ADOBEFEST

Merlex President Nick Brownrecently taught a class of Long Beach4^th graders how the Missions were built. Using authentic materials and methods, Mrs.Ward’s class mixed up adobe using clay, sand, and straw, and then made bricks using a breakaway mold.

We found the optimal ratios to be 3:2:1 (sand:clay:straw) by volume. The mold can be removed the next day and the bricks will turn hard as they dry in the sun. They need to be rotated 90 degrees every so often to expose all surfaces to the sun, but the kids made authentic adobe bricks, the building blocks to make a Mission-style wall.

The kids will visit Mission San Juan Capistrano later this month and, as Nick put it, “be able to look inside the walls as if they had X-ray vision”, after this adobe lesson.

Using lime mortars made the traditional way in Italy, the kids then each took turns building a wall using the adobe bricks made ahead of time, cooking show style. They didn’t mind getting mud and mortar all over their hands, either!

Kate Brown learns that the builders of the California Missions could not just go down to their local “Mission Depot” to find building materials, but had to build with what they had on-site (hence adobe and some wood)

The last step was plastering the wall using the Italian lime mortar imported by Vero for use in traditional restoration projects, such as the California Missions. The children took turns trying their hand at spreading the lime mortar on the adobe brick wall with differing degree of success.

Nick told the class that “not only did you learn how the Missions were built today, but you also got a taste of two trades, masonry and plastering. If you like working outside, maybe you can get a summer job doing this and make some money for your family!” The kids did a fantastic job, and learned that building a Missionwould have been hard work. A good time was had by all.

Plaster And The California Missions: Traditional Construction and Restoration

As the most viewable buildings still standing, the 21 California Missions are California history.  They serve as the main inspiration for custom home architecture in Southern California, and provide every 4^th grader in the State with a unique education.  Some would argue that the Missions in California represent a unique architectural style all their own.  Plaster products were widely used in the Missions, and provide the stucco industry with its most relevant historical reference point.

When people ask “Why is stucco so common in the Southwest?” my answer is “The Missions.”  Their building methods set a precedent that continues to today, rooted in Spanish, Moorish, and Mexican traditions.  From the first Mission begun in San Diego in 1769 to the final one begun in 1823 north of San Francisco, the network of Spanish Missions did more to create the stucco industry than any other single factor.

                             The Church at Mission Santa Ines

The Missions all started very humbly, as these were frontier outposts.  They worked with what was available, adobe, ladrillo bricks, and stone.  “The first temporary quarters, hastily built, were little better than brush huts with grass-thatched roofs… The second structure at most of the missions was of adobe…. As soon, however, as a mission was strong and prosperous, the pride of the padre usually extended to an ambition to build a church in more lasting material, hence stone or burned brick were employed.”[1]

The Church at Mission Santa Barbara, made of stone

As through the course of human history, once the Missions became prosperous, they were plastered.  “All mission churches had exterior plaster of lime-and-sand stucco, following the Roman formula of three parts clean washed sand to one part burned lime, slaked with water.”[2]  It seems hard to believe, but the Mission construction projects drew from Roman records of building techniques written 17 centuries earlier, notably Vitruvius’s De architectura, as evidenced by the books found in several Mission libraries.  So perhaps we have Vitruvius to thank for today’s stucco industry.

Mission Walls & Ceilings

Together with the clay roof tiles, the plaster served a vital function, protecting the underlying adobe blocks, ladrillo bricks, and stone units in the walls from moisture.  “When roofed, plastered, and protected from groundwater, adobe walls are enormously durable and provide effective insulation, although their soft surface does not lend itself to decorative relief.”[3]  A lime-based whitewash served as the final wall surface as additional protection from the weather and also to provide an attractive finish.

Mission compounds were mixes of adobe blocks with limewash, structures of adobe and kiln-fired ladrillo bricks, and stone.  The prosperity of the Mission at the time of construction and the function of the building determined the materials.  “For important buildings such as the church and the convento, the final plaster would be made of lime, producing a hard and durable finish.”[4]  Ladrillos provided improved weather resistance and sharper lines that were not possible with adobe, and are widely used at Mission San Luis Rey (Oceanside), Mission San Antonio (Monterey County) and Mission San Diego.  Prominent stone churches were built at Mission Santa Barbara, San Gabriel, and the now ruined San Juan Capistrano.  Nothing made a prouder padre than building a stone church clad in white plaster. 

