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Limestone Plaster is it Real ?

Written on March 10, 2010 by authenticlime in Hydraulic Limes, Lime plaster, Tools and Techniques

This is the first of a two part series, of two projects we completed recently……

One of my contractors was faced with the challenge of having a Limestone or Travertine lintel fabricated and installed.So like any good contractor does when he does not already have the resource in place, he asks his best trades the ultimate question ” Do you know someone capable of doing this limestone header for me” he asks,as he is showing me the elevations. Not one to ever back away from a plastering challenge, I offered my further services and took on the job myself. Authentic Plaster FX was already fully involved in this extensive interior and exterior venetian plaster project…so why not add some more of our expertise to the project ?

The question is …is it real? and if no, how did we do it? Well the ins and outs of how it is done I will keep to myself ,and some applicators may offer there insight into how it is done ….but I’ll leave em guessing I’m afraid in this case

Here’s 2 shots of the start of the process,the rest stays under my hat!

So what makes this so important you may ask?…..

Well with this system we can create Limestone details at a fraction of the cost of real limestone or travertine….in this particular case we saved the home owner approximately $8000.00 as compared to having a real limestone header fabricated ,on top of that we did it in a matter of days as compared to weeks for actual real stone,and we are able to get over any building imperfections because the process is done in-situ.

So you tell me does it look real?

Tags: exterior lime plaster, Hydraulic Limes, Natural Hydraulic Lime, NHL, venetian plastering, Venetian wall Finish

Marmorino Venetian Plaster

Written on January 10, 2010 by authenticlime in Lime plaster, Marmorino Lime Plasters, Venetian plaster, rain screen

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If Authentic Plaster FX mentions Venetian Plaster to a designer,architect or builder in Vancouver, they all seem to equate the term to old world wall finishes, I’m trying to change that. In fact I am trying to change the misnomer that venetian plaster is only used for interior wall finishes….simply not true!

What is true mind you, is that there is no better suited texture medium then Lime based Venetian Plaster for interior and exterior stucco finishing. Now I used the word “texture” but in the case I show you here, there is no texture….yet it is a Marmorino Venetian Plaster we used on this exterior.

Authentic Plaster FX used Venetian Plaster,in this example, a Marmorino Lime Putty,to create a mix of contemporary west coast with West Coast Salish and Japanese influenced architecture .

Most onlookers think that this exterior stucco is polished and acid stained concrete,when I inform them that in fact it is a hand troweled lime based Venetian Plaster…there eyes open wide! What further blows them away is the fact that this particular project is in fact an E.I.F.S wall system….4 inches thick to be exact,using STO’S Gold Guard rainscreen technology.

Architects, Designers….think outside the box !

Carlos Scarpa did…..bringing back the technique, and re-popularizing the use of Marmorino Lime Plaster in the 1950’s namely with the Olivetti showroom and the Castelvecchio Museum in Verona Italy.

Now what does the reference to Scarpa have to do with my little marmorino venetian plaster project here in Vancouver? Well not much really but it proves that thinking outside the box you can come up with some really impressive designs which I feel is what happened with this architect/home owner driven designed exterior.

They asked Authentic Plaster FX for a smooth hand troweled plaster finish,and I gave it to them …the walls have so much depth ,which as usual does not depict properly in these photos…you have to touch and feel it to appreciate its elegance.

Tags: contemporary finish, exterior lime plaster, exterior Stucco, Exterior Venetian Stucco, Green Wall coating, Italian plaster, lime based plaster, Marmorino Lime, old world plastering, old world stucco, rain screen, Vancouver contractor, venetian plaster vancouver

Trans Mineral… whats old is new again

Written on December 13, 2009 by authenticlime in Hydraulic Limes, Lime plaster

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I had the pleasure of meeting Michel Couvreux from ST. Astier natural hydraulic limes and Trans Mineral USA today in downtown Vancouver. This guy is passionate about his lime products! We discussed the use of natural hydraulic lime base coats and finishes being used here in beautiful British Columbia. There have been a few exteriors done with the product, mostely in the interior and mostly I believe on strawbale homes, looks like he is working hard to make the hydraulic limes become more mainstream,and he has promised to help in any way he can to make an upcoming hydraulic lime exterior I have in the works, actually come to fruition.

