Earlier this year I totally transformed my 1970s orange rock fireplace with limewash.  Because that project went so well, I decided to try my hand at a DIY limewash stone exterior makeover of the same 1970s orange rock on the outside of our house, too! (This orange rock musta’ been on sale in 1977!) 

This limewashed stone project was the first part of our outdoor overhaul (more to come in future posts), and was an absolutely PERFECT DIY project that significantly updated my home’s exterior!  Limewashing is definitely the easiest way to change the color of a home’s stone facade or rock facade.

What Supplies Do You Need to Limewash Exterior Stone?

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Listed here are all of the supplies I needed to limewash my exterior stone column.  Some of the items I needed may not be required for your job – especially if your stone or rock is low to the ground.  I have noted those items with an asterisk (*) in the list.  The rest of the items are actually quite inexpensive, so this job can be done on a budget.

• Romabio Classico Limewash (I used two of the one quart containers of the Riposo Beige color to complete my large stone column) (**Limewash comes in many colors.  Make sure to choose a shade that coordinates with your home’s paint colors, roof color, etc.)
• Masonry brush
• 3″ Chip brushes
• Water spray bottle
• Paint stir sticks
• Mixing bucket
• Hose with spray attachment
• Terry shop towels
• Drop cloth or tarp
• *Scaffolding (we rented it from a local rental company for around $180 for a week) or ladder
• *Extension pole
• *Shur-line Brush Extender

How Do You Limewash Stone Outside?

Limewashing exterior surfaces is actually easier than limewashing interior surfaces because you don’t have to be as careful to protect surrounding surfaces (limewash is all natural so it doesn’t harm plants!), and you don’t really have to clean the surface the way you do inside.

Now that you know that, let me show you how it’s done!

Mixing Limewash

Begin by mixing the limewash for the first section of your project.  I mixed one quart at a time to keep the limewash “liquidy” the entire time I was using it. 

I emptied the one quart container of limewash into my mixing bucket, and thinned it with three cups of water.  When mixing your limewash, check to see what dilution ratio you’d like.  The product contains instructions for how much water to add.  I diluted this batch of limewash more than the limewash I mixed for my fireplace makeover, because I wanted to let a little more of the rock show through. 

I made sure to stir until all the lumps and clumps at the bottom had dissolved.  Once everything’s mixed, it’s time to get to work.

For me, that meant climbing the scaffolding.  I was scared to do this!  When my husband could sense my fear and said (in a nice and caring way) that he didn’t think I was going to be able to do this, I got the jolt I needed and climbed right up.  Once I was up there, I was fine (see – I’m smiling!).

Wetting the Stone or Rock

To start the actual limewashing of the stone, I sprayed a small section of the rock with the garden hose.  As Romabio (the manufacturer) recommends, I worked from top (left to right), on down.

Within each section, I used my water spray bottle to re-dampen stones prior to applying limewash, where necessary.  I found that as I got to the end of a section I’d sprayed with the garden hose, the sun had dried up much of the water.  So, the water bottle was a great way to get the stone wet again to accept the limewash, without wetting it too much with the garden hose.  

Applying the Limewash to the Stone

With a small section wet, I began applying the limewash to the stone.  My scaffolding didn’t get me high enough to reach the top left corner of the stone column, so I used my extension pole and brush extender to reach that corner with the masonry brush. 

I used the masonry brush to cover the large stone pieces and rocks, and then I got into the grout and crevices with the 3″ chip brushes.  I find the masonry brush too unwieldy to get into the grout, but the chip brushes make this part of the job easy.

Because the sun was pretty hot on the day I was painting, I was wiping off excess limewash pretty soon after applying it to the rock.  I didn’t have to do too much of that, however, because the rock was so crevicey and jagged that a lot of the natural stone was showing through anyway.  The terry towels worked great to cover my bucket of limewash and catch drips, too.

I worked section by section, going down the column, making sure to keep the application uniform and to pay attention to parts that were easy to miss, like the sides of rocks and bottom parts of rocks.

I finished the entire column in a day of work (about 7 hours, including a lunch break), and saved myself a lot of money by limewashing the exterior stone myself.