The church at Mission San Luis Rey, built with adobe and kiln-fired clay ladrillo bricks

Interior Wall Decoration

While exterior walls were left simple and bare, interior walls were decorated extensively.  Where Mission jobsites couldn’t use expensive wood and stone features, they often painted them on the walls.  “Dado” wainscots were common, as were painted cornices at the tops of the walls.  “True fresco painting was rare in Alta California, identified only recently at the Royal Presidio Chapel in Monterey.  This technique is executed on wet plaster, allowing the paint to bond with the wall surface and resulting in a more durable finish.”[5]

              

                           This wall painting came from Mission San Fernando Rey

Visitors to today’s Mission museums might be surprised to learn of the colorful decorations used on the Mission interiors, because most have been covered up.  “…when the Catholic and Hispanic heritage of the missions was widely unpopular, some mission interiors were redecorated according to British Victorian taste or whitewashed to modernize and dim their Hispanic origins.”[6]  Many painted decorations were whitewashed over, covered in wood paneling, or damaged by years of neglect.  Many of these decorations only survive today because of a New Deal-era survey of American art called the Index of American Design.  Now housed at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., the Index contains the full spectrum of American art up to the 1930s, and included many California Mission wall decorations that would not have survived to this day, if it weren’t for the Index.  See http://www.nga.gov/collection/iad/index.shtm to see some for yourself, listed under Folk Arts of the Spanish Southwest.  Mission San Miguel, just off the 101 freeway near Paso Robles, is the only surviving completely original interior.

The Hispanic builders and Native American workers were both experienced with paint materials.  “Red was made from hematite (red ochre) and cinnabar, white from diatomaceous earth (chalklike fossil rock), and black from charcoal, burned graphite, and asphaltum.  To these sources the Spanish added pigments imported from Mexico… and linseed oil, used as a binder.”[7]  One Chumash Indian artist was said to have used “meat of the red tuna, egg whites, and pitch to the pigments.  He also used urine, which he collected in clay pots, as a mordant for the paint.”[8]  Sometimes the old way is the best, as with lime plasters; other times the old way is best left buried, as with urine paints.

Restoration of California Missions

As the Missions faded from the public interest, they were neglected.  The fairly simple maintenance required to preserve adobe and stone buildings was not done, and in extreme cases, walls were dissolved back into the mud from which they were made.  Earthquakes accelerated the pace of deterioration of many of the mission buildings.

Concerned citizens groups got organized to save and restore the Missions, and thankfully many are now maintained and well financed.  The restoration work done on the missions has shown what works with these walls and what does not.  Portland cement repairs do not work.

Well-intentioned repair efforts used Portland cement in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s on walls that had lasted almost 200 years by then.  Portland cement was stronger than the original materials, cheap, and readily available.  So it was reasonable to believe that cement repair products would only strengthen the structures.  But, “when cement was applied to adobe walls, often over chicken wire, its hard, water-repellent surface proved so impermeable that when moisture did occur in the walls it remained trapped behind the cement veneer, slowly eroding the adobe wall from within… In other cases, a cement mortar was added to ladrillo constructions; over time, the stronger mortar pulled away the surface of the tiles.”[9]  The lime mortars and plasters, on the other hand, that had ably protected the walls for decades, when properly maintained, “are porous and “breathe”, allowing modest dampness to evaporate.  Traditional lime- or earth-based renders (exterior plaster) and finishes protected adobe bricks from direct contact with the weather, providing an easily replaceable sacrificial layer.”[10]

“Modern conservation practice recommends that cement coverings, including renders, plasters, and “aprons” (surface coverings placed along the lower portions of walls), be replaced with renders and mortars similar to the original material, allowing the walls to breathe… Now mission ladrillo arcades are remortared and restuccoed using soft lime mortars.” [11]  Lime is the right material for these structures, because of its breathability, durability, and ease of maintenance.  Plus, the hard feel of cured limestone hides an inner softness that gently coats and supports masonry units without breaking them (like Portland cement products will). 

