Marmorino for Victorian Homes in Nottingham

Short answer. Marmorino is a lime plaster made with crushed marble, and because it is breathable it suits the solid brick Victorian and Edwardian houses found across Nottingham, from The Park to Sherwood and West Bridgford. It gives a period room a smooth, stone like finish without trapping damp in the wall. For a listed home, ask the council's conservation officer before booking work.

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

If you want it installed, our own applicators handle Venetian plaster installation from survey to final coat, including Venetian plastering in Nottingham.

Nottingham's period housing

Nottingham's older housing owes a lot to the Victorian period. The Lace Market is a district of large Victorian warehouses built for the lace trade, many now used as flats and offices. The Park, near the castle, is a private estate of Victorian houses. Around the city, areas such as Sherwood, Mapperley, Beeston and West Bridgford have streets of red brick Victorian and Edwardian homes. Across the county boundary, Derby has Georgian houses on Friar Gate, and many Derbyshire towns are built in local stone.

Most of these buildings have solid walls with no cavity, plastered inside with lime when they were built.

What Marmorino is and why it suits

Marmorino comes from Venice. It is made from slaked lime, which is lime that has been mixed with water and left to mature, together with marble powder and fine marble grains. It sets by taking in carbon dioxide from the air and slowly hardens into something close to stone.

Because it is lime based, Marmorino is porous. Moisture in a solid wall can pass through it and dry out, rather than being trapped behind a plastic film. That is the key difference between a lime Venetian plaster and an acrylic one, which uses a plastic binder. Our article on lime vs acrylic Venetian plaster explains the difference.

Marmorino can be left matt with a gentle texture or trowelled harder for a smoother, polished finish.

Where to use it in a period house

• Tall hallways and stairwells, common in the larger houses of The Park, where a single finish can run the full height.
• Chimney breasts in living rooms and bedrooms, as a quiet feature.
• Walls below original cornice, so the old moulding stays as the frame of the room.
• Lace Market flats, where Marmorino on the plastered walls sits well beside exposed brick.

Preparing old walls

Marmorino needs a sound base. Before it goes on, any damp has to be traced and fixed, and blown plaster, meaning plaster that has come away from the wall, needs cutting out and repairing in lime. Cracks are filled and the wall is left to dry. If the base moves later, the finish can crack, which our guide on why Marmorino cracks covers.

Listed homes

Nottingham and Derby both have many listed buildings and several conservation areas. Listed building consent can be needed for internal work. Ask the local council's conservation officer before booking.

To see Marmorino in your colour, order a sample board, call 07592 929191 or email sales@zavore.co.uk. More about our local work is on the Venetian plaster in Nottingham page.

Questions we get asked

Is Marmorino the same as Venetian plaster?

Marmorino is one type of Venetian plaster. It is lime based and contains crushed marble, which gives it a more textured, stone like look than smoother polished plaster.

Can Marmorino go on damp walls?

No. The cause of any damp needs to be found and fixed, and the wall allowed to dry, before Marmorino is applied.

Will Marmorino hide uneven walls?

It is applied in thin coats, so it follows the shape of the wall rather than flattening it. Large dips or bulges are dealt with during preparation.