Typical problems and solutions when applying Marmorino Veneziano

1. You are applying the last coat of Marmorino and the material is drying out too quickly which makes it difficult to apply easily.

You may need to begin again with the second coat being sure to apply the third coat while the second coat is still damp.

2. You have trouble polishing marmorino Carrara or small bubbles begin to appear while polishing.

You may have started applying the third coat too soon when the second coat was still too wet.

3. Marmorino: Streaks appear while applying the third coat or in the polishing phase.

Check the edge of your blade. It could be damaged or it could have dried-on material. If you find little flecks of white plastic in the streaks, it means that your beater has been damaged and has scraped the sides of the bucket.

4. Marmorino Classic begins peeling / flaking in some spots as you are polishing it.

You have applied too many layers of plaster in those areas while applying the third coat, and so these, in turn, have dampened the underlying layers too much. It’s also possible that the first coat was not thick enough to absorb the water in the third coat well enough.

5. I have finished almost the entire wall, but some areas aren’t drying so I can’t begin polishing it.

By using a hot air source on these areas, you can finish polishing. It is always advisable to have a paint stripper heat gun (blow dryer) ready to use for these situations.

6. While applying the first coat, the trowel leaves lines coming from both the front and the back of the blade.

This means that the curve of the blade is the opposite of what it should be. Remember all trowels should have a slight curve which allows the center part of the blade to come in contact with the wall first. If there is no curve or it is not convex enough, we advise that you curve it by pressing equally on each of the four corners (there should be a difference of about 2 mm between the middle and the corners of the blade).

7. After a few days, the color of the marmorino changes, starting with the areas exposed to the sun.

The colorant used was either not suitable for use with lime or for UV rays in an alkaline environment. You can’t do anything about it.

8. Streaks of color appear during the finishing process.

The colorant is probably too old or hasn’t been stored properly.

9. When you open the bucket you find much more water than normal. And when it is removed, the surface of the marmorino is not as smooth as it usually is.

The material has probably been exposed to freezing temperatures. Carrara can still be used if you are careful to mix it well. Classic, in this case, can only be used for the first coat. In both cases, it is best to add 150 cc. of our normal primer, which is a pure acrylic resin for lime.

10. After applying the marmorino, I see I need to change the shade of the color a bit. Is it possible to change the shade at this point?

Yes, but very little. By using our wax, it is possible to change the color to either a darker or lighter shade. For lighter shades, add a bit of white dye powder to the wax. An orange, for example, will become muted, by adding brown. Just be sure that you haven’t applied other protective treatments.

11. I have, to plaster the hood of a chimney, but I’m afraid the heat generated by the chimney will affect the plaster.

Normally, this doesn’t pose any problem since marmorino, as any lime based plaster, can reach a temperature of 250°C without affecting any change.

12. Once the wax has dried, it has left marks that can’t be removed.

This has happened because you’ve waited too long before beginning to polish and remove the excess wax. The only thing to do is heat up the surface to above 50°C / 120°F with a hot air blower / a paint dryer, to melt the wax and then polish with a soft cloth to make the surface shine.

13. Unwanted marks on wood floors

Because lime is alkaline, it can cause spotting on some metals and woods, such as aluminum, oak and exotic woods. For this reason, it is necessary to protect furniture and floors from potential damage. However, any black spots which may appear from contact with lime-based products can be easily removed by washing the affected areas with liberal amounts of lemon juice. In 3-4 minutes the marks should disappear.