Venetian plaster process. DIY Venetian plaster - detailed manufacturing technology

Many people are surprised by the Venetian plaster glowing from the inside, which has the effect of translucency: only professionals know how to apply an amazingly beautiful coating. But even beginners in painting can master simple techniques for working with Venetian mixtures. The main thing is to follow the correct procedure. Before starting work, it is worth making test samples on pieces of plywood or drywall to get a feel for how a delicate Venetian behaves.

All methods of applying Venetian plaster require the obligatory leveling of the walls. The leveling is carried out in 2 stages: with the starting compounds the wall is prepared for filling, the finishing mixture is brought to perfect smoothness. If the leveling is carried out by hired workers, you should order a putty for painting or specify that the decoration will be done with Venetian plaster.

After leveling, the wall is dried within 24-48 hours. Final sanding of the surface is done with fine-grained emery cloth. Dust should be carefully removed.

Saturate the wall with a primer for lime and gypsum plasters (with quartz filler). The choice of primers is large enough, and their characteristics practically do not differ from each other. It is advisable to apply 2 coats of primer to ensure good adhesion of the decorative coating to the wall.

The application of Venetian plaster requires little:

trowel;
metal spatula;
dry rags;
emery cloth with very fine grain;
ready-made or dry venetian plaster;
color;
polishing wax.

The material for Venetian plaster consists of a lime binder and filler (marble dust) and is applied in a very thin layer.

Instrument preparation

If the spatulas and trowel are new, then you need to carefully inspect all their edges, corners and work surface. There should be not the slightest defect on the instrument. Professional craftsmen use old, well-served trowels to apply the Venetian: they have sharpened rounded corners and a very smooth surface.

New instruments can be specially prepared:

with metal scissors, carefully cut off the corners of the spatula and trowel;
process the sections first with a file, and then with a fine sandpaper;
sand the edges and surfaces of the tool with emery paper.

Since the Venetian plaster must be applied in a very thin layer (1-2 mm), the possibility of the smallest scratches must be avoided. For this, such a thorough preparation of the working tool is needed.

Classic is the easiest way

Before applying Venetian plaster, you need to mix the finished composition (in the form of a paste) until smooth, or combine the dry mixture with water. The proportions of the components are indicated on the packaging of the Venetian, and the ratio of water and mixture must be very strictly observed. It is very important to pour dry ingredients into the liquid, and not vice versa. During the filling of the dry mixture, the mass must be mixed, bringing it to homogeneity. Leave the mass to brew for 5-7 minutes and mix again.

The classic scheme for decorating walls with Venetian plaster consists of 3 stages:

applying a base coat;
laying 2-3 decorative layers that form a pattern;
grinding and waxing.

To get a colored coating, you need to add color to the plaster. This can be done directly at the store where the mixture is purchased. You can tint it yourself, given that the plaster will be lighter when it dries. In order not to be mistaken in choosing a shade, you can apply a smear of the colored mixture on a white surface and dry it.

The rules for applying the base coat are not particularly complicated. It is very convenient to take the mixture with a spatula, laying it on the edge of the trowel. After that, the tool must be pressed against the wall surface at a slight angle: the leading edge must be raised by about the thickness of a finger. Rub the mass into the surface in a free arcuate motion. Cover the entire wall gradually, in small squares.

It is very important to apply strokes so that they overlap the neighboring ones by 0.5-1 cm. The plastered wall must be dried within 6-8 hours (you can leave it overnight). Apply the following coat to the prepared surface:

Draw plaster paste onto a trowel. Use short and long strokes to distribute it over the base layer. At this stage, one should not seek uniformity of application: chaotic strokes and create an unusual texture of the finished plaster. Smooth unevenness with a trowel.
Dry the wall for 2-3 hours.
Sand the surface, removing all small irregularities.

In conclusion, the coating is glazed. Apply a strip of mortar to a wide spatula, press the tool against the wall, holding it at a very steep angle to the wall surface (75-80º). Make an extensive smear in one continuous motion, pressing the trowel firmly against the wall.

On the applied smear, you need to run the spatula again, smoothing it and making the paste layer very thin. It is advisable to glaze in separate squares (about 1 m²). Having processed 1 square, you need to move on to the next. After finishing applying the solution, return to the previous one and polish it with a clean spatula to a light gloss. Apply the solution to 3 squares, polish the 2 area and cover the new part of the wall with paste.

It is convenient to arrange the squares when glazing with a ladder, starting from the upper corner of the wall and gradually moving to the side and down. The boundaries of individual sections must be joined with a small overlap, combining them together. After finishing finishing, polish the wall again with a spatula and dry it.

A well-plastered surface will not need sanding. In the presence of the smallest irregularities, it is worth wiping it a little with very fine sandpaper, smoothing it to an ideal state. The dust must be removed very carefully so that the wax settles evenly. That is why craftsmen prefer to polish the wall well, avoiding the use of an abrasive: the smallest dust particles constantly settle on the wall and complicate the work.

Waxing

For waxing the walls, special compositions based on natural wax are used. You can buy them in the same building departments where the mixture for the Venetian plaster was purchased. The composition is applied in a thin layer:

gain mass on a wide spatula, perform a smear, stretching the wax over the surface with a long straight movement with slight pressure;
to carry out on the same place again, removing unnecessary.

