How to Make Venetian Plaster

Before we begin, a point to note is that venetian plaster is not a type of plaster but is actually a technique of applying tinted plaster. The tinted plaster that is applied on the wall, by the venetian plaster method, gives the whole wall a marble-like appearance.

What is Venetian Plaster
Basically venetian plaster is a technique of home improvement and decoration. This technique originated in Italy, particularly Venice, hence the name Venetian plaster. A wall or pillar that has been coated by venetian plaster method, gives it an appearance of stone or marble. The traditional venetian plaster is made by applying layers of a viscous mixture that is made up of pigmented limestone, natural or artificial pigment and marble dust. The layers that are applied on the wall with the of venetian plaster technique can be smoothed out to make a fine surface finish or the layers can also be textured into formats. The ultimate end result is that the structure, enveloped in a coat of venetian plaster appears as if it has been made up of stone. The traditional or original venetian plaster coat is rather expensive because its ingredients, like, 40% marble dust and the pigment, do not come cheap. The second factor that makes it costly is that the skill of making original and authentic venetian plaster finishes is handed down from one generation to the next, in families of Italian craftsmen and interior artisans. Due to this fact there are very few people who can actually make a coat of authentic venetian plaster.

Making Venetian Plaster
The following is a simple and quick do-it-yourself method of making a venetian plaster coat.

Requirements

To make a venetian plaster you will require the following:

• Tinted Plaster (usually available in hardware stores and home improvement stores)
• One steel trowel
• Sandpaper of a fine grade finish
• Protective coating for the venetian plaster

Procedure

• The first step is to prepare the surface, that is the walls or pillars where you want to apply the coat of venetian plaster. It is recommended that the surface be clean and free from dust before actually applying the plaster. If the surface has a very smooth finish, then rub it with a sand paper to create some roughness. The rough surface creates friction and helps the plaster to stay on the surface.
• The second step is to apply the first layer of tinted plaster. While applying the first layer, place the trowel on the surface at an angle of 20 to 30 degrees. Do not use generous quantities of plaster and keep the layer as thin as possible. The best way to apply this coat is to place a small amount of plaster on the surface and delicately disperse it with a circular motion of the trowel.
• The next step requires a lot of patience as the layer is supposed to be dried off for at least 4 hours.
• The second layer is to be applied with generous quantities of plaster. For this purpose, hold the trowel at an angle of 90 degrees. It is also important to press down the trowel hard on the surface so as to fill up any remaining and uneven gaps in the plaster. One must always remember that more the pressure applied with the trowel, the more smooth the venetian plaster appears.
• Let the surface dry out a little bit, for say an hour. Then give it a run through with a damp trowel and then burnish the surface as you want.
• Before applying the protective coat on the wall, wait till the second layer settles down in a semi solid form and then rub it with a damp cloth. This will take all the dust particles off the surface. With this done, apply the protective coat as delicately as possible.

Let the surface dry out thoroughly before touching it. Your wall will now look as if it has been made up a white stone. If you want any other color for the wall, just add the appropriate pigment of paint in small quantities. One of the prominent colors that is seen is the gray color. To get a gray wall, add small quantities of black and white colors in the tinted plaster. This form of venetian plaster coating has become popular in many regions of the world.