Admittedly, the Riposo Beige limewash doesn’t look fantastic with the 1970’s brown siding of the house.  I think it’s too stark of a contrast.  It does, however, look FABULOUS with the new color of our house (which I will be revealing in my next blog post)!  Here’s a teaser to whet your appetite!

Why Limewash Exterior Stone Instead of Painting It?

I know you’re probably wondering why I chose to limewash my exterior stone column to change its color instead of painting it or whitewashing it, and I have lots of good answers for you!

First of all, limewashed rock – unlike painted rock or whitewashed rock (whitewash is just thinned down paint) – has a much more natural appearance.  It is ultra matte, just like rocks and stone, and allows the natural patina to show through (where desired).  I did not want a totally polished or covered look that paint would have given, so limewash was the natural choice here!

Next, limewash can be removed within 5 days of application!  So, I knew that if I limewashed the stone column and hated it, I could rent a powerwasher and remove it.  That “insurance policy” is huge, in my opinion!

I also like that the limewash will continue to patina and age with time, unlike paint.  I didn’t want to destroy the rock – just update it to work with our new color scheme – and that is easily accomplished with limewash.

Finally, limewash poses no harm to the environment or surrounding surfaces.  I didn’t have to worry about some of it dripping on the bushes or grass below the stone, because it’s totally natural and non-toxic and washed away as soon as it rained.  It was nice not having to think about any of that!

This limewash finish will last approximately 10-15 years, which is the same as an exterior paint job.  So, I will have to re-do it at some point to maintain the look, but that is the case with any painted finish.

Let me know if you have any questions about the limewashing process at all.  I am such a huge fan of this material and want to sing its praises from the highest mountain!  It is so DIY friendly and makes such an impact at a low price.  It’s amazing.  🙂

Make sure to come back in a week or two to check out the entire exterior makeover reveal!

-Bre

Over the years I’ve used gel stain on many home maintenance and furniture makeover projects, and I’ve learned a lot!  Gel stain is an amazing tool for reviving wood, but it can be tricky to use if you’re not prepared.  Because of that, I am sharing my most helpful gel stain tips and tricks that will make a difference in the quality of your gel stain projects.

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

What is Gel Stain?

Since you’re visiting this post, you probably already know what gel stain is.  But, just in case you don’t, gel stain is a thick stain that sits on top of the wood finish instead of penetrating the wood like regular stain does.

It is awesome to use on previously-stained wood, as it allows you to change the color of the wood and refinish it without stripping it to bare wood.  For example, at my old house, I refinished my front door with gel stain, and in my new house, I’ve refinished stair railings, stair treads, and a china cabinet top.

Gel stain can also be used on raw wood or unfinished wood, but you’ll need to take some extra steps, which I’ll fill you in on below!

Why Use Gel Stain?

In my opinion, the main reason why you would use gel stain instead of traditional stain is if you’re changing the color of wood that’s previously been stained.  It is easy to re-stain wood with gel stain, but requires a lot more work to re-stain wood with traditional penetrating wood stain.

If you are staining raw wood, I personally would use penetrating stain as it is less expensive than gel stain and gives a better finish on raw wood than gel stain. I personally do not like how dark gel stain looks on raw wood.

Gel Stain Tips and Tricks

OK, enough of the background info!  Let’s get down to the best gel stain tips and tricks, which I’ve compiled over the last several years of working with gel stain on various projects.

Wear gloves while working with gel stain.

You do not want to get gel stain on your hands.  I repeat, you do not want to get gel stain on your hands!  It is sticky and difficult to get off of your skin.  Because of that, make sure to wear rubber gloves or disposable latex gloves while applying gel stain!  

What is the best way to apply gel stain?

For large swaths of wood (like a tabletop), I like to use stain pads to apply gel stain.  Stain pads allow you to cover a large area of wood while maintaining a lot of control over the application.

For smaller areas, foam brushes are my gel stain applicator of choice.  Foam brushes are great because they’re disposable, and gel stained brushes are a mess I personally would not want to clean up.  Foam brushes also apply gel stain evenly and don’t leave brushstrokes in the finish.