When applying wax, you should try to leave a very thin layer without streaks at the edges of the smear. All imperfections reduce the quality of the coating, as they become very noticeable after polishing. Processing is most conveniently done in small areas, which the master will have time to finish in 20-30 minutes. When applying wax, you need to use a glazing scheme: starting from the upper corner, using a ladder, processing a section of the wall and returning to the previous one.

The wax has time to dry while the wall is being finished. Having finished the work, you need to immediately proceed to the final stage - polishing. To add shine, use a soft dry rag. With a rag, you need to perform circular movements, achieving the appearance of gloss.

Venetian with craquelure effect

Another very easy-to-use method is to imitate an old wall, cracked from time to time. Thanks to various additives in the polishing layer (wax or varnish), the decorative effect of such a coating is very high. This technology for applying Venetian plaster requires less time than the classic version.

In addition to the standard set of tools for Venetian plaster, in this case, it is advisable to purchase a building hair dryer. This will significantly speed up the drying process of the coating. For finishing, you can use glitters, metal powder (gold or silver), phosphor (TAT33 Noxton, for example) or leave the wax or varnish colorless.

The cracking effect lies in the method of applying the plaster layer:

Apply a white or tinted Venetian mixture on the prepared wall in a rather thick layer (about 2 mm), without trying to even out the surface especially. Perform strokes in arcuate or straight movements in different directions, chaotically. You need to trim small sections of the wall (approximately 1 m²).
Draw randomly over the wet plaster with a trowel, forming lines along which the coating will crack. To do this, press the tool against the wall with its entire plane and move it in the desired direction with light pressure. Make a few more of these movements. Stripes appear on the coating, slightly rising above the surface.
Turn on the hair dryer to the maximum. Heat the plaster from a very close distance (1-1.5 cm), drying it. As it dries, a pattern of cracks appears on the surface.
Use fine emery paper to smooth the surface a little, revealing the pattern and leveling the surface. Remove dust thoroughly.
Add color, glitters or luminous powder-phosphor to varnish or wax. Apply the wax in the usual way, as in the classic version. It is easier to varnish the wall with a roller, rolling each section well so that the composition penetrates the cracks.

After drying, the wall is completely ready for use. Coating with varnish makes the plaster more resistant to wet cleaning. But such a coating is devoid of the mysterious volumetric effect inherent in wax.

Marble plaster

The technique of applying Venetian plaster imitating the marble surface is not particularly difficult, but rather time-consuming. With this method, the master actually draws a pattern inherent in the stone. The creative process involves artistic skill and a sense of color.

The pattern of marble slabs consists of smooth transitions of shades of the same color with occasional blotches of black. On the polished plane, almost parallel layers are visible, formed during the settling of the calcareous crystals. You can create a similar pattern using colors and common working tools: a spatula and a trowel.

The technology of applying Venetian marble-like plaster includes laying the base layer. It can be left white or tinted in one of the shades. The strokes should be long and located along the future layering of the pattern. After slightly drying the surface (5-7 minutes), you can additionally draw uneven long lines with a trowel.

Paint the Venetian in 2-3 shades of color. Make some black paste separately. Apply different plaster to the trowel without stirring. Add a few drops of black. Observing the previously selected direction of layering, stretch the paste over the surface with long, uneven strokes. At the borders of strokes and areas, you need to try to overlap, continuing the drawing. Finishing the next square, dry it for 15-20 minutes and polish with a spatula until it shines.

Decorative Venetian plaster, the application technology of which is quite simple, is gaining more and more popularity. You can do it yourself, it is important to follow the rules that are the same for all methods: apply with separate strokes. Overlapping each other, they create color transitions that can be accentuated by applying wax or varnish.

Despite its antiquity, plastering of residential and public spaces is still very popular. This is due to the practical advantages of such a wall design, and an unusually attractive appearance. Do you want to make your home more beautiful without resorting to third-party craftsmen? Then DIY Venetian plaster is one of the most preferable options for you.

Venetian plaster itself has been around for a couple of thousand years and appeared earlier than its current name. Back in ancient Rome, builders noticed that quarry waste in the form of dust and small fragments can be used to prepare a finishing mixture, which, with a certain application technique, is in no way inferior in appearance to normal marble.

Subsequently, the recipe for such plaster became very popular in Venice during the Renaissance, and from there it carries its current name, which in the original sounds like stucco veneziano... Now let's figure out what kind of finishing material it is and what it consists of.

The main component of Venetian plaster is very fine stone chips. Moreover, it can be not only marble, but also onyx, malachite, granite, quartz and other minerals. This stone crumb is bound together with the help of slaked lime. However, lime has recently been replaced by a synthetic component - acrylic. Such a Venetian plaster in its appearance is in no way inferior to the "classical" composition, but at the same time it is much more convenient to work with it. Various dyes, also called colors, complement the mixture. They give the Venetian plaster a certain shade required by the owner of the room to be finished.

Important! If you wish and have time, you can not only apply Venetian plaster, but also prepare it yourself. To do this, you need stone chips, which can be obtained from the marble and granite workshop. Slaked lime can be found in a home improvement store, and colors can be found in paint and plaster stores. But remember that the factory formulations already have a mature recipe and certain properties.

Venetian plaster - pros and cons

Separately, it is worth considering the advantages and disadvantages of Venetian plaster as a material for interior decoration. Among the advantages are the following.

A texture that imitates many types of natural stone (depends on the technique used by the master plasterer).

The effect of "internal glow" due to the high reflectivity of the material and the use of a wax coating.
Long service life of at least 25 years (with the correct plastering technology).
The absence of seams and joints on the decoration of walls and other surfaces.
Long-lasting color retention thanks to the wax coating.
Water resistance - Venetian plaster can be safely used in bathrooms or saunas.

As for the disadvantages of Venetian plaster, they include the high cost of the material, the complexity of finishing and high requirements for the base coat - it must be perfectly even and well putty, without irregularities and defects. Without the last factor, you may face a problem when all the imperfections of the wall will be visible after finishing the finish.

A wall finished with plaster, depending on the type of material, can have a different texture, color, look modest and inconspicuous, or, on the contrary, very expensive. - This is one of the types of decorative surface finishing. It is used for various purposes, including for facades.

Tools for working with Venetian plaster

Before proceeding with the description of the techniques for applying Venetian plaster with your own hands, let's get acquainted with the list of tools necessary for this work.

Table. DIY Venetian plaster - tool list.

Tool name	What is it used for
	Applying layers of textured plaster and drawing veins on the material
	Essential tool for the application of Venetian plaster and wax coating
	Transferring the plaster mixture from the container to a wider spatula, kneading and tinting the material
	Grinding and cleaning plaster layers, removing excessively protruding elements
	Storage and mixing of white and colored plaster
	Manual polishing of hard-to-reach or small areas treated with Venetian plaster
	Machine polishing of a large area treated with Venetian plaster
	Mixing large volumes of Venetian plaster

Construction mixer price

Construction mixer

Video - Venetian plaster from A to Z

DIY Venetian plastering

From the description of Venetian plaster, its features, advantages and disadvantages, let's move on to considering the basic application techniques. But before that, check out how to prepare the walls for finishing work and how to independently obtain a composition of a certain color.

Important! As mentioned above, decorating walls and other surfaces with Venetian plaster is a complex process that requires some experience and skill. Therefore, before starting construction work, take a small amount of the composition and practice on white and smooth MDF panels. It is advisable to try several different plastering techniques and experiment with several colors.

Surface preparation for Venetian plaster

All plastering work begins with the preparation of the walls. If there is any old finish on the walls (paint, wallpaper or anything else) - remove it completely and as thoroughly as possible. Also, the walls are cleaned of involuntary traces of repairs in the form of stains and construction dust.

After removing the previous finish, proceed to repair the large defects in the wall. Cover cracks and potholes with a cement mixture, remove the protrusions with a grinder, rub the rough spots with sandpaper. As a result, you should have a relatively flat surface without any special flaws, suitable for further finishing work.

Next, apply a primer, starting and finishing putty on the surface in succession. After sanding with the last sandpaper, you should have a perfectly flat wall, free from any flaws. Remember that all imperfections in the surface after finishing the Venetian plaster will be very noticeable.

Finish preparing the wall for Venetian plastering by applying two (and in some cases three) coats of primer. Moreover, its color should be either neutral white, or close in shade to the future finish.

Tinting Venetian plaster

Before starting to apply the decoration, the owner of the premises or the craftsman performing the work for him must choose the color of the future Venetian plaster and "prepare" it using a basic white mixture and several different dyes. This process is called tinting, and from the step-by-step instructions given in this subsection, you can familiarize yourself with how it happens.

Step 1. Choose a suitable shade of Venetian plaster. When doing this, use a tinting fan. It contains not only the primary colors, but also their shades, the total number of which can reach several tens or even hundreds.

Tinting fan

Step 2. Prepare tinting tools - a clean sheet of thick paper, on which you can see if the prepared Venetian plaster matches the selected shade, a small container for mixing the composition, a narrow spatula and a set of dyes.

Step 3. Prepare a small amount of neutral white Venetian plaster. Choose the right dyes. In this case, the master will achieve a dark red hue with an offset to brown. For this, basic red, red-brown, brown and black dyes are used. The latter is necessary to reduce the brightness of Venetian plaster and make it more similar to natural marble.

Step 4. Choose a container of base color (in this case, it's red), shake it up and add a lot to the white plaster.

Step 5. Stir the plaster and paint with a narrow spatula until the compound is uniform in color.

Step 6. Using a narrow spatula, apply a small strip of plaster mixed with the base color onto a white sheet of paper. Compare it with the desired shade on a colored fan and determine which dyes and how much to add. In total, during the tinting process, several such checks will be made, with the help of which you can gradually achieve the color you originally intended.

Step 7. Add a second color to the plaster, which will shift its shade to the previously chosen one. In this case, we are talking about a red-brown color. As last time, stir the plaster until smooth, apply a small strip of the mixture to the paper and match the color with the selected shade on the fan.

Important! When giving color to the plaster, keep in mind that after drying it will be lighter than at the moment, by one or sometimes two tones.

Step 8. Add literally a few drops of black color to the plaster to give a better match to the natural stone and some decrease in brightness, which will be unnecessary for this finish.

Step 9. Apply a strip of plaster to the paper and match with your chosen shade. Adjust the mixture with dyes until it reaches the desired appearance. After that, the tinting can be considered complete - then you will prepare the Venetian plaster according to the same principle, but on a large scale, for application to the wall.

Powder paint price

Powder paints

Application of classic Venetian plaster

Let's start by looking at the basic technique for applying Venetian plaster. It is called classic and requires a mixture of only one shade. In this case, the Venetian plaster of the color of milk chocolate will be applied.

Step 1. Use tinting to prepare a certain amount of plaster of a certain shade and select the place where it will be applied. Please note that "Venetian" dries quickly, so work with small areas of about 1 m 2. Different places should overlap a little.

The example uses a training canvas

Important! If Venetian plaster is applied by two different people, then from time to time they must change places - each has its own way of working, but at the same time it is necessary to achieve approximately the same appearance of the walls and their individual parts.

Step 2. Apply the first layer of Venetian plaster with smooth, rounded strokes using a trowel. It removes the invisible defects of the wall, levels it and acts as a connecting link for subsequent layers of decoration. Remember to apply a small amount of plaster and a thin layer. At this stage, the presence of small bald spots is acceptable.

Step 3. Wait 60 minutes until the first layer of Venetian plaster applied is dry.

Step 4. Apply a second coat of Venetian plaster using a trowel. It should be as thin as the previous one, but at the same time here form veins and other elements that in the future will become a "pattern" on the wall, imitating natural marble or any other stone.

Step 5. Apply the third layer of Venetian plaster, which is called "wiping" in the classic technique. For this work, use a Japanese spatula, while pressing it against the wall with considerable effort. Using this tool, apply a small amount of plaster over the second layer, and immediately make movements to remove the excess.

Step 6. Without waiting for complete drying (but not immediately after application), sand the third layer of Venetian plaster with an abrasive sponge or very fine sandpaper. Shake off any dust from the wall to be treated.

Step 7. After the finishing layer of plaster has dried, treat it with wax. A small amount of it is applied to the spatulas according to the same principle as in the previous operation - first, the composition is on the wall, then its excess is removed with pressure. The wax will make the Venetian plaster one shade darker, give it a shine and protect it from abrasion and moisture.

Step 8. 20 minutes after waxing, the area of the wall finished with Venetian plaster is wiped with a dry and clean cloth. Before that, you can "grind" it again with a Japanese spatula, removing excess wax.

Application of Venetian plaster in two tones

Now let's look at a slightly more complex technique for applying Venetian plaster - here we work with mixtures of the same color, but different tones - one lighter and the other darker.

Step 1. Using tinting, prepare a certain amount of plaster of the same color, but in different containers and with different shades. As mentioned above, the first composition is lighter, the second darker. Also determine the area of 1 m 2, from which the application of Venetian plaster using this technique will begin.

Step 2. As with the previous technique, apply the first layer of Venetian plaster with a Japanese trowel in rounded strokes with medium pressure and without much removal of excess. When doing this, use a mixture of light colors.

Step 3. Wait for the first coat to dry and start applying the second. He will be responsible for the texture of the wall decoration with Venetian plaster. Apply the main part of the second layer in a light tone, drawing out veins and other elements small in height. Then take a small amount of dark-colored plaster with a Japanese trowel and leave small spots and streaks on the surface. Thus, form a certain pattern by copying the real stone.

Step 4. Apply a third coat of light-colored plaster. At the same time, work with a spatula with serious effort, in a semicircular motion, "on the scratch" of the newly applied plaster. Then polish these areas. The process is similar to what happens when describing the previous finishing technique.

Step 5. Wait for the third layer of plaster to dry and sand the wall section (or, in this case, the training canvas) with an emery cloth or sponge.

Step 6. Wipe off the dust left on the plaster section of the wall after using the emery pad and apply a layer of wax. As soon as it dries up, wipe everything off with a dry and clean cloth. After that, a section of the wall can be considered successfully plastered with a two-tone Venetian.

Important! Use a two-tone plastering technique, taking into account the size of the area to be trimmed. If it is large, then the difference between shades should be minimal - otherwise the wall will “dazzle” and rather annoy than evoke positive emotions. But for small areas, it is allowed to use plaster with a difference of several tones.

Application of marble-effect Venetian plaster

And finally, let's get acquainted with the third technique of applying Venetian plaster - with an imitation of real marble. Please note that this is a rather complex finishing option that requires some experience in this area.

Step 1. Prepare the plaster of the base color (in this case, this is the red that was discussed in the subsection on tinting), as well as black and white mixtures, with which the imitation of marble will be performed. Apply the first layer of Venetian using the base shade composition. At the same time, lay the plaster on the surface diagonally from right to left, leaving characteristic stripes.

Step 2. Wait until the first coat is dry and apply a generous amount of base color plaster to the trowel, add some white mixture to it and stir gently. Then complete with black composition. An example of applying three shades of plasters to a trowel can be seen in the photo below.

Step 3. Apply a mixture of three different colored plasters in a second coat. As you do this, slide the trowel diagonally from right to left, drawing a streak of veins.

Step 4. Using the instructions from the previous step, continue applying the multi-colored mixtures of renders until the second coat is fully formed. Let it dry.

