apply more than two coats whereas a traditional lime wash requires 4 – 6 to develop full opacity. However, as with most natural paints there are a few tips needed when handling this paint to achieve the best results.

How To Use Lime Earth Paint:

The first thing to be aware of when using lime based products is that lime is caustic and therefore damaging to eyes and skin so goggles and gloves are essential. Other essential pieces of equipment are a whisk and fitch for mixing (do not attempt to mix the paint together with a stick unless you want very rustic looking paintwork!). Lime Earth Paint can be applied by roller but a good soft emulsion brush is the only tool to really do it justice.

To begin with assess the substrates within the room. If there are a number of different surfaces to be painted, such as some bare plaster, some old paintwork and some filler, it would be advisable to prime first using either Natural Off-white Lime Earth Paint, if it needs to be breathable or acrylic primer. If the walls are bare plaster no primer is necessary but the plaster needs to be thoroughly soaked before the Lime Earth Paint is applied. This takes up some of the absorbency making painting easier but also slows down the drying time which helps the lime carbonise (harden).

Lime Earth Paint is a combination of hydraulic and non- hydraulic lime and, like a render, will set hard when mixed together. The two therefore have to kept separate until needed. When you are ready to apply your finishing paint ensure you have sufficient to complete the first coat. When mixing ensure there is plenty of ventilation and avoid breathing the dust. Firstly ensure the liquid part of the mix is fully liquid, as the limestone will settle out. Next begin mixing in the powder a little at a time. For an even colour the powder needs to be thoroughly mixed with no lumps of pigment. You may find when you come to apply the paint small bits of pigment ‘break out’ on the surface but these can be blended or softened in with the brush as you go. Some people prefer a more uneven and rustic look and therefore deliberately leave lumps of powder in the paint.

Each wall has to be treated as a whole and painted in one continuous operation i.e. no cutting in around the edge and then in filling. It is difficult to join into an area of paint that has already dried so try and keep your leading edge wet. A plant spray is a useful tool for this. The way to apply Lime Earth Paint with a brush is to ‘lay it on’ vigorously (brush it out) and then ‘lay it off’ very gently (soften out the brush lines) in a cross hatching action to brush it out in all directions. This will blend wet paint into drying paint. Do not apply the paint too thickly, as it will craze as it dries. As Lime Earth Paint is translucent when it is first applied, and much darker in colour, it can look quite alarming. But don’t panic ; wait until it is thoroughly dry before assessing your handiwork. As the paint dries and goes through the carbonising process it develops opacity and the lovely chalky bloom of the limestone comes through. If you are painting a very large room you will find the paint begins to thicken in the tub after a few hours. To get the paint back to a more usable consistency mix in a little water.

Allow Lime Earth Paint to dry for 24 hours before deciding whether a second coat of paint is needed. This will depend on the colour you are using, the substrate you are painting and how well you have applied it (it is quite easy to miss little areas). Before repainting you need to thoroughly wet the first coat with water. It is not possible to touch up small areas invisibly. If you have only one small area of one wall that needs re coating you need to re coat the whole wall.

Disclaimer: Any information, whether verbal or in writing, is for guidance only and is given in good faith but without warranty, since skill of application and site conditions are beyond our control. We accept no liability for the performance of the products arising out of such use, beyond the value of the goods delivered by us. This does not affect your statutory rights.