Marmorino for New Build Apartment Towers in Manchester and Salford

Short answer. Marmorino suits the plasterboard walls of new build apartment towers in Manchester city centre and Salford because it is thin, hard wearing and can be repaired in small patches. For small bathrooms and kitchen splashbacks, microcement gives a seamless surface with no grout. Zavoré plans each job around the building's rules on lifts, parking and working hours, with applicators travelling from Birmingham.

For every decorative finish we install in Manchester, from Venetian plaster to limewash, gilding and murals, see our decorative finishes specialist in Manchester page.

Zavoré lays this for you too. Our own team provides Venetian plaster installation across the UK, including Venetian plastering in Manchester.

Living in a tower. What the walls are like

In recent years a large number of tall apartment blocks have been built in Manchester city centre and across the River Irwell in Salford, including around Salford Quays, which sits on the old docks of the Manchester Ship Canal. Many people who live in them want something more personal than plain white paint.

Almost every internal wall in these flats is plasterboard fixed to metal or timber studs, skimmed and painted. Rooms are often open plan, with the kitchen along one wall and large windows on another. That leaves only a few solid walls to work with. Behind the sofa, behind the bed and along the hallway.

Why Marmorino works on plasterboard

Marmorino is an Italian finish made from lime and crushed marble. It is trowelled on in thin coats and pressed until it has a soft stone texture, which can be left matt or taken to a gentle satin. Because it is thin, it adds almost no weight and the wall does not need rebuilding.

Plasterboard moves a little in a new building as it settles and as the heating is used. The joints should be taped and filled properly, and the board primed, before any Marmorino goes on. Our guide to Venetian plaster on plasterboard covers the preparation in more detail.

• Hallway. Easy to patch where suitcases and bikes knock the wall.
• Living area. One wall in a deep colour gives an open plan room a focus.
• Bedroom. A calm matt finish behind the bed.

Bathrooms and kitchens in compact flats

Bathrooms in tower flats are often small and many have no window. Microcement is a thin coating of cement and resin, laid in layers and sealed. It can cover the walls, floor and shower in one surface with no grout lines, which makes a small room feel larger and quicker to clean. In a shower it goes over a proper waterproofing layer. In the kitchen, a microcement splashback can run the length of the worktop without a single joint.

Working inside a managed building

• Permission. Many leases need the management company's consent for works, so ask first and keep it in writing.
• Lifts and deliveries. Most buildings want the lift booked and protected when materials come in.
• Working hours. Trowelling is quiet, but mixing and any sanding still count as works, so we keep to the hours the building sets.
• Parking. A van in the city centre needs planning ahead.

Applicators travel from Birmingham and work in planned blocks of days, so the whole programme can be agreed with your building manager before anyone arrives.

Order a sample board in your colour to hold against your own walls and floor. Call 07592 929191, email sales@zavore.co.uk, or see our Manchester page.

Questions we get asked

Can Marmorino be used in a rented flat?

Yes, with the landlord's written agreement. It is a permanent wall finish rather than a temporary decoration.

Will Marmorino crack on new plasterboard?

Cracks usually come from board movement or poorly finished joints. Taping, filling and priming correctly, and giving a new building time to settle, lowers the risk.

Is microcement suitable for a bathroom with no window?

Yes, once sealed, but the extractor fan needs to work well. Good ventilation protects every bathroom finish.