At last, you can now experience the timeless beauty of authentic Venetian plaster finishes.
Let us introduce you to decorative plaster finishes - high polished smooth and also distressed durable finishes that can be used to either replicate classic patinas or to create an entirely contemporary look for your living or work environment.
Choose building materials that have stood the test of time.
Venetian plaster is an ancient building material consisting of a slaked lime putty, also called 'grassello', and a marble. Over the centuries these materials have proven themselves as having no equals when it comes to a lasting display of depth and beauty. The elegance of the old world look can now be recreated into the 21st century.
A low maintenance material that will retain its natural good looks for many years.
These natural earth plasters render vibrant hues and subtle depth, life and movement. Pure slaked lime Venetian plaster is a very desirable facing material as it is hard, strong, plus fire resistant and colour retentive. Our plasters breathe and have a naturally high alkaline so are in herently resistant to mould and mildew. Natural lime plasters have proven to be durable wall finishes for many centuries in all climates, whether wet, dry hot or cold.
We invite you to see for your self how we can craft your desired finish.
We have a large range of finishes available. If you would like to schedule a consultation with our team, go to our contact page. We will advise you on the best decorative wall finishing solution to suit your needs. After a contract has been agreed to, custom finish samples will be created according to your specifications. Once decided upon, the chosen finish will be applied to your building project with the same atention to detail and professionalism we bring to every job.
The history of Venetian Plaster
Venetian Plaster is a relatively modern term but the formula dates back to ancient Roman times. We can see evidence of it today in the villas of Pompeii and in various Roman structures. Later in the 15th century it was rediscovered and known as Marmorino. This 'new' plaster conformed well to the aesthetic requirements dictated by the classical ideal that in the 15th century had recently become fashionable in the Venetian lagoon area.
The first record of work being done with marmorino is a building contract with the nuns of Santa Chiara of Murano in 1473. In this document, it is written that before the marmorino could be applied, the wall had to be prepared with a mortar made of lime and "coccio pesto" (ground terra cotta). This "coccio pesto" was then excavated from tailings of bricks or recycled from old roof tiles.
Besides, marmorino and substrates made of "coccio pesto" resisted the ambient dampness of the lagoon better than almost any other plaster. The first because it is extremely breathable by virtue of the kind of lime used (the only lime which sets on exposure to air after losing excess water) and the second, because it contains terracotta which when added to lime makes the mixture hydraulic, that is, it's effective even in very damp conditions (because it contains silica and aluminium, bases of modern cement and hydraulic lime preparations). The second consideration is that an aesthetically pleasing result could be achieved in an era dominated by the return of a classical Greco-Roman style allowing less weight to be transmitted to the foundation when compared to the habit of covering facades with slabs of stone.
Marmorino maintained its prestige for centuries until the end of the 1800s when interest in it faded and it was considered only an economical solution to the use of marble. Only at the end of the 1970s, thanks in part to architect Carlo Scarpa's use of marmorino, did this finishing technique return to the interest of the best modern architects.
From Wikipedia
The Venetian Plaster Company | Phone 027 233 2744 | Venetianplaster@clear.net.nz
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