Whitewashing Walls: Home Maintenance Tips

Whitewashing a wall though looks like 'painting' but is not actually 'paint' but is rather a sort of 'plaster' for the walls. Whitewash is quite economical and has a hygienic effect too. Following simple tips can make the results wonderful after whitewashing. Some whitewash recipes might have other ingredients but basically it is a mixture of lime and water. The first step is making a right mixture with the right thickness. We have to mix water to the calcium hydroxide (also known as 'hydrated lime') in a right proportion. Mix 5 pounds of calcium hydroxide with 2 gallons of water to make a creamy paste. Allow this paste to stand overnight before you use it. Once water is added to the lime, millions of crystals start growing as a chemical reaction and these crystals provide the grabbing power to the lime or the whitewash to grab on to any surface it is applied to. A salt water mixture can be prepared by adding 2 gallons of water to 5 pounds of salt and mixing it well. After one night, check the creamy paste of lime and water (this is called 'slacked lime'), drain their excess of water and add the salt-water solution to get the desired batter like consistency. Always be slow and cautious when adding the salt water solution to lime. We can always add more water to make the solution thinner but we can not add calcium hydroxide to make it thicker. This is the prepared batter which is applied on walls. Salt water and soap addition increases the adhesive power of lime. For better adhesion some adhesive product like fevicol can be added to the lime solution.

Once the mixture is ready for use, we have to check if the surface of wall is ready or not. The walls should be clean and completely dry. There should be no grease on it. Moreover the holes and damages should be filled and completely dried before white washing.

When we are ready with mixture and the surface, next comes a few simple preparations. Cover all the furniture, floor and other stuffs so that they are not ruined by the whitewash falling on them. Always dress in your worst dress as you might have to get rid of it after the work is finished. Keep a piece of cleaning cloth with you.