Faux Limewash Is Both A Budget And Renter-Friendly Dream DIY

There are lots of creative ways to use limewash paint to transform your home, instantly adding a layered, textured finish to any room. However, while limewash comes with quite a few pros (such as faster drying time than regular wall paint), there are also some major disadvantages to using limewash. For one, there's the price tag, as a gallon of limewash can cost upwards of $75 compared to $25 for a gallon of basic interior paint. What's more, application can be timely and tricky, requiring two to three super thin coats and allowing no room for error.

Perhaps the biggest downside, though, is that limewash is very hard to remove, as it dries into what is essentially a thin layer of limestone. The only real way to get rid of it is to dissolve it using multiple applications of a stripper called Aciclean, but results are not guaranteed. Alternatively, if you wish to paint over limewash, you'll need to follow several particular steps, including using a specialty primer or the paint simply won't adhere.

However, it's possible to bypass all of these potential issues and achieve equally stylish results thanks to a hack from TikTok DIYer Nada (who goes by the handle @onefortyfour_). By using two complimentary shades of wall paint, she was able to achieve a renter-friendly faux limewash finish in just one coat while also saving money. Here's how you can do the same.

If you like the look of limewash but not the potential pitfalls that come with it, you can eliminate the guesswork by mimicking the same effect with paint. Start by lining a paint tray with aluminum foil to create two separate compartments separated in half by a DIY aluminum partition. Choose your favorite color, then select one from the same family that's a couple of shades lighter. Nada decided to go with blue hues and used Behr's Venus Teal and Fresh Tone.

After pouring each shade into its own side of the tray, dip a 4-inch limewash brush into both colors at the same time, ensuring they don't mix on the brush. The idea is to have half the brush coated with one color and the other half with the other, so you can apply them both in a single swoop. Use short brushstrokes to apply the paint randomly, going on one diagonal, then another, then vertically, and so forth. The key is not to follow any pattern as you apply thin layers to achieve the depth and texture of real limewash. Only one coat is needed, saving you both time and money.

What's more, the result is much more fuss-free when it comes to maintenance. Because real limewash is super absorbent, it can easily stain, especially when it's around grease in a kitchen setting. Making matters worse, while it is possible to clean a limewash wall, it requires great caution so as not to damage it. By using traditional paint, you can avoid both these headaches without compromising on aesthetics.