Venetian plaster has been synonymous with a look and feel of marble and originated in Italy- the world’s art capital. But what is the difference between what you see on the shelves at your neighborhood hardware or paint stores?
The purpose of this article is to clarify the misconceptions about Venetian plaster and the huge differences between the acrylic U.S. brands and the authentic Italian produced plasters.
Authentic Italian Venetian plaster is made out of natural material like lime stone and marble. It is mined from the Italian Alps, heated at a high temperature till the stone crumbles. The powdered form
is then taken to large vats where water is added and the plaster rests for 6 months to a year. This resting period allows the molucles to line up. Each batch is tested then shipped untinted to each distributor. To add color I use a tint specfically made for the product which will allow for up to 1200 colors and to color match if desired. I have applied and seen true authentic Italian Venetian plaster on walls. The look is beautiful, stunning and smooth to the touch but must be applied over a smooth surface. Any wall defect or imperfection will telegraph through the plaster finish. I usually have the walls smoothed out with a layer of joint compound. The tinted plaster is troweled onto the walls in three layers, each layer needs to be completely smooth. The surface is thouroughly heated by dragging a trowel accross the surface, this process is called burnishing. When applied correctly it looks and feels like glass, even without waxes, that is because of the marble in the plaster. After the plaster is completely dried it can be left as is or a layer of wax can be applied for added durability.
I have also seen many so called Venetian plastered walls that have been applied by paint companies or faux artisans that were manufactuered by Behr(Home Depot), Valspar(Lowes), Modern Masters, or Comdex. The look differs depending on the applicator but for the most part the look tends to be the same- light to medium texture in varying movement with a chaulky lighter color scattered in cross-hatched paterns. While it is somewhat cheaper for the applicator to apply faux venetian plaster, the customer will not be rewarded with any value for the money spent and is usually left with a dust filled house due to the toxic particles caused by the sanding process. While the old saying goes “you pay for what you get” it rings true when you decide to consider price over value. Even though applicators are applying faux Venetian plaster for an average of $6 a sq. ft. it is far from a good deal for the buyer. I have a few Italian plaster finishes that are only $2 a sq. ft. more than what they charge. Why settle for the get by when in the long run the good costs less. I know from experience with faux Venetian plaster doing several samples and finally doing a powder room in my own home. To get the actual look and feel of authentic Italian Venetian plaster I had to apply 5 layers and sand with 4 different grit sandpapers. The shine is good but there is no movement, felt like plastic, and it was necessary to have texture to get any movement in the color. While these products maybe good for the “do it yourselfer” it should not be an acceptable product for the professional applicator or designer.
Here’s a quick chart to show the differences between the paint product and the authentic Italian made versions:
The purpose of this article is to clarify the misconceptions about Venetian plaster and the huge differences between the acrylic U.S. brands and the authentic Italian produced plasters.
Authentic Italian Venetian plaster is made out of natural material like lime stone and marble. It is mined from the Italian Alps, heated at a high temperature till the stone crumbles. The powdered form
is then taken to large vats where water is added and the plaster rests for 6 months to a year. This resting period allows the molucles to line up. Each batch is tested then shipped untinted to each distributor. To add color I use a tint specfically made for the product which will allow for up to 1200 colors and to color match if desired. I have applied and seen true authentic Italian Venetian plaster on walls. The look is beautiful, stunning and smooth to the touch but must be applied over a smooth surface. Any wall defect or imperfection will telegraph through the plaster finish. I usually have the walls smoothed out with a layer of joint compound. The tinted plaster is troweled onto the walls in three layers, each layer needs to be completely smooth. The surface is thouroughly heated by dragging a trowel accross the surface, this process is called burnishing. When applied correctly it looks and feels like glass, even without waxes, that is because of the marble in the plaster. After the plaster is completely dried it can be left as is or a layer of wax can be applied for added durability.I have also seen many so called Venetian plastered walls that have been applied by paint companies or faux artisans that were manufactuered by Behr(Home Depot), Valspar(Lowes), Modern Masters, or Comdex. The look differs depending on the applicator but for the most part the look tends to be the same- light to medium texture in varying movement with a chaulky lighter color scattered in cross-hatched paterns. While it is somewhat cheaper for the applicator to apply faux venetian plaster, the customer will not be rewarded with any value for the money spent and is usually left with a dust filled house due to the toxic particles caused by the sanding process. While the old saying goes “you pay for what you get” it rings true when you decide to consider price over value. Even though applicators are applying faux Venetian plaster for an average of $6 a sq. ft. it is far from a good deal for the buyer. I have a few Italian plaster finishes that are only $2 a sq. ft. more than what they charge. Why settle for the get by when in the long run the good costs less. I know from experience with faux Venetian plaster doing several samples and finally doing a powder room in my own home. To get the actual look and feel of authentic Italian Venetian plaster I had to apply 5 layers and sand with 4 different grit sandpapers. The shine is good but there is no movement, felt like plastic, and it was necessary to have texture to get any movement in the color. While these products maybe good for the “do it yourselfer” it should not be an acceptable product for the professional applicator or designer.
Here’s a quick chart to show the differences between the paint product and the authentic Italian made versions:
