For most walls, a good coat of paint over a well finished skim is all you need. But for the wall that sets the tone of a room, a hallway guests walk into, or the media wall the whole room faces, Venetian plaster gives something paint cannot. Here is how the two compare.
How they look
Paint is a flat film of colour on top of the wall. However good the paint, it reads as a coloured surface. Venetian plaster has the colour mixed right through it and is laid in several thin coats at different angles, so light passes into it and bounces back from different depths. That is what gives it the cloudy movement and soft sheen of polished stone. Finishes range from subtle marble and travertine to dramatic metallics with gold veining.
How they wear
Traditional Venetian plaster is lime based. Lime hardens as it cures, and burnishing compresses the surface, so a polished plaster wall is tougher than paint and less prone to scuffing. Where a wall takes a lot of traffic, a protective wax or sealer can be applied on top. Small marks can often be polished out, where a scuffed painted wall needs repainting.
Breathability
Lime plaster is breathable, which suits older solid walled houses where moisture needs to escape. Some modern paints are less so. Ask about the right product for your walls.
Cost
Venetian plaster costs more than paint, because it is skilled work done by hand in several coats, and the wall must be flat and sound first. That is why most people choose it for one or two statement walls rather than a whole house. Against that, a well applied polished plaster finish lasts for many years without redecorating.
Which rooms suit it?
- Living room feature walls and alcoves.
- Media walls around a television and fire.
- Hallways and stairwells, where the finish greets you every day.
- Commercial spaces such as receptions, restaurants and washrooms.
Preparation matters
A polished finish shows every flaw beneath it, so the wall has to be flat, true and stable before the first coat goes on. A good plasterer will check the wall and include any skimming or repairs it needs in the quote.
Talk to us
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