How to Whitewash Stone Fireplace Effectively & Without a Fuss – 2023 Guide

Have you ever had that thought in your mind that you want to update specific stuff in your house, stuff that looks outdated or a bit out of style?

You can do that to your fireplaces as well. By the end of this WarmthPedia guide, you’ll master how to whitewash stone fireplace effectively.

We’ll also provide you with the best equipment for the whitewashing, alongside a step-by-step detailed explanation of every task you’ll have to carry out.

Read out for more information.

---

Why You Should Know How to Whitewash Stone Fireplace?

Mastering How to Whitewash Stone Fireplace is important for both you, the stone fireplace, and the overall feeling of the house.

If you’d like to carry out a whitewashing to your fireplace, you don’t want to damage the stone fireplace during the process.

Moreover, you shouldn’t whitewash some sections more than others ones, as it’ll make the fireplace look worse than it was before attempting to whitewash it in the first place.

Don’t worry, this WarmthPedia guide will help you avoid that with ease.

---

How to Whitewash Stone Fireplace? A Video to Explain

---

How to Whitewash Stone Fireplace: Tools Required

1. Staining Pads
2. Paint Brush (Choose Standard/Professional One)
3. Chalk-Style Paint (Whatever Level You Like)
4. Water
5. Mixing Cups (for Paint-Water Mixture Creation)
6. Work Towels/Clothes
7. Work Glasses and Rubber Gloves
8. Painters Tape

---

How to Whitewash Stone Fireplace: Preparations

To complete your preparations for whitewashing stone fireplaces, you need to carry out 2 important tasks:

1. Cleaning Your Stone Fireplace Properly.
2. Creating Your Whitewashing Mixture.

1. Cleaning Stone Fireplace

Whitewashing a glossy or dirty stone fireplace won’t work properly and you’ll face multiple difficulties along the way.

The simple solution is to clean the stones with warm soapy water.

Cleaning a stone fireplace is easy, but you have to be careful!

Here’s our guide for cleaning a stone fireplace, explaining all the dos and don’ts you need to abide by, to carry out this preparation step properly.

2. Creating the Whitewashing Mixture.

The key thing in creating the whitewashing mixture is using the same Water-to-paint ratio every time you create the mix.

I’d advise going with a 1:1 ratio mixture, in which you use 1.5 cups of water to be mixed with 1.5 cups of paint.

You can also start with 2 cups of water mixed with 2 cups of paint, but that’s for larger fireplaces. Start with 1.5 cups of each component and work your way up with them.

What happens if you use different ratios?

If you use too much water, you’ll create a lighter color and too much dripping would occur during the whitewashing.

If you use too much paint, you’ll cover the stone fully and coat the whole surface, losing the natural stone look.

Therefore, going for a 1:1 ratio is the best-case scenario here.

You can do another test, use a small paint mixture and apply it to a small section of the fireplace, to test how well it’ll look.

If you’re satisfied with the outcome, proceed to the next phase.

---

How to Whitewash Stone Fireplace: Whitewashing

It’s time to put the mixture to good use.

Apply the whitewash mixture on the stone fireplace one small section every time.

We’d advise you to whitewash each stone separately, by applying the brush on every stone in an X motion.

The X motion helps you cover the stone properly, as you focus more on the center while giving the rest of the stone proper care.

Keep up the same motion on each stone, but you still have to use the staining pad, which was the first item we required for this process.

You need the staining pads to wipe the excess mixture.

The ideal situation would be as followed:

1. You Create the Mixture in a 1:1 ratio.
2. Dip the brush into the mixture.
3. Apply an X motion on each stone separately.
4. Wipe off the excess mixture.
5. Re-apply the X motion on a new stone.
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you finish.

---

Layering Colors is an Option

We’re calling it “whitewashing”, then can I layer the colors, you may be wondering.

Yes, you can layer the colors. All you need to do is wait for the first layer of colors you used on the first day to dry completely.

It takes different time spans to completely dry, depending on the paint you’re using.

We -at WarmthPedia– advise you to wait a full day before moving on to a new color layer.

---

How to Whitewash Stone Fireplace FAQ

---

Conclusion

Whitewashing can be a great solution to any outdated-looking fireplace.

In this WarmthPedia guide, you had detailed instructions on what to do before you whitewash, and during whitewashing.

Moreover, you know exactly what tools you’ll be using, so make sure to cover the ground properly, and get down to business, as we’ve covered every piece of advice you need on How to Whitewash Stone Fireplace.