Restoration at Mission San Juan Capistrano, for example, strives to reproduce as closely as possible the original construction of the walls.  “To reinstate the historic character of this area, removal of all inappropriate past repairs, mainly the use of cement, is a key element to the project.  Work on the masonry columns includes the removal of hard cement mortar at the joints between the bricks and repointing with a softer, more compatible lime mortar.”[12]

    Restoration work at Mission San Juan Capistrano using lime mortars to repoint bricks

Products Available for Mission Restoration Projects

Thanks to their softness, breathability, and protective qualities, lime mortars, lime plasters, and lime washes are ideally suited to restoration of Missions and other buildings of similar construction.  There are several products that have established themselves in this niche.  Headquartered in Orange, California, Vero imports Italian seasoned-slaked lime mortars, plasters, and lime washes, produced in much the same way as those used by Vitruvius in Ancient Rome.  Malta Grezza/Fine are ready-to-use lime mortars, and are made more weather-resistant through the addition of Cocciopesto (brick dust).  This technique is consistent with that used for reservoirs and fountains in the California Missions, which “were often rendered with water-resistant coccio pesto, hydraulic lime stucco made pink by the admixture of ground terracotta tiles, another Vitruvian formula.  Coccio pesto was also used on architectural elements, such as the ladrillo colonnade columns at Mission Santa Ines.”[13] 

Malta Grezza & Malta Fine produce this characteristic pink tone when Cocciopesto is used to provide added water-resistance and faster set.

Lime washes (such as VeroEpoca 800) are an ideal finish coat over a lime mortar, as they beautify, can add color, and cross-link with the lime mortar to provide a water-shedding topcoat.  “[Limewash] gives a smooth coating which, after an initial wetting, encourages an easy run-off of rainwater.  At the same time the nature of this surface allows good, all-over evaporation which helps the wall to dry out.  Limewash is unaffected by the ultra-violet rays in sunlight which destroy synthetic paints.”[14]

Vero lime plasters can also be used as topcoats over the lime mortars, when smooth textures and a more substantial color coat is desired.  “Lime plaster is extremely strong stuff that has withstood hundreds of years of weather.  Moreover, because it is pliant (somewhat flexible), lime plaster is not likely to crack very much as a building shifts or walls expand and contract in response to natural temperature fluctuations or as moisture levels rise and fall… In addition, lime plaster and earthen materials expand and contract similarly.  Consequently, when lime plaster is applied on an earthen wall or an earthen plaster, it is less likely to crack or peel off a wall.”[15]

Other manufacturers also carry lime mortars, including the bagged Natural Hydraulic Lime products imported from France by Transmineral USA out of Petaluma, California.  Their Ecomortar product is preblended with properly graded sand and ready to use.  Lime finishes are available from many companies in California and elsewhere in the U.S.

Conclusion

Next time you’re near a Mission, pay it a visit.  If you’re in the plastering business, you’ll pay extra attention to how the walls were built, and you should thank the Franciscan Padres for bringing plaster to California and planting the seeds for the architecture, materials, and techniques used today.  The same materials used in building the Missions are available today, and should be used exclusively in preserving these and other historic buildings.

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[1] E. Engenhoff, Fabricas (Sacramento: California Division of Natural Resources, Division of Mines, 1952), 181, as observed by Eugene Duflot de Mofras during his visit in 1840-42.

[2] E. Kimbro & J. Costello, The California Missions, The Getty Conservation Institute, 2009.  p. 94

[3] Ibid., p. 96

[4] Ibid., p. 97

[5] Ibid., p. 135

[6] Ibid., p. 146

[7] Ibid., p. 134

[8] Ibid., p. 147

[9] Ibid., p. 156

[10] Ibid., p. 156

[11] Ibid., p. 156

[12] “South Wing Conservation”, http://www.missionsjc.com/preservation/projects-southwing.php, July 10, 2012.

[13] E. Kimbro & J. Costello, The California Missions, The Getty Conservation Institute, 2009.  Chapter 4 note 7

[14] Holmes & Wingate, Building with Lime, ITDG Publishing 2002, p. 49

[15] Guelberth & Chrias, The Natural Plaster Book, New Society Publishers, 2003, p.165

Restoring Historic Structures with Lime

 

The same seasoned slaked lime used in popular Vero products like Antiqua and Epoca Spatolato is ideal for restoring historic masonry buildings.  Vero can provide the technical assistance and products to restore many U.S. buildings of significance, including:

• Adobe buildings such as the California Missions
• Brick buildings
• Stone buildings
• Interiors done over masonry or traditional wood lath

“Lime is an excellent material for repairing and protecting old buildings, particularly where existing materials must be conserved.”[1]

This adobe wall would be an ideal surface for lime mortar

This sandstone wall in Monterey, CA is currently being restored using Vero lime mortars and lime paint

So call on Vero and we’ll adapt the traditional Italian restoration techniques to your project here in the U.S.

