Before carrying out any repair work, a preliminary selection of finishing materials is required. This task is sometimes quite difficult. After all, every owner wants the material used for the interior of the premises to be practical and beautiful, durable and, of course, inexpensive.
Venetian plaster satisfies almost all the requirements for wall decoration (see photo below).
It is beautiful in its similarity to natural stone, practical because of the application of wax on the surface, which allows it to be washed repeatedly, and is also durable with careful use and can be applied to any surface. Finishing with Venetian plaster has only one drawback - the finishing material, which has simply ideal characteristics, is very expensive. And one more nuance. Applying Venetian plaster is a very time-consuming process, and many people prefer to hire professionals to finish the premises with this material. However, those office or residential owners whohave already gone through all the previous stages of repair on their own, they can quite cope with this case.
History of Creation
It may seem strange to some, but Venetian plaster, the composition of the mixture, its proportions and method of application were known long before this building material got its name. And it happened in ancient Rome. Only centuries later, this type of plaster received its second birth and, with minor features, was revived in Venice. After that, they began to call her stucco veneziano.
The reason that the composition of Venetian plaster was developed in Rome was the high prevalence in this country of such a building material as marble. This natural stone was used everywhere and was very affordable. In addition, after the processing of marble, there was always a large amount of a wide variety of waste. They were broken slabs or blocks, crumbs and dust.
And then one day a thrifty craftsman, whose name has not been preserved in history, came up with a great idea. He decided to use marble debris for good deeds. The collected fine crumbs and dust began to be used to prepare a special finishing material, which was used for plastering walls erected from simple stone. The result is simply amazing. After the work was done, ordinary walls practically did not differ from those that were built from real marble. At the same time, this technology had another significant advantage. It significantly reduced the cost of construction and eliminatedcraftsmen from the laborious process of processing marble blocks.
And only after the repeated revival of this material by the masters of Venice, it began to be called plaster. The latter became the favorite of many artists of the Middle Ages, that is, the time when its composition was finally established.
Venetian plaster was used by Raphael and Rossellini, Michelangelo and many others, often using the walls of buildings to show their talent. After all, it was very convenient to do it on Venetian plaster.
Scope of application
Marble is a relatively soft rock with a wide range of patterns and colors ranging from the snowy whiteness of Carrara quarries to the blackness of Caucasian minerals.
The extraordinary beauty of this natural building material, as well as the possibility of hand polishing it to a mirror finish, made it very popular with medieval rulers. No wonder kings and nobles used this stone to decorate their palaces.
However, not everyone could afford such a luxury. And here a great alternative was found to natural stone - Venetian plaster, the composition of which included marble production waste crushed to the state of flour, lime as a binder, as well as some, as a rule, carefully concealed additives.
To the great Raphael and his contemporaries, such material served as the basis for creating frescoes. Similara technique that allows wall decoration to look like natural stone was widely used throughout Europe during the Renaissance. White and marble stucco was found in many medieval cathedrals.
The most famous examples of the use of this material are the frescoes that adorned the royal castle of Fontainebleau, the Roman paintings made by Giulio Romano, and the works of Giorgio Vasari produced in Florence.
The technique of Venetian plaster was constantly evolving and reached its peak in the 17th and 18th centuries. It could be seen in the luxurious palaces of the rulers of Europe, made in the Baroque and Rococo styles, as well as in the houses of the influential elite.
Classic cast
What did Venetian plaster include in the old days? The composition of this mixture among the ancient masters was exclusively natural. To date, it may include synthetic and polymeric materials, as well as chemical dyes.
Of course, the most important component that is part of Venetian plaster is stone dust. As a rule, it is marble. However, sometimes it is produced from quartz, granite and some other varieties of stone. An important condition for this is that the grains of dust should be as small as possible.
The second important component that is part of Venetian plaster is a binder. In the Middle Ages, slaked lime was such an ingredient. In addition to all the listed components, dyes and water were present in the composition of the Venetian plaster. What gave color to thisattractive finishing material? In ancient times, plant juices, animal blood, bile and other natural substances served as coloring components for Venetian plaster.
All the necessary components were thoroughly mixed to a creamy consistency. Only after that the plaster was considered completely ready for use.
Modern recipe
If you take into account the not very complex composition of Venetian plaster, it will not be difficult to make such a mixture yourself. It is only worth considering that the modern formulation of the finishing material has changed somewhat. So, instead of lime, synthetic binders, acrylic or other similar materials are included in it. And, of course, mineral dyes are no longer used today. Their place is taken by artificial connections.
What else is included in the Venetian plaster? A do-it-yourself mixture may include gypsum, as well as other additives that will change the properties of the finishing material.
However, according to many experts, only the classic recipe of Venetian plaster is able to fully recreate the play of light and the brilliance of marble. That is why it is advisable for those who wish to make this material with their own hands to take natural components. Of course, the dye can also be used modern, but marble dust and slaked lime can be used today.
