Painting Limestone or not?

Hello, I have a 1905 brownstone in Brooklyn and recently had the limestone power-washed but now I’m wondering if I should also paint the limestone, right now it’s in its original state(limestone). Is it a good idea to paint or not? what are the pros and cons?

ssmith31

in General Discussion 8 years and 9 months ago

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alicecfoster

in General Discussion 8 years and 9 months ago

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No. There is no good paint that will allow the stone to dry properly. If the limestone is deteriorating, there are various products that can be used to stabilize the stone – Prosoco (www.prosoco.com) makes several of these. If you really want to go down a rabbit hole, look up the National Park Service guidelines for historic masonry – they give you a good idea of what is good practice.

montrosemorris | 8 years and 9 months ago

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NO! Don’t paint it. First of all, paint just looks horrible. Painting it white is like painting a white marble mantle piece white. Why? What are you going to do? Paint it brown? It’s a white limestone facade. Why?
Paint forms a nice coating that begs for later facade damage when water gets in between the limestone and the paint, which it will, sooner or later. The trapped water eats away at the stone, especially in the seams and joints, around windows, doors and trim. It will take a while, but paint is not good for stone that was meant to naturally wick water away from itself, and gently age.
These limestone clad houses are all over 100 years old. Most of them have decorative ornamentation that is still as sharp as ever. The stone blocks are as plumb and flat as ever. That’s a testament to the natural strength and beauty of this stone. It’s beautiful, please don’t cover it up.

daveinbedstuy | 8 years and 9 months ago

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My first house in Chicago was a granite “greystone.”

BobMarvin | 8 years and 9 months ago

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BUT, as per the “bible”–Charles Lockwood’s “Bricks and Brownstone”–ANY historic row house is a “brownstone” in New York colloquial usage. FWIW MY “brownstone” is limestone and tan “Roman” brick.

murph | 8 years and 9 months ago

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A limestone is a limestone and a brownstone is a brownstone. No difference but the facade material. Is you house a mix?

peaceout | 8 years and 9 months ago

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OMG please do NOT paint!

anotherpsarchitect | 8 years and 9 months ago

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Not good to paint stone. You will regret it!

Augustiner | 8 years and 9 months ago

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Painting on a porous stone is always only a short term fix

resident2 | 8 years and 9 months ago

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If you leave it raw; it will weather and soften from that just cleaned but never quite perfect look. Which I like.
If you paint it; you will have to budget in painting every five years or so, because it will peal & flake; they just do not make paint the way they used to with lead to keep it all together. Plus the paint finish will also show signs of environmental filth and is not so easy to just power wash and be clean again.

BobMarvin | 8 years and 9 months ago

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I have an 1899 limestone and I agree with Arkady

Arkady | 8 years and 9 months ago

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If it’s in good shape I’d leave it alone.