Step 5. Sand the Venetian marbled plaster with a fine-grain emery cloth. Wipe off any dust generated during the work.

Step 6. Apply a layer of wax with a Japanese trowel to protect the plaster and give the finish a shine.

Step 7. After the wax dries, wipe the surface with a clean cloth or a special grinder attachment.

Marble plaster prices

Marble plaster

Now you know about the basic methods of working with Venetian plaster. Try this type of finish at the first opportunity - the difficulties associated with working with it will result in amazing results.

Venetian plaster appeared a long time ago, it was used by the ancient Romans. In Italian it is called stucco veneziano. Everyone knows that marble was the most popular in those days, and decoration was made with the help of its waste - stone dust and small fragments of stone. There are no external differences in such a finish from natural marble or other material, and it is much easier to handle it.

What it is?

Venetian plaster is a finishing layer when decorating walls, ceilings, or building facades. Possesses excellent decorative characteristics.

The price is high, but the effect is significant: the room acquires respectability and special sophistication.

There are several types:

Veneto- imitates marble. The simplest variety in terms of application and care relative to others. For cleaning, it is allowed to use a sponge and ordinary water.
Trevignano- up to 12 layers are used to create the coating. For binding, polymers are added to the composition. It favorably emphasizes classic vintage furniture, in the Baroque style or their modern counterparts.

Marbella- represents small glossy blotches on a matte background. Mixes of different colors are used for application. Often used together with substances that increase the hydrophobicity of the coating.
Encausto- characterized by the fact that the plaster looks like a semi-matt or glossy granite. Requires waxing after drying.

We list the advantages of Venetian plaster:

strength - does not form cracks, withstands significant external influences;
has a water-repellent effect after treatment with special wax, so it can be used in rooms with high humidity - bathroom, sauna, swimming pool, bathhouse;
environmentally friendly material, safe for humans, since the main component is crushed natural stone;
perfectly reflects the rays of light falling on the surface - "glow effect";
the material is fireproof;
the mixture can be made at home.

The disadvantages include the high price and special requirements for the base on which the decorative layer will be applied.

Features and composition of the plaster

In ancient times, only natural components were included in the composition of Venetian plaster. Today, acrylic is often used as a binder instead of lime. The synthetic material allows for increased ductility and prevents cracking after the mortar dries.

Mix components:

stone dust (the finer the fraction, the better);
dyes (colors);
binders;
emulsions based on acrylic or water;
sometimes gypsum and other additives are added;
to protect against moisture and give shine, use wax.

Ready-made plaster can have a rough or absolutely smooth surface, imitate various textures. The peculiarity of the application implies a thorough preparation of the base for the plaster. There should be no irregularities, drops, chips and cracks, otherwise they will become noticeable after the solution dries.

The use of natural crumbs in a mixture - onyx, malachite, marble, granite, quartz and the like - allows you to create magnificent coatings that are not inferior in beauty to natural stone. At the same time, the surface has no joints, it looks like a single monolith. Drawing of walls treated with such plaster is easy to restore, change their texture.

Calculation of the amount of material

We calculate the total area of all treated surfaces with a small margin. The layer thickness and consumption per square meter can be found on the packaging.
Of course, the required amount of materials directly depends on the number of layers, but the average consumption is 0.5 kg / m2.

Formula:

N = R x S x K,

N - the amount of plaster,

R is its quantity per square meter,

S - total surface area,

K is the number of layers.

Preparation of the mixture

Plaster is made of three parts: stone chips, a binding compound (you can use slaked lime or various acrylic resins) and colors. Such plaster is used on walls and ceilings made of almost any material.

You can purchase materials:

a crumb of stone - in a workshop of the corresponding profile;
slaked lime, resins and colors - in retail chains.

It is important to know that you cannot just go to the store, buy and apply a ready-made mixture for Venetian plaster on the wall. A creative approach is required in its preparation. With a certain amount of free time and effort, Venetian plaster can be prepared with your own hands according to several recipes.

From stone chips

Color and texture can be anything: imitate leather, silk, stone. Such plaster turns out to be translucent, which allows you to achieve a unique play of light.

Work order:

We mix three parts of sand (clean) with three parts of gypsum putty and one part of building gypsum.
We mix everything with water until the desired viscosity is obtained.
While stirring, add gypsum plaster until you get a homogeneous mass.
The paint is added to the mixture before it is applied to walls and ceilings.

If you bought the mixture from a store:

follow the manufacturer's instructions, they are always included;
remember that the mixture at the end of cooking should be medium thick;
when the mixture is ready, leave it for a quarter of an hour, after which it must be mixed again;
stirring is categorically not recommended if the air temperature is below + 10 ° С;
one batch can cover such an area of the surface that the border with the plaster from the next batch of mortar is not visible.

Tinting

Coloring the mixture is another important stage in the preparation of the plaster. We select a color scheme. You can use the so-called "tinting fan", which contains both colors and their many shades. Tools are useful: a sheet of white paper, a place for test mixtures to determine the shade, a spatula and dyes. There should also be some white Venetian plaster and the right colors.

What should be done:

Select the main dye and add it to the base - white plaster.
Stir with a spatula until smooth.
We put a little colored mixture on the paper and compare it with the sample on the "fan", determine which shade needs to be added / removed. If necessary, this step is repeated several times.

