Limewash & German Smear for Fireplaces and Interior Brick

A dark red or orange brick fireplace can dominate a living room. A decorative wash is one of the fastest ways to modernize it without tearing it out.

Best finishes for interior brick

• Limewash — soft and matte; great for a lighter, airy room. Easy to DIY on a small surface.
• Whitewash — brighter and more even.
• German smear — adds texture and a farmhouse or old-world feel; a statement piece.

Around the firebox

• Keep washes to the surround, hearth face, and chimney breast — not inside the firebox, which needs refractory materials.
• Soot and smoke stains must be cleaned off first or they’ll bleed through.
• Mineral washes are non-combustible, which is one more reason they’re preferred over paint near a fire.

Also great for

Kitchen backsplashes and accent walls, interior exposed brick in older homes, outdoor kitchens and patio walls, and brick mailboxes and columns to match a washed house.

Keep reading

FinishBrick Slurry Finish: The Stucco Look Without the StuccoA slurry coat covers brick in a full layer of mortar wash for a soft, stucco-like finish that still shows the brick's shape. How it works, how it differs from German smear, and what to expect.5 min readGuideBrick Washes in Houston: Humidity, Heat, Rain & EfflorescenceWhat Gulf Coast humidity, summer heat, and heavy rain mean for limewash, German smear, and other brick finishes in Houston — and how to get a finish that lasts.5 min readFinishWhitewash Brick: A Soft, Semi-Transparent UpdateWhitewashing brick means applying a thinned, semi-transparent coat that brightens brick while letting its color show through. Here's how it differs from limewash and paint.5 min read