Can Venetian Plaster Be Repaired?
Bored of your dull walls? Wondering what will make them lively and refreshing to look at? Venetian plaster is definitely the right choice for you! It is an extremely beautiful and bespoke finish that gives your walls more than just colours. There are many different types of decorative finishes available for your walls to create an art piece.
But beauty is not the only good thing about Venetian plaster. It is called a “lifetime finish” and rightly so as it is extremely durable and does not need re-application every few years like paint. Cleaning plaster is extremely easy too with just a damp cloth and even that can be eradicated with a wax finish. If Venetian plaster is applied correctly, it is safe to say that it will last a lifetime.
But in case there were flaws in the application of plaster or your walls have become old, cracks can start to appear in your walls. In this post, we will talk about what causes these cracks to appear and how you can repair them.
Maintenance Of Venetian Plaster
Some of the causes discussed above are surely out of your control but you can prevent your walls from getting damaged and last long by following some techniques.
Let’s discuss a few here:
- Try to avoid pressure and sudden jerks to the plaster. Venetian plaster generally gets damaged around doors that open and close frequently. You should install door stops to prevent this.
- In the hallways where venetian plaster is applied right down till the floor, it is a good idea to use a wax finish or protective edging & corner guards.
- Use water or mild soap only to clean the plaster with soft wool cloth preferably, anything else can damage the finish like bleach or abrasive cleaners.
- Make sure to dry the plaster thoroughly after you are done cleaning it. This adds to its water resisting nature and will make it more rigid rather than soft.
How To Repair Venetian Plaster Cracks?
So, now we come down to the main point of the article. You took care of your walls and did everything in your power to protect them but your old Venetian plastered walls now have cracks reducing the beauty of the room.
The beauty of Venetian plaster lies in the fact that it can be easily repaired and brought to its original beauty.
If you had some professional or plastering company apply your plaster, it would be a good approach to have them over to repair cracks. In some cases, they might have some warranty/offer to help you with managing the cost.
But if you are an applicator and have already experienced the process once, you know the basics of it. To be able to repair the wall you need to know the colour you used previously otherwise you will see the patch, it is always easier if the wall has been applied with 2 tone effect as it is easier to blend in.
Let’s discuss the steps of repairing Venetian plaster so you can easily repair the area:
- If the wall has wax on this needs to be sanded off first
- Apply a putty like flystuk to close the crack/problem area using a spatula/trowel. Spread it evenly on the damaged area and try to smooth it out to the same level as the surrounding wall.
- Sand the flystuk using an up-and-down motion of the hand to make it smooth.
- Use a cloth to remove any dust that remains because of sanding.
- Then comes the step to apply Venetian plaster over the drywall. This step is extremely delicate because if not done properly can lead to decolouration of the walls. Only use a “steel” spatula to apply plaster to the wall.
- Apply as many layers of plaster as mentioned on the packaging of your plaster type (usually 2 to 3 coats) but you might need more.
- Wait at least 12 hours between each layer to let the plaster dry. If you do all these steps right, your wall would be as good as new!
- Polished plaster is not very forgiving and is always the trickiest to repair, whereas the textured finishes you will find a lot easier.
So, these are the simple steps you need to follow to repair those nasty little cracks in your walls so they are beautiful and elegant again.
If you feel like you need some guidance to go through with this, it is worth looking at our collection of Venetian plastering courses. You can easily find one that suits you. Taking a refresher course can prove to be immensely helpful when going about fixing your sweet home.
Conclusion
Venetian plaster is an exceptionally durable material and its life can be even prolonged by using maintenance tips.
It is a good idea to deal with the plaster with care just like you would any other wall covering even though it lasts long. Even if it does get damaged, repairing is easy and can be done in a few simple steps. Hope our article helps!