It should be borne in mind that the color after drying will be approximately a tone and a half lighter than with samples.

Tools for the job

a mixture of Venetian plaster;
primer;
wax;
putty;
roller;
a special trowel used for Venetian plaster;
spatulas of different widths;
sandpaper of varying grain size;

grinder;
technical hair dryer;
centimeter / tape measure;
masking tape;
rags / suede / silk;
construction mixer (you can pick up any other device);
a place for mixing the components of the mixture;
stencils.

Surface preparation

We remove the remaining coating from the wall or ceiling, all dirt after previous finishing work: oil, dust, wallpaper glue on the walls, putty, and the like.
We eliminate obvious irregularities by filling them with cement and sand, minor ones with putty.
We use a grinder, sandpaper with various grains.
Put on the first layer of putty, let it dry and put a layer of fine textured final putty on top.
We rub it with sandpaper.
Later we impregnate the wall with a primer twice. We do this at intervals of 3-4 hours in order to increase the permeability of the layers.
It may be necessary to apply another layer of touch-up so that the plaster is in the same tone as the primer.

Application methods

It should be noted that the invitation of hired specialists who will not work for free, and the decoration itself with Venetian plaster is an expensive pleasure. Self-production of the solution and the application of simple textures allows you to save a lot, and the result justifies all the efforts. There are certain rules and technology for applying Venetian.

Step-by-step instruction:

Apply the thinnest possible layer of facing putty and wait 6-8 hours until it dries completely.
Apply the primer evenly. The water / mixture ratio is 1 to 7. Most likely, it will be correct to put 2 coats of primer.
We begin to apply the plaster from the top of the wall with light arched movements down and to the side. Unlike a primer, the mixture is applied unevenly.
It is necessary to monitor the saturation of the color of the painting, so that later you do not have to add layers of plaster to correct inconsistencies in the color scheme.

Apply the initial layers with a wide spatula with short movements in an arc.
After completing the process, we look at the thickness of the layer, we try to minimize it.
Again we take a wide spatula in our hands, smooth the Venetian from bottom to top and top to bottom, criss-cross.
We polish the entire area with a float at an angle of 10 degrees.
If there is a socket on the wall, the surface around it is processed in the direction away from it. A spatula of a smaller width or a grater is used.
Any noticed defects / imperfections / layer thickness - we fix it while the Venetian is still wet.
If necessary, we treat the surface with wax - we polish it.

Here are a few different techniques for simulating Venetian painting:

Venetian plaster imitating marble

We apply plaster randomly, covering the entire surface;
Apply texture while the mixture remains wet using a trowel;
We pause for a couple of hours, during which we prepare 2-4 varieties of the mixture with additives of various colors. We apply them little by little with a spatula or a trowel with strokes over the entire surface in a long arc.
Dry for about a day. You can repeat this procedure several times, leaving about a day to dry between each cycle.
We grind the wall three times with various attachments using a grinder.
The next stage is iron. For ironing, it is necessary to press the trowel to the surface with considerable force.
Finally, we finish the wall / ceiling with varnish / wax.

Venetian plaster imitating the classic version

Apply the first layer in the same way as for imitation marble. We pause for a couple of hours to dry.
We process the excess plaster with a trowel.
We carry out the ironing until we achieve the effect of a metallic sheen.
We prepare a monochromatic plaster, apply it, again return to the ironing process, after which we wait for a shorter time - 30-40 minutes is enough.
With the further imposition of layers, follow the same sequence.
We use the sander with three different attachments only when the surface is completely dry.
We cover the wall with wax / varnish.

Venetian plaster imitating craquelure

Craquelure in French means "antique".

Procedure:

With a spatula, apply a thick layer of plaster with random movements.
We heat the surface with an electric hairdryer so that cracks appear on the plaster due to contrasting temperature changes.
When cracks appear, wait for drying - about 24 hours.
The finishing Venetian is applied in a thin layer and should have a different color from the previous one.
We finish the process with the usual three-stage grinding with iron.

Venetian plaster imitating cork

We start with a layer with different colors. It is prepared by incomplete mixing of solutions of two or three different tones.
Apply a thick layer to the wall with a trowel or a wide spatula, then thoroughly dry it with a construction hairdryer.
We use a hair dryer at various distances from the wall to obtain an inhomogeneous texture - characteristic cracks.
We pause for two days for further drying.
We apply the second layer of plaster, it should have a shade of color that differs from the first layer.
We grind the plaster with emery or a grinder.
We cover the wall with wax or varnish.

Textured Venetian plaster

We cover the surface of the wall / ceiling with a water-dispersion primer.
Let the coating dry and apply a layer of covering primer.
We take a break for a couple of hours.
Apply the plaster in a thin, even layer using a fur roller and leave to dry for three to four hours.
We level the surface with a narrow metal spatula.
Apply the second layer of Venetian with a trowel.

Dry the surface for six hours.
We repeat the removal of irregularities.
Add the finishing varnish to the Venetian to create the finishing coat using a mixer or a drill with a nozzle.
Expect 6 hours to dry.
Ironing with a trowel gives the effect of a metallic sheen.
Polishing - apply a layer of wax.