How long do I leave gel stain on before wiping off excess?

Make sure to read the directions on the gel stain can, as it will tell you how long to leave on the gel stain before wiping off.

Generally, I wait around 3 minutes before wiping off.

If you wipe off too soon, you will not see a difference in wood color.

If you wait too long to wipe off, the gel stain will start to dry and will become very difficult to remove.

How do I get the right shade or color of gel stain?

Generally speaking, it is MUCH easier to use gel stain to achieve a darker wood color on a previously finished piece of wood than it is to get a lighter color.

Layering coats of gel stain (per manufacturer directions), will result in a more opaque finish that is darker and shows less of the woodgrain.  This type of finish looks more like paint than stain.

Also, you can layer different colors of gel stain, or mix different colors of gel stain, to achieve custom shades.  This is especially useful if you’re trying to color match an existing wood tone.

How do I fix areas of gel stain that have dried too quickly?

If you have gel stain that has started to get tacky before you were able to wipe it off, dip a rag in mineral spirits and apply a little bit to the problem area.  The excess gel stain should come up easily.  Once the area has dried, recoat with gel stain and wipe off within the proper timeframe.

Be careful not to apply gel stain to areas where the gel stain was not removed with mineral spirits or you will create an uneven finish.

If the gel stain has totally dried, sand it off and start the process over again.

Do I need to sand before applying gel stain?

For previously finished wood, yes, you need to sand before applying gel stain.  Generally, you need to sand enough to scuff up the existing finish and make the surface even.  You DO NOT need to sand down to bare wood.  This is what makes using gel stain an advantage on previously finished wood.

For raw wood, yes, you also need to sand before applying gel stain.  This will open up the grain and allow the gel stain to create an even richer and more even color.

Do I need to use Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner with Gel Stain?

If you’re applying gel stain to previously stained wood, you probably do not need to use pre-stain wood conditioner.  You may consider it if your wood piece, once sanded, seems uneven or damaged.  The wood conditioner will not hurt anything but can only help.

If you’re applying gel stain to raw wood, you absolutely need to use pre-stain wood conditioner!  Pre-stain conditioner helps prevent blotchy absorption and/or patchy spots in your finish.  As I said earlier, I wouldn’t use gel stain on raw wood, but if you are doing it for some reason, make sure to use a pre-stain conditioner first!

Should I seal or topcoat gel stain?

Yes! You should definitely seal or topcoat gel stain projects.

Once dry, gel stain has a naturally “glossed” look, which may lead some to believe it does not need to have a topcoat applied.  However, it really must be protected with polyurethane or some other “tough coat” or “performance topcoat,” in order to give it the protection it needs.  

I like to use fast-drying polyurethane or this performance topcoat for indoor surfaces, and Spar Urethane for outdoor surfaces like doors.

***

Those are my top gel stain tips and tricks, and I hope they help you achieve a finish that you love!  Let me know if you have any to add.  I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

-Bre

I LOVE a good home transformation experiment, and today’s post showcases an amazing one!  I’m going to show you how to paint a countertop to look like marble.  I painted my dated granite countertop in my powder room and I achieved a convincing marble finish!  And guess what?  You can, too!

Before we dive in, let me show you what I was working with in my powder room.  Dated oak vanity, busy tile wall backsplash, and a dark and dated granite countertop that was REALLY busy with that crazy tile wall.

On a whim one day, I decided to paint the vanity with paint I purchased as a possibility for my painted marble fireplace hearth.  I didn’t end up using that color for the hearth, but I’m glad I saved the paint because it worked great in this bathroom.  New paint and new hardware on the vanity (as well as on the baseboards and mirror), helped spiff up this bathroom, but the countertop still really bugged me.

We will be replacing our kitchen countertops in the near future, and I planned to replace this bathroom countertop at that time as well.  Since I had that already in mind, I decided to try painting my granite countertop first, just to see if and how it would work.  I figured that if it looked good, I’d save myself some money, and if it looked bad, I will have only wasted around $80.

Although the countertop is not perfect, it turned out MUCH BETTER than I expected!  

