Travertino and Concrete Effect Plaster for Mill Apartments in Greater Manchester

Short answer. Travertino and concrete effect plaster both suit converted mill and warehouse apartments in Ancoats, Castlefield and the old mill towns of Greater Manchester, because they sit comfortably next to bare brick, iron columns and timber beams. Travertino recreates the layered look of travertine stone, while concrete effect gives the soft grey look of poured concrete without the weight. Zavoré supplies both tinted to your colour and its own applicators travel from Birmingham to install them.

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

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

Mill buildings and the walls inside them

Greater Manchester grew on cotton. Ancoats, on the north east edge of the city centre, is known for its rows of large brick mills, and many of them are now apartments. Castlefield has old canal warehouses, and towns such as Stockport, Bolton, Oldham and Rochdale all have mills that have been turned into flats and offices.

Inside, these conversions often mix very different surfaces. There may be bare brick on the outside walls, plasterboard partitions between rooms, painted iron columns and concrete or timber ceilings. A decorative finish has to work alongside all of that rather than hide it.

Travertino. A stone look for plain walls

Travertino is a lime plaster that recreates travertine, the pale banded stone that has been used in Italian buildings for centuries. It is laid in coats with a steel trowel, then cut and pressed so that small holes and lines appear, like the natural pores in the stone. It can be left open and rustic or filled and polished smooth.

• Kitchen and dining wall. A warm stone colour that sits well next to old brick.
• Bedroom. A feature behind the bed instead of panelling.
• Bathroom, outside the shower. Once sealed, it copes with a steamy room.

Our guide to Travertino and Marmorino explains how the two finishes differ in grain and polish.

Concrete effect. The industrial look without the weight

Concrete effect plaster recreates the look of poured concrete, with soft clouds of grey, small marks and the odd pinhole. It is only a few millimetres thick, so it can go over plasterboard and old plaster in a flat that could never carry real concrete. It suits the stripped back style many mill apartments already have.

• Living room. One long wall in a warm grey that echoes the original structure.
• Hallway. A finish that hides everyday scuffs better than flat paint.
• Columns and boxed in pipes. One continuous surface with no joins.

See concrete effect plaster for colours and textures.

Practical points for converted mill apartments

Many mill buildings in Greater Manchester are listed. If yours is, listed building consent can be needed for internal work, so ask the council's conservation officer before you book anything. Leave original brick, beams and ironwork alone unless you have permission.

Most blocks also have a management company with rules on working hours, lift use, deliveries and parking, so check those early and ask for any written approval your lease requires. Our applicators work in planned blocks of days from Birmingham, and the programme can be built around the building's rules.

Order a sample board trowelled in your colour and see Travertino or concrete effect next to your own brick before you decide. Call 07592 929191, email sales@zavore.co.uk, or read more on our Manchester page.

Questions we get asked

Can Travertino go straight onto bare brick?

Not directly. Old brick is too uneven, so it needs a base coat of plaster first to give a flat surface. Many people keep some brick bare and plaster the walls beside it.

Is concrete effect plaster heavy?

No. It is applied in thin coats a few millimetres thick, so it adds very little weight and works on plasterboard.

Do I need permission from my building management?

Often yes, for working hours, parking and use of the lift, and some leases need written consent for any works. If the building is listed, ask the council's conservation officer as well.