Marmorino Application

The most widely used and versatile plaster - Page 1 of 6

SAFETY FIRST: ALWAYS WEAR LATEX GLOVES AND GOGGLES WHEN WORKING WITH VENETIAN PLASTER. USE DUST MASK OR RESPIRATOR WHEN WORKING WITH DRY GOODS.

Venetian Plaster application is very simple despite the plethora of expensive schools that teach its application. It takes most people a mere thirty minutes to figure out how it works just by playing around with the plaster on a few sample boards. You don't have to be a professional or an artist to get excellent results. Just play with the plaster and you'll get the feel for it.

MARMORINO Venetian Plaster is the most widely used and versatile plaster. It is lime and crushed marble based. It can be used in both traditional and modern environments. It is extremely durable, especially with a sealer or wax. Color combinations and creative styles are unlimited. It is the healthiest wall finish you can have and it improves with time. Currently, we recommend that it be only used for interior applications. Please contact us if you want to try an exterior application.

One gallon covers approximately 35-65 square feet. Remember, you need at least two coats. And always, always do a test sample first.

For interior use:
If applying on drywall, for new construction, drywall or gypsum board should be ½" to ¾" thick. The drywall should be taped at least at level two or three for Mormorino. Otherwise, it can be applied to cement foam, rastra block, blue board and a variety of other substrates that have good adhesion or are well primed. For expanding metal lathe (or other types of lathe) we recommend that the product be used as a finish coat only, as the base (brown or scratch coat) should be a cement like stucco. Lastly, although lathe substrates can be versatile for certain architectural forms, drywall is more cost effective for Venetian Plaster application. Always test a sample first.

Any trim around the wall should ideally be finished, stained, or lacquered beforehand. The reason for this is because when trim is stained, lacquered, glazed, or varnished, chances are that the painter will stain the plaster or over spray lacquer, regardless of how well they mask it. This can leave a messy line between the wall and trim.

Priming:
Use a water based/acrylic primer to prime the drywall. Primer should be used on other substrates, such as wooden paneling, or almost anything that's smooth. Zinser 1-2-3, Benjamin Moore's Fresh Start or Killz primers are your safest bet. Not only do you want the primer to adhere extremely well to the wall, but if there is ever a leak from plumbing or rain leaks, the primer can serve as a barrier between the plaster and the water.

NOTE: Mask before you prime. See best masking practices below. Also, when using most stain blocking primers in smaller confined areas with little ventilation, consider wearing a respirator (not a dust mask). Some of these primers have styrene, carbonized chlorine and ammonia.

After priming, scuff, or lightly sand the wall with 220-grit sandpaper to make sure you have some tooth. You can add sand to the primer if there's any concern for lack of adhesion to the wall

Remodels and old walls
For remodels and older construction, some light texture on the walls is fine, such as orange peel, or even the 1950's 'cottage cheese' look. For thicker texture, you should use three layers of Mormorino instead of two, or "skim coat" with drywall plaster/mud, then sand until the walls are reasonably smooth. Afterwards, you should dust off (clean) and prime the walls with the above-mentioned primers. You can skip priming if the walls are relatively new and are well painted with an eggshell, satin or higher sheen. If the paint is flat, it's not a bad idea to prime, but usually you won't need to.

Remember, for a very textured wall it might be best to use an extra layer of Mormorino instead of drywall mud, because sanding it is very dusty and you also have to prime. Mormorino is less messy and you don't need primer.

MARMORINO APPLICATION CONTINUED
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