Polished plaster is a term for the finish of some plasters and for the description of new and updated forms of traditional Italian plaster finishes. The term covers a whole range of decorative plaster finishes, from the very highly polished Venetian plaster and Marmorino to the rugged look of textured polished plasters.[1] Polished plaster itself tends to consist of slaked lime, marble dust, and/or marble chips, which give each plaster its distinctive look. A lime-based polished plaster may contain over 40% of marble powder.[2]
Polished plaster is mainly used internally, on walls and ceilings,[3] to give a finish that looks like polished marble, travertine, or limestone. Such plasters are usually applied over a primer and basecoat base, from one to four layers. They are finished (burnished) with a specialised steel trowel to a smooth glass-like sheen. Polished plaster is usually sealed with a protective layer of wax.