Veneziano Application

Venetian Plaster made with lime and crushed marble - Page 5 of 7

Burnishing:
When the second coat (or last coat) is about 90% wet like clay, but not sticky wet, it's time to burnish the wall. This is also sometime called 'skimming the fat'. Burnishing allows you to reveal the color, depth and variation of the plaster. Also, when burnishing, you compress the plaster, which gives it its beautiful polish and makes it more durable.

The plaster will dry at different rates on different parts of the wall, so you have to find the ready-to-be-burnished areas and work them as they dry.

If applying more than two coats, do not burnish until the last coat. Although if you happen to burnish before the final coat, you can still make it work.

When ready to burnish, make sure your trowel is clean and does not have any nicks or dings. To make sure, take some 220-grit sandpaper or a sanding sponge and rub the edge of the trowel. This will prevent any lines or scratches while burnishing. Now, hold your trowel at a five-degree angle or less, and firmly begin to go over your wall. One to three times over the same spot should be enough. You'll see the results right away. Make sure to burnish the whole wall. Unburnished areas will be lighter than the rest of the wall, so be consistent. This is particularly important when using darker colors. Be careful not to over-burnish. What will happen is that the wall will dry too much, and then you'll end up leaving gray marks because you're scraping off stainless steel from the trowel. The whole process is simpler than it sounds and easy to get the hang of while working.

Just try out three sample boards and you'll get it. The first you'll probably mess up, the second will be better and the third will be perfect.

When burnishing, make sure the wall is not too wet. If the plaster is still 'muddy,' it's too soon to burnish; risking bubbles, peeling or cracking.

Veneziano dries about 30% lighter in color than when wet. Consider this when tinting. The more you burnish, the more original color comes through.

You can now unmask your tape. It's easier to do this when the plaster is still a little damp. If you are going to use Lime Paint, or sealer, you might want to leave the tape on until you're completely finished. If unmasking later, take a wet sponge to the seam of the tape and plaster. This will soften the plaster making the tape easier to remove.

Remember, as with all lime-based plasters, you can polish Veneziano to a glass-like shine, or leave it softer and flatter, which is often more elegant.

VENEZIANO APPLICATION CONTINUED
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