

Venetian plaster, marked in the industry by many different names like marble plaster, Marmorino, stucco, Italian plaster Decorative finishes or polished plaster, is a special type of plaster that is used to give a marble-like /Stone/concrete look and feel to walls and ceilings. So, let’s discuss what it is made of to start things off.
#Gray venetian plaster how to#
We will be discussing the materials that give Venetian plaster its beauty, its benefits in your home, how to apply it, and how to keep it away from damage. If you are thinking about decorating your walls with the glossy or matt look of Venetian plaster, this blog is a must-read for you. With the cultural and technological transformation, even these old-age arts have improved quite a lot and it’s now easier than ever to give your home the same elegance and beauty as was seen in ancient architecture. Even in architecture and home decor, we see the years-old Venetian plastering finish gaining popularity all over the Uk. Matt finishes are becoming increasingly popular these days. This is the most exciting thing about Venetian plaster, not only is it just high shine walls that are popular but textured finishes too! “Venetian plaster” is a term we use for all decorative finishes we offer which are pretty much endless, and when you think of Venetian plaster you instantly think of shiny polished plaster but this isn’t the case. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve disappointed when they rave about their Venetian walls – only to find out that their warm walls are synthetic – and not the real thing.People have always been attracted to shiny finishes. synthetic Ventian Plaster? Aside from the depth and beauty…if you place your hand on the wall and it’s cool to the touch – it’s the real deal.

And when you do multiple layers – and then burnish them (burnishing is when you take your trowel and press and compress the material as it dries to create depth and shine)…the glow and the depth of this finish is so incredible that any synthetic plaster wall looks dull and depthless in comparison. They no longer look like sheetrock – they look like they are made from stone – harder and more thick. Due to the chemical process which converts something hard (limestone) to a putty/plaster that can be troweled on – and then hardens back to limestone – is that it actually changes the structure of your walls. What is so important about real Venetian lime-based plaster is its structural quality. This beautiful plaster craft was absent for nearly a thousand years until the Renaissance – which of course, revived so many important art forms. You really can’t get that for $35 a gallon. The water is given off, the carbon dioxide from the air is absorbed – and the plaster hardens back to its original state – limestone. When this gets applied to walls and then burnished and cured – the chemical process really begins. Then marble dust gets added and mixed – and that’s the basis for lime-based plaster. Mixing these lumps with water – it becomes calcium hydroxide. This breaks it down and takes the carbon dioxide out of it. It starts with Limestone which is taken out of the ground and then put in high temperature kilns. What is real Venetian plaster? Put as simply as possibly, it’s really a chemical process. If you think about the damp canals of Venice and the exteriors of their buildings clad in this plaster – that are still intact and looking beautiful, you’ll understand why this finish is so desirable and worthwhile. The water will quickly evaporate and exit the finish – unlike their synthetic imposters, which will fail in wet conditions. It’s been said that many of these artisans took the recipe for their plaster to the grave – rather than to reveal the secret of this beautiful finish.Īuthentic Venetian plaster is a wonderful wall option for places that may get humid and wet (like bathrooms). The artisans of Venice perfected these plasters to a high art and they were highly regarded for their beauty, feel and longevity. It has been a key ingredient in the great architectural structures that are world-known for over 9000 years. You can’t judge a book by its cover – it says Venetian, but…Ī Little History: Venetian plaster (lime-based plaster) has been used for thousands of years – from the tombs in Giza and the Moroccan steam baths…to the Sistine Chapel.
