Italian stucco – Marmoretto
Marmoretto is a natural lime Venetian Plaster that is sold as a powder, that can be used to create various effects, from the well-known Tadelakt to smooth and semi-gloss finishes.
The richness and quality of the lime in Marmoretto will enable you to easily apply it and do thin but enduring decorative coats for internal surfaces. It will also enable you to create great finishes with a strong resistance to mould and bacteria. Marmoretto maintains the permeability of the surface thanks to its important resistance to water vapour.
To add extra protection, Impera Italia strongly recommends using a water-based wax, such as Impera Wax.
How to Apply Marmoretto
When applying Mamoretto, you should apply Unifix Primer first and leave it to dry for 4 to 6 hours.
The product needs to be diluted with 30% of water. Keep mixing using an electric mixer until Marmoretto is completely homogenized. Once this is done, let it sit for a few minutes. Then you can apply as many coats as the look requires. If you want to apply a third coat of Marmoretto, you should do it “wet on wet”, when the second layer has not dried completely. This will allow the marble granules to penetrate the previous coat. Once the finish has dried completely, it should be protected with Impera Wax, preferably the following day. The tool for applying Marmoretto is our Venetian plastering trowel.
Impera Italia’s Advice™
The product has excellent workability for around 2 hours after it is mixed. for this reason, we recommend only mixing the amount required for application during this period. After 2 hours, it will begin to harden and become less flexible. If you are looking for a product that will remain workable for an extended period, please take a look at our Marmorino Fino.
Trivia
Marmorino was applied on as many as 8 coats in ancient Rome. Nowadays Marmorino is still the most used Italian (or Venetian) decorative plaster, but the application became much more simple, only the distinguished look remained the same.