Natural Hydraulic lime exteriors are the way to go,they provide a far better exterior cladding than any portland cement possibly could. Here are just a few reasons.

Walls breath better and moisture can escape
Mortars and stuccos do not set too hard they remain flexable
Thermal movement can be accommodated without damage
Expansion joints can be somewhat avoided
Insulation is improved and cold bridging reduced
There is a reduced risk of condensation

The hydraulic lime material has been seeing a revival over the past few years lets hope Michel’s work in the industry pays off !

Originally posted 2009-06-19 05:58:25.

Tags: exterior lime plaster, Hydraulic Limes, Lime News, Natural Hydraulic Lime, NHL, Vancouver contractor, venetian plaster vancouver

Authentic Intonachino Exterior Lime Plaster

Written on December 13, 2009 by authenticlime in Intonachino Lime, Italian plaster, Lime plaster, Venetian plaster, rain screen

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Pools done and the landscaping is finished ! a private residence in Vancouver BC. was completed with Intonachino and Tadelakt lime based plaster columns, on the exterior of this Langley BC home. An Authentic lime plaster exterior with a heavy Spanish architectural influence, the Intonachino lime plaster glows…you should see this place in the golden hour…what a sight!! More shots to come as I have time.

Originally posted 2009-07-25 17:00:16.

Tags: contemporary finish, exterior lime plaster, exterior Stucco, exterior Stucco Finish, Exterior Venetian Stucco, intonachino, Intonachino Lime, Lime News, Marmorino Venetian Plaster, PLASTER, Smooth Contemporary Plaster, stucco, stucco italiano, Vancouver contractor, venetian plaster vancouver, Venetian stucco, Venetian wall Finish

Interior Tadelakt of the Villas of L’Amandier

Written on December 13, 2009 by authenticlime in Hydraulic Limes, Lime plaster, Tadelakt

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Check out this web blog about the Villas at L’Amandier in Marrakech there are plenty of photos with Tadelakt lime plaster either being applied,or already finished in the background. Personally I find it interesting to see the Tadelakt being applied in its native setting,all of the interior walls are finished with Tadelakt lime,and then protected using “savon noir” (black olive soap) Apparently there are more photos on the way, as some of the Villa’s have been completed ….if your looking for ideas for your interior, you like Moroccan architecture,or you want to buy a villa in Marrakech! …check out this blog!

Mikaela Fenton-Jones sent me this email of her personal account of Tadelakt lime plaster in Marrakech, and included updated shots of the interior of the Villa’s.

Thank’s Mikaela!

The lucky new buyers of these villa’s should give Maryam a shout from My Marrakech Lifestyle and interior design Blog, for some inspiration in furnishing there newly acquired abode

“The Moroccan art of Tadelakt plaster is one of those building traditions that has thankfully survived the test of time and is not, as so many other traditional trades and skilled practices are, dying out with a reduction in the knowledge pool. It is alive and kicking in Morocco. Now, I am by no means an expert in tadelakt, but I love that fact that it is ubiquitous here in Marrakech; it’s historical ‘ birthplace’ . I also love the fact that it transcends the luxury décor/functional divide and is just as widely used in public hammams (steamy bath houses) as the most trendy of boutique hotels The beautiful rounded edges and curves achieved on showers and bathubs, allow for the most indulgent of designs and the natural pigments used produce a wide variety of colours. See for example a couple of the bathrooms at the fabulously bohemiem Riad El Fenn in Marrakech”

“We are in the process of building an exclusive villa community, L’Amandier, in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains . Our British architect set out to blend a contemporary design with the traditional Moroccan materials and he chose Tadelakt for all the interior walls. He was absolutely right, because in my opinion, Tadelakt gives an overall impression of depth and warmth. It seems to both reflect and absorb the light and gives the feeling that the walls have somehow organically grown into the design of the house”