How to Paint a Countertop to Look Like Marble

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, click here.

Because I painted a granite countertop, some of my prep work may have been different than will be required for those painting countertops made of different materials.  In my experience, I believe that the key to painting a granite countertop is in the prep work and in the sealer.  Because of that, it’s important to pay special attention to these steps!

I began by researching the Giani Marble Countertop Finish Kit, which includes everything you need to paint your countertops to look like marble.  Giani, the manufacturer of this kit, has an awesome video about the painting process, and this video really got me intrigued.

I quickly realized that the Marble Countertop Painting Kit contained enough product to paint a kitchen’s worth of countertops, and that I didn’t need nearly that amount of paint or product.  So, I figured out what I wanted and purchased the following items separately:

• Xylene (this is a MUST HAVE when painting granite)
• Rubbing alcohol (also a MUST HAVE when painting granite)
• Step 1 white primer paint
• Step 2 gray paint for veining
• Step 3 epoxy sealer
• 2″ foam brush
• 1/4″ nap roller
• Small artist’s brush
• 2″ brush
• Roller tray
• Painter’s tape
• Painter’s tarp
• Clear acrylic caulk
• Rubber gloves

I got all of my supplies for under $100, which was less than the price of the kit. (Note that the kit does not include Xylene.)

Step 1 for painting a granite countertop: PREP and CLEAN

I started by cleaning the countertop and then wiping it down with Xylene, which smells AWFUL.  Make sure to open a window while using this solution.  After the Xylene dried, I wiped it down with rubbing alcohol, per the instructions online.

Then I placed painter’s tape around the edge of the countertop and covered the vanity with a tarp.  

Step 2 for painting a countertop to look like marble: PRIME

Next, I primed the entire countertop with the white paint.  After one coat it looked pretty streaky, but the video warned that this would be the case so I wasn’t worried.

After four hours, I applied the second coat of primer.  It definitely looked better, but there were still spots where dark granite was shadowing through, or divots in the granite didn’t get filled.

Because of that, I applied a third coat of white primer the next morning.  The instructions say you only need two coats, but I definitely needed three coats of primer for my dark granite.  After three coats of white primer, all of the dark granite was covered.

Step 3 for painting a granite countertop: VEINING

After third coat of primer dried for four hours, I decided to try some veining to give my painted countertop a true marble look! 

I watched the Giani video again and used the techniques shared there to create what I think are very authentic-looking marble veins!

I made sure not to add to many painted marble veins, as I did not want to have the countertop be too busy.

Step 4 for painting a granite countertop: SEAL WITH EPOXY

This final step was the scariest in the entire countertop painting process: sealing the painted countertop with epoxy freaked me out!  I had never worked with epoxy, so I wasn’t totally sure what to expect.  But, I put on my game face and got to work.

I mixed up the epoxy per the instructions and poured it onto the countertop.  I used the roller with 1/4″ nap as recommended, but if I were you, I would use a foam roller instead.  The 1/4″ nap roller left lint everywhere!  I had to get as much out of the epoxy as I could with tweezers, but there was too much to remove before the epoxy set up (in about 30 minutes).  You would not have a lint problem of this magnitude if you use a foam roller!

As a result of my roller problems, there are visible lint bubbles in my finish.  I may be sensitive to them and others may not really notice them, but they are definitely there and mar the finish, in my opinion.  

Aside from this, the epoxy is what transforms the painted countertop from looking, well, painted, to looking like a shiny, marble finish.  Painted countertops with epoxy sealers are durable and the best looking painted countertops out there.  I’m not saying it looks identical to marble, I am just saying that the epoxy elevates the finish in a way that paint alone cannot.

Prior to using the countertops, I added a line of clear acrylic caulk around the countertop and the backsplash to help seal the edges.  After two days we were able to use our bathroom again.

Again, I painted a granite countertop to look like marble.  It’s not perfect, but it’s a definite improvement.  The Giani Marble Countertop Paint Kit or paint products enclosed in the kit, along with the company’s awesome video tutorial, make the marble countertop look accessible to all.  

