Polished & Venetian Plaster

What it is

Venetian plaster is a lime-based plaster with fine marble dust, applied in several thin coats with a steel trowel and then burnished. Each layer is laid in short, overlapping strokes, so the finished wall has a depth and gentle variation that paint cannot imitate. Polished plaster is the wider family of these trowelled finishes, including marmorino and stucco, ranging from matt to high gloss.

Where it works

• Feature walls, entrance halls and stairwells
• Dining rooms and drawing rooms where light falls across the wall
• Bathrooms and cloakrooms, sealed or waxed for the conditions
• Fireplace surrounds and joinery-free walls that should read as one surface

How we apply it

1. 01 Preparation: walls are made true and primed; polished plaster shows every defect beneath it.
2. 02 Sampling: colour, texture and level of polish are agreed on sample boards and in the room.
3. 03 Application: base coats, then thin finishing coats, each trowelled and compressed.
4. 04 Burnishing and protection: the surface is burnished and, where needed, waxed or sealed.

Questions

Is polished plaster expensive?

It is skilled, labour-intensive work, so it costs more than paint or wallpaper. Price depends on the area, the system and the level of polish; we quote after a survey.

Is Venetian plaster waterproof?

Waxed or sealed, it resists water and is used in bathrooms. For showers and other areas that are regularly wet, we specify a system designed for wet rooms.

How durable is it?

Lime plaster cures hard over time and wears well. Marks can often be polished out, and small areas can be repaired locally without redoing the wall.

Venetian plaster or microcement?

Venetian plaster is lime and marble, mostly for walls, with depth and softness. Microcement is a cement-polymer coating often used on floors and wet areas. We can advise which suits each room.