Venetian Plasters Sample by Italia Paint Co Marmorino Venetian Plaster as applied by master applicator – Antonino Giangrasso. Italia Paint Co Venetian Plasters sample.

Marmorino (“little marble”) has mid size grains of marble. Because of this grain you will only have a satin sheen. It feels like stone because it comes from stone. After you apply a plaster made of limestone and marble on the wall it goes thru a carbonization period. This usually takes about 28 days. The carbon monoxide around the wall forces it to return to stone. So your walls have a coating of stone on them. This is why you will see buildings in Italy over 1000 years old with the plasters on them. Italian Plasters is not only beautiful to look at but very, very durable. Be careful not to be fooled by the “faux plasters” or fake plasters. Even if it says Venetian Plaster on the can this does not mean you are getting “real” Venetian plaster. Most of what you will find at builder stores and paint stores are nothing more than a elastomeric paint with a little emulsifier mixed in to it gives you a little sheen. Most faux painters charge about the same amount for the faux plaster as the true Italian Plasters. If you have never seen the beauty of a real Marmorino you would not know the difference. The durability is why they have been using these since before the Egyptian times. But the look can not be duplicated by these so called faux plasters. The faux plasters are always waxed or have some sort of topcoat for the sheen and durability. In certain situations I will recommend a wax coating. The problem with that is 1. you do not give the plaster a chance to carbonate. 2. the plaster cannot breath. Like the Italians I prefer my plaster to breath. It also helps out the “sick house syndrome.” In Japan the Italian Plasters are very popular because of this. The air inside your home will be naturally cleaner.