If you are tired of the familiar wallpaper, it's time to master a new wall decoration technique. After all, DIY Venetian plaster is a creative and very exciting process. You can get the most unusual options both with the help of ready-made mixtures and compositions of your own preparation.

What is a Venetian?

The way of decorating walls like stone (marble, malachite, jasper or granite) is called Venetian plaster. This sophisticated and highly elegant technique can be used in any home and any type of interior decoration. It combines perfectly even with the most modern styles, such as hi-tech or techno. True, in this case, it is better to choose light pastel or almost white shades for decoration.

By varying the types of techniques, with the help of the Venetian, you can also get the effects of canvas, aged silver, copper or bronze. It can even paint whole pictures. You can plaster in this way not only walls, but also any decorative elements, panels or frescoes. Moreover, the Venetian is able to easily withstand temperature changes, and it is easy and simple to take care of her. You can wash it with a brush with ordinary soapy water.

Venetian plaster

Advice. You can decorate with a Venetian not only walls, but also ceilings.

Mortar for Venetian plaster

Since the times of ancient Rome, little has changed in her technique: slaked lime is also introduced into the solution (it can be replaced with acrylic putty), stone flour and coloring pigments. At the end of the work, the surface is covered with a layer of natural wax. Expensive wax, if desired, can be replaced with an ordinary colorless varnish.

Venetian plaster can be purchased as a ready-made solution or prepared by yourself. For this you will need:

Dry slaked lime or putty;

Small fraction stone chips;

Colored color scheme (depending on the finishing method, one or more shades may be needed);

Natural wax.

To achieve the desired color, the paints are first mixed with a dry base and then combined together. Please note that each batch of mortar may have a different shade. If you plan to plaster a significant surface, and it is not possible to immediately dilute the required amount of the mixture, you should accurately measure the components introduced.

Ready mix

Advice. The finer the components to be mixed, the more glossy the surface will be. To create a "thin" pattern, you should select compositions that are crushed almost to dust.

Surface preparation

Before finishing the walls, you must carefully prepare: putty and sand. The surface should be perfectly flat - after all, the smallest bumps, pits and roughness will be visible on it. Experienced craftsmen, before starting work, cover the walls with fiberglass or wallpaper for painting. To get a smooth surface, the seams are leveled before this.

The last layer is applied white primer giving a uniform color. It prevents the surface from cracking and provides a secure adhesion between the wall and the mortar. The primer wall must be thoroughly dried prior to application.

Primer

The main stages of work

Working with a Venetian woman is a rather painstaking and time-consuming task: for 1 sq. m, an experienced master spends five to six times more time than when working with ordinary plaster. To get your hands on, it is better to master this technique from small sections of the wall or individual decorative elements: paintings, panels or frescoes.

1. To obtain a high-quality coating, the mixture is applied in several stages - there can be from 3-4 to 10 such layers.

Each layer can have a different shade

2. For convenience, the wall must be visually divided into separate sections of 0.5-1 m.

3. After applying each layer, let it dry thoroughly, sand with a construction float to remove excess plaster, and only then apply the second one.

Grinding

4. All layers must be thin, almost transparent... The first and last coat is applied with slightly reduced pressure.

Plaster spreads randomly over the surface

5. The solution is applied in small strokes using a trowel in a chaotic manner. dry to wet... In this case, the movements should be arched. If desired, strokes can have the same tone, but different shades.

6. Spatula after each stroke carefully wiped off with a rag.

Colors are selected depending on the desired result

7. When moving to the next section, it is necessary to "cling" the boundaries of the previous section.

The main stages of work

8. After the final drying of the solution within 24 hours, it is processed to give the surface water resistance, gloss and matte shine. natural wax... It, like the solution, is applied with a thin layer of soft cloth in smooth circular movements. Colors after such processing become more vivid and saturated.

9. After the wax has dried, the surface is polished with soft flannel.

Venetian wax

Venetian plaster is not only an attractive but very durable coating

Technique types

The appearance of the surface depends on the composition of the solution and the methods of its application. There are many Venetian plaster techniques.

We list just a few of them:

Carrara marble: this stone is practically not found in its natural form, however, it is possible to create a completely high-quality imitation of it; this requires very painstaking work and the application of up to 12 layers of plaster from several colors; the meaning of the method is to select similar and contrasting shades;

Carrara marble

craquelure: you can get a cracked "aged" coating by applying a special finishing compound - a special varnish, which, when dry, "pulls together" the plaster; even a beginner can master this technique;

Craquelure technique

marseilles wax: using this method, they imitate tree bark or old stone; the walls are tinted with wax twice; to create contrast, the second layer can have a different shade from the first.

Marseilles wax

Advice. You can even imitate Venetian plaster using a regular crumpled plastic bag, a sponge or a small brush. A small layer of plaster is first applied to the wall, it is evenly distributed with a spatula over the surface, and then shaded in a chaotic manner.

Imitation of Venetian plaster using a sponge, brush or bag

Imitation canvas

You can create chaotic patterns on the wall using special printing.

