Paint & Finishes

Breathable Paint

"A coating with high water-vapour permeability, allowing moisture to escape from masonry or lime-plastered walls. Essential on pre-1919 UK buildings."

British English entry — uses UK spelling (colour, grey, favourite, neighbourhood) and UK units (square metres, litres, postcode). Optimised for homeowners and decorators across the United Kingdom.

Colour definition in detail

Silicate, lime-wash, and mineral paints are the main breathable options. Using modern impermeable masonry paint on solid-wall period property traps moisture and causes spalling — a key heritage-conservation rule.

Synonyms & Related Colour Terms

Vapour-open paint Microporous paint

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Related colour terms

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