Free local delivery on all orders above $99
Calgary’s Benjamin Moore Expert Since 2007
Book Color Consultation
Meoded Lime Wash is a slaked-limestone mineral coating, not a paint. It doesn't sit on the surface in a film — it carbonates into it, which is why it never peels, breathes, and softens into a patina instead of failing. What you need depends almost entirely on what you're putting it on.
15% off the whole kit. Build it below and the discount is applied for you at the cart.
Build your kit
What are you lime washing?
Brick that has been painted before counts as a wall — sand it back and use the first option. Worth knowing: base-coating brick works, but it gives up the breathability that makes lime wash good for masonry in the first place.
How big is it?
Add up every surface you're covering. A standard fireplace surround is 40–80 sq ft; a feature wall 100–150; a two-storey brick facade can run 1,200 or more.
Pick your colour
Required — Lime Wash is tinted to order and we can't mix it without a colour.
Brush and sealer
Lime wash is a brushed finish. A proper box brush holds far more material than a paint brush and is what creates the soft movement in the finish — a regular wall brush will leave you with stripes.
Choose a surface above and I'll tell you whether you want this.
Your kit
Answer the questions above and your kit will build itself here.
Prices before tax. Quantities use the conservative end of Meoded's published coverage — adjust anything in the cart.
Why the surface decides everything
Bare brick, stone, block and stucco
These are absorbent. Lime wash soaks into the pores and calcifies there, bonding chemically rather than sticking to the face. Meoded is explicit that on unsealed, unpainted masonry no base coat is required — and adding one would actually work against you, because an acrylic primer seals the pores the lime needs to get into.
Done properly on masonry, lime wash lasts 10–20 years and often far longer. It does not peel, blister or chip, because there is no film to let go. It just weathers.
Drywall, plaster and painted surfaces
These are non-absorbent, so there is nothing for the lime to bond into. Lime Wash Base Coat — two coats, 5–8 hours apart — gives the surface the balanced absorbency lime wash needs. Skip it on a painted wall and the finish will be patchy and won't hold.
Going dark? Tint the base coat close to your final colour. Lime wash is translucent by nature and a white base under a deep colour will fight you.
Do you need to seal it?
Usually not — and on masonry, usually not on purpose. A lime wash finish is meant to be breathable and dead matte. Sealing it reduces that breathability, slightly darkens the colour and changes the texture. On brick in particular, breathability is the entire reason the finish outlives paint, so sealing works against the material.
Where a sealer does earn its place: a backsplash, a spot with constant water contact, or a high-traffic interior wall that needs to be wiped down. In those cases Stain Shield is the one Meoded recommends — it holds the natural look without adding sheen. One quart covers 200–300 sq ft of lime wash over two coats.
Coverage
| Product | Coverage, two coats | Needed when |
|---|---|---|
| Lime Wash — Gallon | 250–350 sq ft | Always |
| Lime Wash — Quart | 62–87 sq ft | Fireplaces, small areas, topping up |
| Lime Wash Base Coat — Gallon | 200–350 sq ft | Walls and painted surfaces only |
| Lime Wash Base Coat — Quart | 50–87 sq ft | Walls and painted surfaces only |
| Stain Shield — Quart | 200–300 sq ft over lime wash | Optional — wet or high-traffic areas |
Porous, rough masonry drinks more than smooth drywall. The calculator sizes to the bottom of each range on purpose.
Timing
- Base Coat (walls only) — 2 coats, 5–8 hours between
- Lime Wash — 2 coats, minimum 8 hours between; stretch to 12 for more mottling
- Before sealing — minimum 48 hours
- Exterior — keep it off rain and cold for 7 days after the last coat
- Application temperature — 13–29°C (55–85°F)
That last one matters in Calgary. Exterior lime wash wants a settled stretch of weather, not a shoulder-season gamble.
Two things that catch people out
Lime blooms as it carbonates, so the colour keeps developing for days after you finish. What you see wet is not what you get dry — don't judge it, and don't add a third coat to "fix" it, until it's fully cured.
Stir thoroughly before and during use. The pigment and lime settle, and an unstirred bucket gives you a colour shift halfway up the wall.
Not for wood, glazed or sealed brick, floors, or the inside of a firebox.
Want someone else to do it?
Tell us about your project and we'll connect you with an applicator we've worked with. Free, no obligation. Or call the store at 403 270 9696 with your measurements and we'll work the quantities out with you.