Master class: Venetian plaster

May 15, 2018
Specialization: facade decoration, interior decoration, construction of summer cottages, garages. The experience of an amateur gardener and gardener. He also has experience in repairing cars and motorcycles. Hobbies: playing guitar and much more, for which there is not enough time :)

Venetian plaster is one of the symbols of luxury, as it looks very impressive and costs accordingly. However, in our time, in order to decorate the walls in this way, it is not necessary to pay a large sum for the finished plaster. Next, I will tell you how Venetian plaster is done with your own hands from the available materials.

What is the coating

A feature of Venetian plaster, which is sometimes also called Byzantine, is that it visually resembles marble, as it includes several colors and has a glossy surface. This coating gained particular popularity during the Renaissance.

In those days, Italian masters possessed an excellent technique of marble walls. Apparently, therefore, the plaster began to be called Venetian. In fact, the coating was known to mankind long before the Renaissance, as it was used by the ancient Romans and ancient Greeks.

Initially, the considered decorative plaster was made from lime and marble flour. Of course, application technology and coating materials have changed dramatically over hundreds or even thousands of years. However, the appearance remains the same - the coating still resembles marble and has a pleasant glossy shine.

Preparing the walls

Before proceeding with the decoration of the walls, they must be properly prepared. This procedure is carried out as follows:

Illustrations	Actions
	Materials and tools: Acrylic primer; Putty; Grater with mesh; Rollers with cuvette; Wide and narrow trowel.
	Removing the old coating: Remove old coating - paint, plaster, etc. You can learn how to quickly dismantle old coatings from other articles on our portal. Wash the surface to remove dust and other contaminants.
	Padding: Shake the soil. Apply the primer to the walls evenly using a roller. Wait until the soil is completely dry and repeat the procedure.
	Aligning the walls: If the primer was purchased as a dry mix, cover with water and stir. Smooth the surface with a putty. To do this, apply it with a wide spatula. Try to keep it on an even, smooth layer. Wait until the putty hardens, then rub it with a float so that there are no irregularities and traces of a spatula on the walls.

After leveling and sanding the walls, they must be wiped with a rag to remove dust, and again covered with a layer of primer. As a result, the surface should be flat, sufficiently smooth and clean. Do not forget that the quality of the finish depends on the preparation of the walls.

Venetian plaster making

The manufacturing process of Venetian plaster includes several stages:

Preparation of materials

We will make decorative plaster from ordinary putty. For this we need the following materials:

Facade putty.
Several pigments for the putty (you choose the colors yourself).
Acrylic varnish for outdoor use.
Wax.

The type of pigment is selected individually for the type of putty. If, for example, acrylic putty, you will need an acrylic color scheme. For cementitious fillers, a special dry pigment is used.

From the tools you will need:

Narrow spatula.
Trowel.
Grater.
Mixer.

After preparing everything you need, you can start applying the coating.

Preparation of decorative plaster

Byzantine plaster is very simple to prepare, in fact, all we need is to add color or pigments to the putty. To achieve the desired effect, you need at least 2-3 colors. You can use the same color in different tones.

You will also need a mixture of varnish and putty, but we will prepare it during the coating process.

To get the required color of the putty, first mix it with a small amount of pigment and remember the proportions of the latter. After that, the pigment can be mixed with the main part of the putty. Use a drill with a mixer attachment to mix the components.

Apply decorative plaster

Venetian plaster involves the application of several layers of coating. Therefore, the work is performed in the following sequence:

Illustrations	Actions
	Base color application: Apply the first coat with a wide trowel. Work with it in the same way as with a regular putty. The only thing is not to strive for the uniformity of the layer. If the coating will be uneven, i.e. with small beads, this will only make the coating more attractive. After the first layer has dried, apply the second layer of the "base" pointwise, ie. separate curvilinear strokes. In this way, a certain background pattern is created. After the second coat has dried, sand the surface with a float.
	Application of the third layer: Apply a filler on the trowel that is different in color from the base coat. Lightly touch the wall with the trowel so that the putty adheres unevenly to the substrate. Wait a few minutes for the coating to begin to set, and then smooth out with a spatula, moving in different directions. This technique of applying the second layer allows you to get the effect of a "world map". If you wish, you can use another technique, for example, chaotic strokes with putty in different colors. In this case, the mixing of colors will take place directly on the wall.
	Application of the fourth layer: Dilute acrylic varnish by 15 percent with water. Add dry finishing filler to the varnish and mix thoroughly. The consistency of the composition should be liquid, but not spreading, so that it can be applied with a brush. Cover the surface with the resulting compound and roll out in a thin layer with a roller. "Walk" over the surface with a spatula to remove excess composition. After the surface is dry, sand it with fine sandpaper.

On this, the work is practically completed, now it remains to apply the finishing layer.

Apply the topcoat

To achieve gloss, we need wax, you can buy it ready-made or make it yourself from paraffin dissolved in kerosene. The work is carried out as follows:

Illustrations	Actions
	Waxing. Rub the wax into the surface with a soft cloth.
	Grinding. Rub the surface with a trowel with a taut felt to achieve a glass effect. You can simplify and speed up the work using a grinder.

The result is a beautiful marbled finish. I must say that in this way you can trim both facades and walls from the inside.

Output

As you can see, from the available building materials at hand, you can make Venetian plaster, which with decorative qualities will not be inferior to an expensive coating. The main thing is to "fill" your hand and follow a certain sequence of actions.