How to Paint Over Venetian Plaster?

Randy Charles

Professional Painter

Randy Charles is the owner of PaintCentric.com, a website dedicated to providing information, tips, tricks, and news about all things paint. With over 10 years...Read more

This is a technique that you can use to apply plaster to curved or raised surfaces, walls, or ceilings that will give it a stucco-like texture and appearance. You have decided that you no longer like the color of the Venetian plaster, so you want to paint over it but are unsure how to do this.

How to paint over Venetian plaster? Do you need a special technique? Is there special paint to use? How do you get the old paint off or do you even need to clean off the old paint? There are so many questions a person can have, especially if they have never worked with Venetian plaster before.

In this article, we will cover how you can paint over Venetian plaster. In addition, we will also cover the many questions you may have about this subject. We will tell you the type of paint you need and the step-by-step technique to get this accomplished.

What is Venetian Plaster?

We have already established that it is a technique but what is Venetian plaster exactly. This is made from limestone and resembles putty . It is then mixed with water to make lime plaster, aka Venetian plaster. When you apply this to the walls and/or ceiling and keep it exposed to the elements, the carbon dioxide in the air will help turn it back into limestone. The look of this type of plaster is both soft and earthy.

Can Venetian Plaster be Painted Over?

Yes, you can paint over Venetian plaster, but it can take some work. You will need to do some surface preparation in order to get the job done correctly. If you decide that you want to seal the paint, use a water-based sealant that is clear. If you want it to look like marble, you can use a satin or semi-gloss finish sealant. The matte sealant will give you the limestone look.

Materials you Need

• Some type of cup
• Mineral spirits
• Sandpaper, 80 grit, and 120 grit
• Primer
• Paint
• Palm sander
• Edging paintbrush
• Long-handled roller
• Painters tape
• Paint sprayer (optional)
• Paint tray

Steps to Paint Over Venetian Plaster

To paint over Venetian plaster, there are nine steps to complete, which will be detailed below.

• Step 1: Make sure that your Venetian plaster is clean. If you live somewhere that has high humidity, your Venetian plaster could have grease and dust on it. To clean the surface, you will need about cup of mineral spirits in which you put a cloth that is lint-free and clean. You want the cloth damp but not dripping wet. Use it to rub against the plaster to clean it. Once you have cleaned the area, you will need to let it dry.

Also, check to make sure that it is clean, and all dirt, dust, and grime have been removed before you move on to the next step.

• Step 2: Before you can start to plaster over Venetian plaster you will need to look closely at it first. You want to make sure that there is no damage but cause over time, this type of plaster could become damaged for a variety of reasons. If you see any defects, skim coat over the plaster, sealing every hole you might find. Then let the skim coat set for a while.

A skim coat is a thin coat of plaster, about 1/8 inch thick, that is put over the top of the Venetian plaster to cover any imperfection.

• Step 3: Take the sandpaper that is 80 grit and attach it to your palm sander. If there are stains or spots that the mineral spirits could not get off, lightly run the palm sander over them. Once you are finished, be sure to wipe the area with a clean cloth that has been dampened with water.
• Step 4: Now it is time to switch out the sandpaper for 120 grit on the palm sander. Once this is done, you will need to go over the entire surface again. By doing this, it will make the surface smoother, ready for the paint.
• Step 5: If you are doing walls or other areas where there are switch plates or outlets you will need to take care of them to keep them from getting paint on them. This is where you would use your painters tape to cover them.
• Step 6: Now it is time to use the primer on the Venetian plaster. This is a very crucial step that you do not want to ignore. All you need to do is use a little quartz or alkyd primer that you put in the paint tray. Using a paint try is easier and you dont have to worry about tipping the can over as you dip your brush into it. Using the edging paintbrush, apply the primer around the painters tape and then a long-handled paintbrush/roller to do the rest of the walls and or ceiling.

Make sure that you are using a good-quality primer. Apply it in an even, thin coat, and then let it dry according to the instructions on the primer can.

• Step 7: Once the primer has dried, it is time to start painting. Put the paint in another paint tray and use a new clean edging brush to get around the painters tape and the trim. Use the long-handled roller with a new roller to finish the painting. If there is a lot to paint you could use the paint sprayer. Using low pressure, the sprayer will spry it on smoother. Make sure that you are applying the paint in even, thin strokes.
• Step 8: Once you have finished painting and it is still damp, it is time to remove the painters tape. If it is removed after the paint is dry, it could pull some of the dry paint off the Venetian plaster. If some of the paint does pull off, you can use a small brush to fix these issues.
• Step 9: Once it is dry, check it to see if you need to add another coat. Generally, the primer you put on will give the paint a little more adhesion, so you usually do not need a second coat.

Always make sure that after the job is complete that you check the areas to see if there are any lumps or drips that need to be sanded off. Once you have them sanded off, wipe the area with a clean dry lint-free cloth and repaint the areas.

What Kind Of Paint Do You Use On Venetian Plaster?

The surface of Venetian plaster is very alkaline since it is mostly made of limestone so you will need some type of latex paint for it to adhere to the plaster. You can use something like Rustoleum spray on paint. You should not use a regular polymer or vinyl-based paint because it will not properly adhere to the surface.

Conclusion

In this article, we have given you the information that you will need to know how to paint over Venetian plaster. This article covers the materials you will need and step-by-step guidelines to accomplish this project. Once done you will have fresh, new-looking Venetian plaster walls and ceilings.

Randy CharlesProfessional Painter

Randy Charles is the owner of PaintCentric.com, a website dedicated to providing information, tips, tricks, and news about all things paint. With over 10 years of experience in the painting industry, Randy has become an expert in the field and is passionate about helping others learn more about painting. He has written numerous articles on the subject and is committed to providing accurate and up-to-date information to his readers.

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