Venetian Plaster || Stucco Veneziano

This is the name used for the elegant classic Italian plaster found throughout the palazzi of the Venetian State during the 1600's and 1700's. The most recognizable of the Italian plasters, it's the one generally referred to with the word Venetian. It's highly polished surface lends a regal ambiance to any room.

General - True Stucco Veneziano containis the purest Carrera Marble flour mixed with highly filtered aged pure slaked lime putty known in Italy as Grassello (fat). To be considered pure, Italian standards dictate that no more than 4% of the product be a synthetic modifier.

Texture - Smooth as glass and highly polished this plaster is cool and sensual to the touch. Unlike paint, this product is highly reflective from an angle view and nearly non reflective from the front.

Colour and Technique - Since this is a pure lime plaster, pigmentation is available to only about 70% of black. Application technique determines the final appearance which can be from very busy to quietly mottled.

Architectural treatments - Stucco Veneziano is generally designed to be used as an interior plaster, and is suitable over any common substrate.   This mineral finish performs well in commercial and residential luxury residential environments or areas requiring a natural finish.

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Venetian Plaster || Cocciopesto

Deriving it's name from the Italian words Coccio (n) -pottery shards, or fragments and Pesto (adj)- crushed, cocciopesto refers to the crushed pottery replacing pozzolanic sand in lime renderings and mortars commonly found beneath most historic marmorinos and stuccos especially in northern Italy. Originally hydraulic and reddish in colour, this version developed as a finish has just enough Cocciopesto to give a beautiful appearance, but should not be considered hydraulic.

General - 100% pure slaked filtered lime, marble dust and cocciopesto in the form of low fired clay (terracotta)or   black volcanic rock -our "coccio pietra". Imparts a beautifully cultivated look.

Texture - While this remains a matte or satin polished plaster with a low degree of side sheen, the cruder unfiltered bits of burnt orange coccio create multiple visible points, similar to a speckled birds egg. Lending a warm aged appearance to the surfaces cool feel.

Colour and Technique - This plaster is whitish but may be tinted to a pastel. This lime plaster may only be pigmented to about 30% of black. It should be applied over an evenly textured substrate. Some manufacturers sell this product only pre-colored. If applied with pressure the soft coccio will smear creating tails.

Architectural treatments - Cocciopesto is both regal and pastoral.   It performs well over all standard substrates and their refined organic mix of spotted texture on an open field can be said to be complimentary to modern design or supportive in traditional settings.

Venetian Plaster || Marmorino

This classic 15th century plaster developed in renaissance Venice perhaps a a substitute for marble is one of the most elegant and widely known, requested by architects and designers worldwide. Perhaps the most popular plaster finish in Italy today. The name literally means "little marble" in Italian.

General - Marmorino is created from pure slaked lime mixed together with tiny marble particles-hence the name. Manufacturers vary widely and the final product can appear encaustic or smooth. Some manufacturers use the term to refer to Stucco Veneziano. It is made primarily from Grassello.

Texture - While appearing to have a somewhat sandy texture marmorino is smooth to the touch and cool like stone. Although this is also a polished plaster the side sheen produced is of a soft satin reflection.

Colour and Technique - Since this is a pure lime plaster, pigmentation is available to only about 70% of black. Application technique creates quiet mottling and dotting, evoking the feeling of valued antiquity, solidity and silent durability.

Architectural treatments - Although originally used extensively on exteriors over civil plaster, today Marmorino is generally used as an interior wall and ceiling treatment. It performs well over all standard substrates. This mineral finish is suitable for all modern and historical applications. It is the neoclassical post post modern stucco treatment...

Venetian Plaster || Mantovano

Mantovano is an unusually rare finish created through extensive historical and laboratory research by the Former Safra co. It is NOT readily available and time must be allotted to special order the product from Italy. It was found primarily in the palazzi of Mantova, formerly a wealthy city-state. This finish can be traced back to circa 1100AD and can imbue any surface with a sense of renaissance antiquity. This finish has unparalleled beauty and brings to mind all that embodies early Italian wealth power and culture.

General - Mantovano is also a true plaster created of pure unfiltered slaked lime and marble dust.

Texture - Very smooth in general with matte and satin highlights. Like all the polished limes this product is highly reflective from an angle view and nearly non reflective from the front. The overall feel is smooth and cool like pitted polished marble.

Colour and Technique - Since this is a pure lime plaster, pigmentation is available to only about 70% of black. Application technique is more labour intensive than any of the other plasters with the result in appearance of a combined effect including blending, mottling, and dotting. The effect is warm and rich.

Architectural treatments - Mantovano is generally designed as an interior wall and ceiling treatment. It performs well over all standard substrates.This mineral finish is suitable for exclusive commercial and residential luxury environments or areas requiring a natural finish.

Venetian Plaster || Travertino

The look is as the name implies, a porous leveling plaster used to imitate the actual stone. Typical to the region of Tuscany.

General - 100% pure slaked unfiltered lime although not considered one of the Venetians. The stone and plaster are both used extensively throughout the world and is suitable for scraffito---an etched or scratched through finish developed by Italian artisans in Germany during the 16th century.

Texture - Travertino is matte in appearance and highly textured with lineal wounds despite burnishing. Smaller flecks add to the overall feeling of fine solid aggregate stone.

Colour and Technique - Since this is a pure lime plaster, pigmentation is available to only about 70% of black. It is most usual to hue the lime as the true stone would be, yet a wide variety of innovation is possible with other colors.

Architectural treatments - As a transpirant pure lime plaster Travertino is suitable for both interior and when used over the correct substrate, exterior application. Indeed it is normal to see both the stone and the plaster in both domains. It is suitable for both Luxury commercial and residiential applications and is not out of place in the public arena such as in large lobbies, libraries or office buildings.