Ask five companies for "Venetian plaster" and you can get five different materials. Some of the names describe a finish, some describe an ingredient, some are trade names and at least one is a retail umbrella that covers products with nothing in common. This is the glossary we wish every client had before they started collecting quotes.
The one question that sorts them all
Before the names, the question that matters more than any of them: what is the binder?
Traditional Venetian plasters are made with lime: slaked lime aged into a putty and mixed with marble powder. They are breathable, they harden for months after they go on and they last for decades. Acrylic look-alikes use a synthetic resin instead. They can look similar on the day, but they behave differently, age differently and cost a fraction as much to make. Neither is a scam, but they are not the same purchase. Ask "lime or acrylic?" and most of the confusion below clears up.
The names, one by one
Venetian plaster. The family name for decorative lime-and-marble plasters from the Venetian tradition. In everyday use in the UK it usually means the polished, smooth version. On its own it does not tell you the binder, the texture or the sheen.
Stucco Veneziano. The polished member of the family and what most people picture when they say Venetian plaster. Thin coats of lime and fine marble, compressed and burnished with a steel trowel to a depth that holds the light. It can be finished from a soft honed matt to a near-mirror. See our Venetian plaster page.
Polished plaster. A retail umbrella term rather than a material. It is used for authentic lime Venetian plaster, for acrylic imitations and sometimes for anything with a sheen. If a quote says "polished plaster", ask what the binder is and how many coats.
Marmorino. Lime with a coarser marble grain, giving a textured, stone-like surface from matt to soft satin. Quieter than a burnished stucco and more forgiving of imperfect walls. We compare the two in detail in Marmorino vs Venetian plaster.
Tadelakt. A Moroccan lime plaster, compacted with a smooth stone and sealed with olive-oil soap so that it sheds water. It is the lime finish built for showers, hammams and basins. See tadelakt and microcement vs tadelakt.
Travertino. A lime finish built up to look like travertine stone, with layered bands and open pores. It works on feature walls inside and as a breathable render outside. See travertino and intonachino.
Intonachino. A fine lime finishing plaster with a soft, sandy matt texture. Often used as a calm background finish and suitable for exteriors.
Grassello. Not a finish at all. It is the Italian name for the aged lime putty that most of these plasters are made from. If a supplier talks about grassello, they are telling you the binder is lime.
Clay plaster. A different binder altogether: clay, often with fibres and natural pigments. Matt, warm and very good at managing humidity, but not for wet zones. See clay plaster.
Microcement. Not a plaster. A polymer-modified cement coating about 2 to 3 mm thick, applied in layers and sealed. It goes on floors, worktops and inside showers, where lime cannot. See Venetian plaster vs microcement.
Polished concrete. Also not a plaster and not microcement. It is a structural concrete slab ground and polished in place. People often ask for "polished concrete" when what they want is the look of microcement without the thickness and weight.
"Venetian plaster effect" paint. Paint applied with a technique to imitate a plaster finish. It can look convincing in a photograph. It has none of the depth, durability or breathability of the real thing.
At a glance
| Name | What it is | Binder | Look | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stucco Veneziano | Polished Venetian plaster | Lime and marble | Smooth, honed to near-mirror | Walls and ceilings, dry rooms and above splash |
| Marmorino | Textured Venetian plaster | Lime and marble | Stone-like, matt to satin | Walls and ceilings, inside |
| Polished plaster | Retail umbrella term | Lime or acrylic | Varies | Ask before you buy |
| Tadelakt | Moroccan stone-polished lime | Lime | Soft sheen, water-shedding | Showers, basins, wet walls |
| Travertino | Stone-effect lime | Lime | Layered, porous stone | Feature walls, exteriors |
| Intonachino | Fine finishing lime | Lime | Soft sandy matt | Walls inside and out |
| Clay plaster | Natural earth plaster | Clay | Warm matt | Dry rooms |
| Microcement | Cement coating system | Cement and polymer | Seamless, matt to satin | Floors, worktops, showers |
What we call ours
On our pages and quotes, "Venetian plaster" means a lime-and-marble system, applied in three thin coats and compressed to an agreed sheen: honed, satin or burnished. Marmorino, tadelakt, travertino and intonachino are lime too. When we use acrylic or resin anywhere, which is mainly in microcement systems, we say so. Our quotes describe the system rather than just naming it: a lime-and-marble Venetian plaster, the polish level (honed, satin or burnished) and how it is sealed, so you can compare like with like.
Three questions to ask anyone quoting you
- What is the binder: lime or acrylic?
- How many coats and to what sheen?
- Will I sign off a physical sample panel in my own room before you start?
A clear answer to all three tells you more than the name on the quote. For what drives the price once you know what you are buying, see what does Venetian plaster actually cost? If you would like to see the finishes side by side, our studio and sample library in Holborn is open by appointment for clients across London and the South East.
Questions we get asked about the names
Is polished plaster the same as Venetian plaster?
Not always. "Polished plaster" is an umbrella term that covers lime Venetian plaster and acrylic imitations. Ask what the binder is.
What is the difference between Stucco Veneziano and Marmorino?
Both are lime and marble. Stucco Veneziano is smooth and polished; Marmorino has a coarser grain and a textured, stone-like finish.
Is tadelakt a type of Venetian plaster?
It is a lime plaster from a different tradition, Moroccan rather than Venetian. It is compacted with a stone and sealed with soap so it can be used where water runs.
Is microcement a plaster?
No. It is a cement-based coating system, a few millimetres thick, used on floors, worktops and in showers where lime plaster is not suitable.