If you’re on a budget or don’t want to deal with getting countertops replaced, I recommend using the Giani paints and epoxy to paint a countertop to look like marble.  Make sure your expectations are realistic, watch their video, and read others’ reviews of the products on Amazon, as all of these things will help you get the best finish possible!

I, for one, am very happy with the look of my painted countertop, and I’m glad I took a chance in painting it instead of replacing it!

-Bre

In my old house, you saw a beautiful staircase and arched doorways when you walked in the front door.  In my new house, you see a large wall and a 1970’s-style funky staircase with ugly carpeting.  Not exactly the best first impression.  (This is the photo from the real estate listing.  Yes, multiple people asked if we’d be negotiating for the stager’s “come in we are awesome” sign. :-))

Because of that, I needed to make the foyer feel more like “us” – not too serious but still put-together (most of the time).  On a whim I decided to paint a DIY accent wall to greet visitors to my home, and I think it turned out adorable!  I used trash (yes trash) and craft paint to paint this fun grid accent wall, and I can’t wait to show you how easy it was to add some style to my foyer!

So first off, let me remind you that I’m no stranger to the DIY accent wall.  A couple of years ago I added an adorable-but-subtle accent wall to my old home by putting up vinyl decals in a pattern to look like wallpaper.  I loved the burst of personality this added to a large blank wall, so I figured I would like something similar here.

What Supplies Do You Need to Paint an Accent Wall?

This post contains affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.   

To paint this grid accent wall in my new home, I only needed a few supplies:

• Craft paint (I used DecoArt Multi-Surface paint in Cactus)
• Artist’s brush
• Bowl of water
• Pencil
• Laser level (note: you could use a regular level if you don’t have a laser level)
• Junk cardboard, foam, cardstock, poster board – anything with a little heft will do!

How Do You Paint a Grid Wall?

To begin, I fired up my laser level (which also came in handy for my vinyl decal accent wall!), and centered the red line cross on the wall I was going to paint.  When I had the red laser lines positioned where I wanted, I traced them onto the wall with a pencil.

Next, I grabbed a rectangular piece of foam padding that was in the box for my beautiful new rattan media console, and I held it parallel to the first vertical line that I’d drawn.  I traced along the edge of it, and brought it all the way down from ceiling to floor.  

I repeated this “hold the foam, trace the line” process until the entire wall was covered in perfectly-spaced vertical lines.  If you try this, you could use ANY rectangular piece of cardboard/foam/paper that has some heft to it, which will allow you to trace along the edge.  You’re not limited to trash foam from my media console – ha!

Then I did the same thing with the horizontal lines: I placed the foam parallel with the first horizontal line and traced along the edge; moving the foam from one side of the wall to the other.  

When this was finished, I had a pencil grid on the entire wall.  This part of the process took about 20 minutes tops.  So fast!

Next, I got out my craft paint stash and found this lovely shade of green craft paint. I used craft paint because I had it already and I didn’t want to go to the store.  🙂  Regular latex paint would also work perfectly!

 

I started by painting over the vertical pencil lines, making sure to vary the thickness of each stroke.  I intentionally wanted this DIY accent wall to be imperfect – no precise lines here!  

And then . . . you guessed it . . . I painted over the horizontal pencil lines . . . starting at the top and working my way down.  

This entire painting process took around 40 minutes.

With my DIY grid accent wall complete, I moved my new console table into place.  

And then I got to work on my favorite part: accessorizing!

I rounded up a vintage painting I scored for $15, some other vintage finds (including the wicker tray, brass bowl, and postal scale), some big box store scores from years past (including the sunburst mirrors, pitcher and lamp), and my FAVORITE item: a watercolor family portrait painted by my nine-year-old daughter!

How CUTE is this little spot (and the doggie)???

Let’s do a quick recap: for $0 and an hour of time, I painted the cutest DIY accent wall in a fresh grid pattern.  Not bad, right?

If grids aren’t your thing, maybe you could try something different.  Perhaps a brushstroke accent wall, imperfect polka dot accent wall, crosses – whatever!  The point is that with no skill and no money (or very little money), you can add personality to your home.  So be encouraged and go get it done!  🙂

-Bre