The Decorative Finish IV
Venetian Plaster
Part I.
Venetian plaster is an old world material made of pulverized marble and used to simulate marble interiors. In the 1990’s it was introduced as a decorative material and technique by American paint manufacturers. By the late 90’s early 00’s it was all the rage in the upscale neighborhoods.
That new product has a latex base and can be purchased in gallon or larger cans. It appears as a white material. The advantage of the product being latex is that it can be tinted using tubes of universal tinting color or acrylic paints. Because copious amounts of the product will be needed for the average job the amount of color added must be carefully measured and carefully blended before use so that each individual coat is the same color throughout the area being covered.
Once the walls are prepared stainless steel tools are used for the application. Regular tools tend to rust quickly and would leave permanent stains. It is applied in three stages. The first coat is freely applied and establishes the overall pattern. The second coat repeats that step but with some attention to filling in surface irregularities. The third coat is essentially a skim coat in which every effort is made to create a perfectly flat surface. Each coat can be a different color or a variation on the one color. But even if the same measure of color is used throughout each of the successive coats will be slightly darker giving the wall a mottled...marbled... appearance.
But, wait. We’re not done! Once the plaster is dry the entire area is buffed and polished with the stainless steel trowel. Once a unified gloss is achieved, and this is very time consuming, the surface is waxed with clear paste wax and buffed. Two coats are recommended.
Obviously this is a material and technique that separates the one per cent from the rest of us. The material and the tools are very expensive and it is labor intensive. When I was asked to use this material for the first time in a very large kitchen for one of my regular clients in my decorative painting days, I charged by the hour, being unable to estimate the time. And I confess I made out Very Well.
As for the results, the clients loved it, but the cleaning woman who worked there, cocked her head to one side, studied the results and said: “All that work and it looks like Formica.” I had to agree with her. And in the second place, who would want to have marble walls in their living room? Makes for a mighty cold environment.
But in the right place it is very effective. On a recent Sunday morning walk I came upon a building at the corner of Alcala and Gomez Farias that appeared at first to have been repainted with a color wash finish. But seeing the glossy sheen I realized that it was Venetian plaster. As this building is what I think is a public health center I was amazed that so much time and expense had been devoted to the building. I also wondered how it would be maintained after being attacked by the ever present army of Oaxacan spray can vandals.
For those who need directions, at the far right side of the building is the entrance to the organic market, the name of which I have never known. (I don’t eat organic food.)
Often manufacturers have informational films made regarding their products. With the advent of You Tube and it’s world wide popularity the industrious man in the street is now presenting homemade How To videos. Some of them are, as Liberace so often said...Wonderful! Search You Tube: Venetian plaster.
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