Lime Venetian Plaster for Period Homes in Amersham

Short answer. For period homes in Amersham and the Chilterns, choose a lime based Venetian plaster such as Marmorino or Grassello rather than an acrylic one, because lime lets old solid walls breathe while acrylic can seal them. Zavoré supplies authentic Italian lime plasters and installs them with its own applicators. If the house is listed, ask the council's conservation officer before booking, as listed building consent can be needed for internal work.

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

Amersham's older homes

Amersham Old Town has a historic high street lined with old houses, inns and cottages, many of them listed. Around it, the Chiltern Hills have villages of brick and flint cottages and farmhouses. These buildings have solid walls, often of flint, brick or timber frame, finished inside with lime plaster.

Lime or acrylic Venetian plaster

Venetian plaster is a name for decorative Italian plasters laid in thin coats and polished with a steel trowel. Not every product sold under that name is the same. Some are lime based. Others use an acrylic binder, a kind of plastic resin.

On an old wall, the difference matters. Lime plaster lets water vapour pass through, so any damp in the wall can dry out. An acrylic coating can stop it escaping, which risks flaking and staining over time. Our article on lime and acrylic Venetian plaster explains this in more depth.

Which lime finish suits which room

• Marmorino. A lime plaster with marble dust, matt or softly polished. It suits sitting rooms and bedrooms where the walls are not perfectly flat.
• Grassello. Aged lime putty polished to a high, marble like finish. It suits a dining room or the hall of a Georgian town house.
• Travertino. A lime finish with the pitted texture of travertine stone. It suits a fireplace wall in a cottage.

All three are tinted to the colour you choose, so they can match a historic palette or a modern scheme. See more on our Venetian plaster page.

Preparing an old wall

Before a decorative coat goes on, the wall underneath must be sound. Loose old plaster is repaired in lime, damp problems are traced and fixed, and modern sealing paints are dealt with. Any original cornice is protected during the work and repaired where needed. On an uneven cottage wall, Marmorino can follow the gentle curves rather than forcing the wall flat.

Listed homes and consent

Many houses in Amersham Old Town and the Chiltern villages are listed. Listed building consent can be needed for internal work, including new plaster. Ask the conservation officer at Buckinghamshire Council before you book, and keep a copy of their advice.

To compare finishes, order a sample board in your colour, call 07592 929191 or email sales@zavore.co.uk. Our installation page explains how we work outside Birmingham.

Questions we get asked

How can I tell if a Venetian plaster is lime based?

Check the product data sheet for the binder. Lime based products list slaked lime or lime putty, while acrylic products list a resin binder.

Can Venetian plaster go on a flint cottage wall?

Yes, once the wall has a sound lime base. The decorative coat goes on top of that base, not straight onto the flint.

Do you install in Amersham?

Yes. Our applicators travel from Birmingham and work in planned blocks of days.