We know it’s an investment to change the exterior aesthetic of your house, but the joy of walking into your new home is such a great feeling. A freshly painted, updated look is perfect for any time, but before even choosing a color, how do you decide which finish to choose? 
I am here to help. I’ll explain how you can choose between our two most popular products if you are painting the exterior of a masonry house (unpainted brick or stone). First, ask yourself these questions:
- How much of the original brick or stone color do I want to see?
- Am I comfortable watching the paint weather over time, or will the ever-changing patina stress me out?
- Would I prefer to have full coverage, solid painted finish?
- Am I doing the project as a DIY or hiring a PRO?
- What are the other elements on the outside of my home such as siding, window trims, and will they change or stay the same?
- What do the other homes on my street look like?
- What homes do I absolutely love for inspiration?
The first three questions will help you immediately figure out which type of look you want.
If you still want to see just a little bit of your brick and love the distressed, weathered finish, then choose Classico Limewash.
Classico Limewash is made from authentic slaked lime sourced from the Dolomite Mountains in Italy. It’s aged, then cured like a fine wine, and gives your home instant, old world charm. It will transform your home into a beautiful and unique look. When painting with Romabio Classico Limewash, you can decide how much brick you want to show. We formulated it to be easy to work with and gives you or your PRO applicator artistic freedom to create your unique finish.
It is DIY friendly, but if you have a 2-story+ home, we recommend using one of our Preferred PRO Applicators for safety and ease of application. It is not meant to be painted solid, full coverage as it will change over time, even if you add multiple coats. Sun and rain exposure, and the shape of home will determine how much the paint will change or patina. We see chimneys getting the most exposure and weathering the fastest. You can always touch up any areas that you want to freshen up.
You may have heard about other ways to achieve a similar look like German schmear or using acrylic paint and blasting it off. However, the difference with Classico Limewash is its authenticity and naturally toxin-free. It will not harm your lawn or pets when washing it off. Other lime paints in the market are high concentrations of synthetics and polymers and low concentration of slaked lime. You can trust with our products that they are high concentration of slaked lime.
The other option is more of a modern, clean aesthetic for a solid painted finish when you choose Masonry Flat.
Masonry Flat is a mineral based paint that is a permanent, extremely durable finish that will not change over time. When applied as directed, it comes with a 20-year warranty, and is very low maintenance. It has a flat finish that looks natural, similar to your brick, but you can choose almost any color that can tie elements together in the exterior of your home.
Masonry Flat is toxin-free and naturally eco-friendly, but because of its mineral based ingredients it is the only type of paint that will allow your brick to be breathable and have the same properties.
It also is the perfect paint for Stucco. You’ll need to use our MicroGrip Primer as a first coat, but with Masonry Flat you’ll get an authentic, flat finish that is highly durable and long-lasting.
Masonry Flat is also DIY friendly if you have a smaller, 1-story home, but as with Classico Limewash, if your home is 2-story+, we’d recommend a Romabio Preferred PRO for safety reasons.
Essentially both Masonry Flat and Classico Limewash have similar properties because of their mineral and lime based ingredients and formulation, but now you know how to choose which one to get the look you want.
Happy Painting!
Leslie