Polished Plaster and Venetian Plaster
Venetian plaster is lime and marble flour burnished until the surface reflects. Marmorino is the same family read as stone rather than glass. Both are trowel skills first and products second, which is why the sample board matters more than the tin.
Where this works
- Entrance halls and stairwell walls
- Feature panels and fireplace surrounds
- Hotel lobbies and restaurant bar fronts
- Curved walls and coffered ceilings
- Bathroom walls where a waxed lime finish is wanted over microcement
How we install it
- 1Flat base or nothing
High sheen finishes act like a mirror, so any undulation in the board reads as a wave. Walls are checked with a straight edge and skimmed flat before we start.
- 2Tinted base coat
The base coat carries most of the colour so the polish coats can be kept thin. Getting depth from base tint rather than build is what keeps a Veneziano from looking heavy.
- 3Compress and burnish
Thin passes are laid then compressed with a polished steel trowel at the right moment in the set. Too early and it drags, too late and it burns. That window is the craft.
- 4Wax or seal
Beeswax for depth in dry rooms, soap wax where a little water resistance is wanted, or a mineral sealer for bathroom walls.
Common pitfalls we prevent
Frequently asked
What is the difference between Marmorino and Venetian plaster?+
Both are lime and marble based. Marmorino is left with a stone like matt or low sheen surface and reads as solid material. Veneziano is burnished to a deep reflective polish with visible depth and movement.
Can polished plaster be used in a bathroom?+
Yes on walls outside the direct shower spray, sealed with soap wax or a mineral sealer. Inside a shower enclosure we would tank the area and use microcement or a specific wet area lime system.
How do you agree the finish before starting?+
We make sample boards in your chosen colour and sheen, applied by the person who will do the room, then look at them on the actual wall in daylight and at night before signing anything off.
Can it be repaired?+
Localised repair is possible but blending a high polish invisibly is difficult, so we usually re-work wall to wall between natural breaks. Marmorino blends far more easily than Veneziano.
Does it work on ceilings?+
Yes, and it is one of the most effective places to use it. Ceilings take longer because material has to be kept thinner to stay put, so allow more days than a wall of the same area.
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