Venetian plastering in Cambridgeshire

Zavoré provides Venetian plastering in Cambridgeshire, from the colleges and terraces of Cambridge to the Fen towns and the villages between. We are based in Birmingham, and our own applicators travel to install authentic Italian lime based Venetian plaster, Marmorino, limewash and other decorative finishes. To start, send photos, rough measurements and your postcode to sales@zavore.co.uk, or order a sample board.

Cambridgeshire is a long way across country from Birmingham, so we plan work in blocks of days. The team stays on site and lays each coat in order, and dates are agreed when the sample and the price are signed off.

Cities, fens and new towns

The county has three distinct characters. In the south, Cambridge is a university city of colleges and chapels, with a large ring of Victorian and Edwardian houses. Many are built in the pale yellow Cambridge gault brick, in streets around Mill Road and Romsey Town, and larger villas stand towards Newnham and Chesterton. Around the edge are newer neighbourhoods, and larger developments such as Cambourne and Northstowe have grown up in the open country beyond.

Further north, Ely stands on its island above the fens, dominated by its cathedral and surrounded by a compact historic centre of timber framed and Georgian buildings. Peterborough is a cathedral city of its own, with Victorian railway terraces and a large postwar new town expansion, and the Fletton brick takes its name from a district there. Huntingdon, St Ives and St Neots line the Great Ouse with market squares, Georgian fronts and old riverside streets.

In the Fens themselves, Wisbech has a notable Georgian waterside in the Brinks, and the flat farmland around is dotted with brick farmhouses and cottages. Walls in these buildings differ. Some are old lime plaster that has moved over time, some are brick skimmed in the last century, and some are modern plasterboard.

Finishes for Cambridgeshire homes

• Marmorino for the Victorian and Edwardian terraces of Cambridge, where gault brick walls favour a breathable lime finish.
• Limewash for timber framed and thatched cottages in the villages and around Ely, because it breathes and tolerates uneven plaster.
• Clay plaster for a soft, natural wall in a converted barn or farmhouse.
• Polished plaster for new apartments in Cambridge and Peterborough, where flat walls allow a clean, deep polish.
• Concrete effect for open plan kitchens and studies in newer homes, with a calm, modern surface.

For bathrooms, our advice is tadelakt or microcement. We would not use Venetian plaster inside a shower.

From first call to finished walls

We ask for photos first, then survey the walls before we price. The survey looks at the substrate, flatness, cracks, damp, movement, access and protection. Low lying fenland properties and houses near rivers deserve a careful look at damp, and we will say plainly if a wall needs skimming, stripping or fixing before a finish.

When the sample is approved, your plaster is tinted to that colour in Birmingham before it leaves us. There are 48 house colours, or you can supply an NCS reference. In central Cambridge, narrow streets and limited parking can complicate deliveries, so let us know early about permits and the route to the room. College owned and listed buildings may have their own rules about work, so check first.

Cold rooms slow drying, so keep the heating gently on. The installation page describes every finish we can lay.

Designers, developers and decorators

Architects and designers working on new developments or period refurbishments can use our specification page. Decorators can buy tinted material for tracked delivery, learn on a course in Birmingham or open a trade account.

For older houses, read how clay plaster compares with lime plaster and the guide to lime or acrylic Venetian plaster. See every area we cover.

Questions about Venetian plastering in Cambridgeshire

Do you cover Peterborough and the Fens as well as Cambridge?

Yes, the whole county. Our applicators travel from Birmingham and we plan the job in blocks of days.

What suits a Victorian terrace in Cambridge?

Solid brick walls do best with breathable lime, so Marmorino is a good choice. We survey for damp and flatness first.

Can I use Venetian plaster in a college or listed building?

Possibly, but listed and institutional buildings can have rules about changes inside. Ask the owner or the local council before you start.

Do you sell materials for my own decorator?

Yes. We tint the plaster to your approved colour and send it by tracked delivery.

Call 07592 929191, Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm, or email sales@zavore.co.uk. A sample board is the best place to begin.