Inspirational Choices: Venetian plaster painting

Decorating the walls of shelters has been a pleasure for man since prehistoric times, who initially used only a few earth pigments bound with animal fat to paint the walls of caves with scenes of hunting and daily life, both for ritual purposes and simply to embellish their homes. In Egypt and ancient Greece, primary colors were used to paint houses, temples and institutions. The Romans invented wall painting, mixing earths and pigments of plant origin with water-based binders to paint frescoes with decorative shapes, create marble effects and other forms of wall decoration.

Over time they became extremely popular, especially in the classical era, when decorative effects were used that imitated marble, wood or the so-called «trompe l’oeil», the first 3D effects. Decorative effects craftsmen apprenticed for a decade under the guidance of a master craftsman before working on their own.

However, we cannot talk about decorative plaster without mentioning its most famous and admired form, Italian decorative plaster or Venetian stucco.

What is Venetian stucco

Venetian stucco describes a decorative wall paint, a classical style plaster, which is an ancient Italian painting formula, suitable for any interior with a sophisticated look that takes advantage of a well-defined classical style.

Venetian stucco generally describes a mixture of slaked lime and marble, quartz or kaolin powder, colored with pigment, plaster applied in various ways to produce different visual effects, both on walls and ceilings.

During the Renaissance, in the mid-16th century, the Marmorino type finish was reintroduced in Venice and used externally for plaster walls. In the 17th century, several types of decorative interior plaster were developed, the most notable being Venetian Stucco, which creates a shiny, shiny effect that is still found in the palaces and villas of Venice today.

Venetian stucco it is a mixture of lime putty, marble dust and/or marble chips, which gives each painted space a distinctive look. Such a lime-based paint can contain more than 40% marble dust. It is mainly used for interior painting on walls and ceilings to give a finish that resembles polished marble, travertine or limestone. Such paint is usually applied over a primer and base coat, from one to four coats. These are finished, i.e. polished, with a special steel spatula until a smooth glass-like shine is obtained. Polished plaster is usually sealed with a protective layer of wax.

Applying stucco, however, was a long process that required patience and skill, so this work was limited only to professional craftsmen.

What we need to know about applying this decorative plaster

And today, although there are many products that promise easy application and a perfect decorative effect, regardless of who applies the paint, know that in general Venetian plaster remains among the few decorative effects that cannot be applied by any novice. We recommend that you contact a professional who has experience in similar work. This type of decorative plaster is applied using a trowel and not a brush. The application method is delicate and rather difficult, because there are many moments during the painting process when mistakes can be made, and unfortunately, mistakes cannot be corrected. If there has been an error in the application, at the level of the surface of the wall, it must be left to dry, then the wall must be sanded, and only then can the whole operation be repeated. It is also essential to work with a certain rhythm, with a certain dexterity, so that repetitive and mechanical patterns do not appear on the surface of the wall. Everything should look as natural as possible. For all these reasons it is advisable to turn to professionals. The final effect of Venetian stucco is obtained by overlapping 3 layers applied with the same methodology, protected by a layer of wax. The raw material from which decorative stucco paint is produced is gypsum. The wall is therefore absorbent, not washable and will therefore get dirty very quickly. Therefore the use of a waxy protective film is recommended.

When the working conditions are respected, the result is spectacular, the quality is impeccable and the lifespan of this finish is decades, provided, of course, that the basic maintenance conditions are respected, valid for any wall, regardless of the painting.

Venetian plaster application procedure

• Each wall is painted by one person.
• The wall must be free of dust, clean and perfectly flat. Venetian stucco does not cover defects, but rather highlights them.
• Apply two layers of primer.
• Mix the product well before use.
• It is applied with a steel spatula with rounded edges.
• The product is ready to use, do not dilute.
• Apply 3 layers of decorative paint, i.e. Venetian stucco decorative plaster, using a stainless steel spatula, with rounded edges to avoid the appearance of unsightly lines during application of the product.
• Apply the first coat until the surface is completely covered and leave to dry for 24 hours.
• The second layer is applied and when the stucco effect begins to appear, it is left to dry for 24 hours.
• The third layer is applied and at that point the desired stucco effect is obtained. Before the final layer dries completely, clean the surface with a steel trowel.
• Protection and polish are achieved with natural wax, which provides a smooth, water-resistant texture and prevents yellowing.

Inspirational Choices: Venetian plaster painting

This decorative effect has delighted for hundreds of years, having a polished marble appearance, so prized in European architecture. Decorative painting results in a refined aesthetic finish of traditional Venetian stucco, smooth, shiny, with subtle differences in tone. Furthermore, the products provide a washable and antistatic surface, which allows the support to breathe.

Don’t know where the decorative effect of Venetian stucco fits in? Depending on the space and preferences it can also be used in the kitchen or bathroom, successfully replacing tiles. For a stunning visual effect, try painting a wall in your bedroom or living room using this traditional Italian technique, which has been around for centuries and gives the whole house a special look.