How to Venetian Plaster

Venetian plaster is a faux painting technique and it is being used by many interior decorators to give a new look to home decor. It is a technique in which paint is applied in a very thick layer to the walls with a trowel. It gives a vintage look to the walls and the texture of the walls are such that light reflects from it at different angles. Unlike other faux painting technique like sponge painting and stippling, only one paint color is used to give this beautiful finish. Venetian plaster technique is suitable for a patio or living room walls when you need to jazz it up a little.

How To Apply Venetian Plaster

For doing venetian plaster, you will first need to gather all your supplies. These can be bought from any home improvement store.

Things Required

• Venetian plaster (in a color of your choice)
• Venetian plaster protective finish
• Spatula
• Drop cloth
• Rag
• Bucket of clean water
• Steel wool
• Fine grit sandpaper

Method

Once you have got your supplies in hand, the first step is to prepare the wall. Clean the wall with a brush and then use a fine grit sandpaper to sand it down. Sanding the wall is very important so that there is a rough surface on which the venetian plaster can adhere to. If there are any holes or structural damage to the wall, then get it repaired before you attempt to paint it. Now apply a coat of primer on the walls and allow it to dry thoroughly. Next scoop a bit of venetian plaster with the spatula and start applying it on the wall in an overlapping pattern. It is best to start from one corner of the wall and work it outwards. Holding the spatula at a 15 - 30 degree angle will give you better results and more flexibility in application.

Keep applying the venetian paint in random strokes until you have the whole wall covered. Make sure that you wipe the spatula with a moist cloth periodically so that dried plaster does not adhere to the spatula. Let the wall dry for 3-4 hours. Once the plaster is dry, it is time for you to apply the second coat. Scoop the venetian plaster on the spatula and apply it in an outward movement by holding it at a 90 degree angle. Apply long or short strokes of plaster with the spatula and make sure that you fill in any void areas. After you are done, take a step back to observe the wall. If you can see the original wall paint, then you need to apply another coat of plaster after the previous coat has dried. If not, you need not apply another coat. Let the plaster dry for an hour.

The next step is to polish the wall so that the venetian plaster has a glossy finish. Use the spatula to apply gentle pressure on the wall and sweep it in a semi circular motion. Do this to the entire wall taking care not to nick the plaster. If you would like to have an even sheen on your wall then you can polish the wall with steel wool. Next wipe the wall with a clean rag and apply a coat of venetian plaster protective finish over it. This will make the wall washable and protect it from moisture and humidity.

Venetian plaster technique is not very hard although it is a bit time=consuming. Now that you know how to apply venetian plaster, you can use it as an accent wall in a living room or bedroom.