Tips for White Wash

Whitewash revitalizes the sheen and texture of walls in the house. The white color makes the room appears large and maximizes absorption of the heat. It reduces odors and provides sanitary conditions in diaries, barns, poultry houses, stables, kennels or similar buildings. This article gives you tips on surface preparation, mixing solution and application method of whitewash. 

Where to apply whitewash

• Clean the surface

  Tthe surface must be cleaned of mortar droppings. Smoke particles and grease spots on old surfaces should be cleaned thoroughly. 

• Remove dirt, dust and mold growth

  All growth of moss, moulds should be removed from the surface.  All loose scales, dirt and dust should be removed also.  

• Repair the patches

  The holes in patches and plaster should be filled with mortar. Let the surface dry for at least 48 hours before doing whitewash.

Prepare the solution

• Step 1: Mix appropriate amount of lime and water 

  Mix fat lime, 1 kg un-slaked (powder) lime into about 5 liters of water to make a thin cream.  Let the thin cream stay for a period of 24 hours.  

• Step 2: Add Indigo to the solution for brightness

  Screen thin cream through a clean cloth. Mix 40 grams gum into hot water for ten liters of whitewash. Add and mix Indigo (neel) up to 3 gm per kg of lime dissolved into the water. 

Mixture of whitewash, glue and water

(This Picture is Contributed by "Harish")

Apply whitewash thoroughly

• Apply solution properly

  The whitewash should be applied with brushes vertically and horizontally. Each coat should be dry before the next coat is applied. 

• Do not leave brush marks

  Brush marks should not be visible after final coat. The whitewash should be done on ceiling, prior to walls. 

Man applying second coat of whitewash

(This Picture is Contributed by "Harish")

• Apply two coats of whitewash before doing color wash for a new shade on old surface. 
• Prepare required shade of color wash by adding pigments. 
• Do not apply any primary coat since it is not required on old surface.
• Keep smooth and uniform finish on the surface.

Remember before doing whitewash 

• Use putty for small patches

  Putty should be used for small unevenness in walls since it does not require any curing. Cement mortar should be used for big depressions.  

• Mix DDL or Fevicol for adhesion

  DDL, SDL, or Fevicol should be mixed into whitewash to increase adhesion. Sometimes soap and common salt should be used in whitewash to increase adhesion.  

• Apply Indigo for brightness

  Add Indigo into whitewash to increase brightness and whiteness on surfaces. Lime fast pigments can be added to whitewash to provide broad range of colors.

Benefits of whitewash

• Kills germs as it is alkaline in nature.
• Acts as a primer for dry distemper. 
• Brightens walls because the light is reflected from white surface. 
• Absorbs heat and maximizes the space giving matchless whiteness.      

Note down  

• Do whitewashing on new construction after six months of the completion of wall plaster. 
• Protect doors, windows, floors, articles of furniture etc. and other parts of building from splashes. 
• Remove splashes and droppings immediately after doing whitewash. Use a cloth (Dhoti) for cleaning in painting work.  
• Do whitewash on roof tiles to prevent absorption of heat in hot climate reason. 
• Apply whitewash on stems of trees to protect them from frost damage.