Ready mixes
Modern marketbuilding materials offers the Venetian plaster itself, which can be used for application on walls. It is sold both dry and ready-made. The volume of the packaged material can be any. This is 1, as well as 5 kg or 15-20 kg. The most convenient for repairs is packaging with a volume of five kilograms.
Main producers
Today, various brands of finished Venetian plaster can be found on sale. These are Paladio and Trevignano, Tierrafino with a pronounced mother-of-pearl effect, Veneto, which has the texture of natural polished marble, and Stucco Veneto with a silver or gold tint.
When calculating the volume of material, one should be guided by the area of the treated surface, purchasing Venetian plaster based on 500-1200 g per square meter.
It is also worth bearing in mind that many manufacturers do not add any dyes to the composition of Venetian plaster. Such material has only a white base. Color pigments must be purchased separately. For those who wish to create a unique Venetian plaster in the apartment, a photo of the tone of their future interior can be selected using computer tinting. This service allows you to make an accurate selection of the desired color. Further, the dye for it will be made by mixing various pigments in a special installation.
Preparing the dry mix for work
How to make Venetian plaster? If an expensive dry factory mixture is purchased for finishing work, then the following must be done:manipulation:
- Pour cool water into a clean bucket, the temperature of which is between 10 and 15 degrees. For information on the exact amount of liquid, see the instructions on the packaging of the mixture.
- The dry component is added to the water and mixed thoroughly.
- The composition is brought to a state of uniform texture using a drill with a mixer attachment.
- After keeping the plaster for 10-15 minutes. mixing is repeated. This will increase the plasticity of the material and protect it from delamination.
- At the last stage, color is added. For accurate proportions, it is recommended to use a large syringe.
When preparing Venetian plaster for work, it is important to remember that its composition polymerizes very slowly. But at the same time, after hardening, even partial, it cannot be re-diluted with water. The fact is that this will significantly reduce the adhesive ability of the material. This will cause the trim to begin to fall off the base.
Homemade analogue
Venetian plaster can be made at home. In this case, of course, you have to tinker a little. First of all, you will need to clarify the composition of Venetian plaster in proportions, and then proceed to its manufacture, which will consist of the following steps:
- Preparation of the base, which is taken as slaked lime (50-60% of the total mass of the mixture).
- Addition of ground mineral fillers in the form of marble, quartz or granite dust to the base.
- Kneading the composition until a batter consistency is obtained.
- Introduction of pigments.
- Final mixing of product.
For those who like to experiment, you can guess the necessary proportions of the main components after the third or fourth attempt. The final Venetian plaster should provide the desired result.
Applying technology
How is Venetian plaster made (see interior photos below)? The basic principle of the work is the application of a number of thin layers of this decorative coating. They consist of material spots of various configurations and sizes, which the master arranges in a chaotic manner.
The work process has an important feature. It provides for the formation of layers alternating in thickness. This technique allows you to achieve the most smooth transitions of tones and shades over the entire surface. All this creates a visual depth of natural material and the illusion of natural stone pattern.
The first (preparatory) layer is made of a material containing marble "flour". This will ensure its reliable and high-quality adhesion to the wall surface.
After this layer dries, cover layers are applied to create a patterned texture. If necessary, a whole series of additional layers can be applied to the glossy final wall surface, having differentcolors.
Waxing
In order to create the effect of a natural, but at the same time roughly processed stone, relatively large fractions are introduced into the mixture. They allow you to give the decorative finish a rough surface.
However, many owners still prefer to see in their interior an imitation of polished marble, granite, malachite or jasper. Such magnificence can be created with the help of Venetian plaster, in which wax will serve as the last, final layer. After its application, the walls of the room will literally sparkle with all natural colors.
Types of wax
The work of applying this material is a very painstaking task and requires a lot of attention from the master, because the wax layer must be very thin. It should be some kind of film that merges with the structure of the material.
Today, the construction market offers a large number of similar coatings, which differ from each other in a variety of ways. At the same time, the following groups can be distinguished from all types of wax:
- Gel wax. Its inherent type of consistency is excellent for a hard and dense plaster layer.
- Liquid solution. It will be good for porous surfaces, which will perfectly cover with a protective thin layer.
- Natural composition of wax for Venetian plaster, the main component of which is a bee product. Similar mixtures are made on the basis of water. Their recipe includes only natural ingredients. After applying natural wax to the surface, it turns out to be glossy. This is very important for some kinds of structures.
- Synthetic version. This wax contains polymeric compounds. In this regard, the protective layer of Venetian plaster is obtained as resistant to damage as possible. Such a coating will allow the material to last a long time. After applying the synthetic version of the protective layer, the surface of the plaster is matte.
- Transparent wax. This coating option is most often used for Venetian plaster.
Many craftsmen have their own secrets of not only applying, but also making wax for Venetian plaster. So, Antonov's wax is widely known. This is a specialist in Venetian plaster from Kyiv, who is also the author of numerous courses.