Why Seasoned Slaked Lime?

Lime is the right material for these structures, because of its breathability, durability, and ease of maintenance.  Plus, the hard feel of cured limestone hides an inner softness that gently coats and supports masonry units without breaking them (like Portland cement products will). 

            “Lime plaster is extremely strong stuff that has withstood hundreds of years of weather.  Moreover, because it is pliant (somewhat flexible), lime plaster is not likely to crack very much as a building shifts or where walls expand and contract in response to natural temperature fluctuations or as moisture levels rise and fall… In addition, lime plaster and earthen materials expand and contract similarly.  Consequently, when lime plaster is applied on an earthen wall or an earthen plaster, it is less likely to crack or peel off a wall.”[2]

In addition, lime mortars are historically appropriate for many older buildings in the United States.  Why?  Because lime mortars and plasters were traditionally used for interiors and exteriors prior to the introduction of Portland cement in the early 20^th century. 

            “Before Portland cement became available, lime concretes were used for many applications… The binder used in the original construction of most historic buildings is frequently lime, making this the natural choice for compatible repair material”[3]

What Products Are Best?

We recommend Malta Grezza (coarse mortar) and Malta Fine (fine mortar) for restoration projects.  These products are based on the same seasoned slaked lime used in Vero lime plasters, subjected to an accelerated aging period of 3 months.  This is the best lime on Earth for building – dolomitic limestone, consisting of a mixture of calcium and magnesium oxides.  “Where magnesium limes are used they have a very high reputation, giving an early set and developing good strength.”[4]  These products come ready to use and pre-sanded with a precise mixture of aggregate ideal for these applications. 

Malta Fine & Cocciopesto were used to restore this 150-year-old stone home in Santa Croce.

Note the natural pink color from the Cocciopesto.

The traditional Italian mortar is “spiked” with a small amount of Cocciopesto for added durability, workability, and water repellency.  Typically obtained from crushed clay bricks, Cocciopesto gives Malta Grezza/Fine their characteristic pink color.  Cocciopesto is technically a Pozzolan, which starts a natural slow chemical reaction with the lime, so that all material mixed must be used that day or it will set and be unusable.

Once the lime mortars have been applied to restore the integrity of the walls and ceilings, any Vero lime plaster or paint can be applied for a more smooth and refined finish.  The use of lime throughout the wall, as base and finish coat, will ensure the wall is protected from the elements and properly manage moisture the same way as when the building was originally erected.

Lime paint, such as our Epoca 800, is especially well suited as a finish coat over lime mortars.  Not only does it give a beauty and depth to a building, but it also makes lime plaster even more durable.

            “[Limewash] gives a smooth coating which, after an initial wetting, encourages an easy run-off of rainwater.  At the same time the nature of this surface allows good, all-over evaporation which helps the wall to dry out.  Limewash is unaffected by the ultra-violet rays in sunlight which destroy synthetic paints.”[5]

What is the Application Process?

1)    Remove any loose coatings and foreign material from the wall.  Also remove any paint, as that will prevent the bond of the lime mortar to the wall.

2)    Repointing of masonry units, if needed, should be done with Malta Grezza in lifts of not more than ¾”.  Injection is also a viable repair method for reinforcing the mortar between bricks/stones.

3)    The first coat of lime should be a very thin coat of Malta Grezza, about 1/8”-1/4” thick.  This can be brushed or troweled on a pre-moistened wall.

4)    After 24 hours, the second coat of Malta Grezza, can be applied, up to ¾” as needed.  The first coat should be pre-moistened to slow moisture loss.

5)    After 2-3 days of cure time, an additional coat of Malta Fine (fine mortar) can be applied at 1/8” thickness, if desired.

6)    The day after application, the cracks can be closed up using a sponge float and water.  Wait 2-3 days for additional coats.

7)    When ready for the finish coat, there are many options available (i.e., Antiqua, Epoca Marmo, Epoca Spatolato, and Epoca 800).  The most traditional finish is to apply Epoca 800 lime paint over the Malta Grezza/Fine within 3-5 days.  By applying the lime paint when fresh, the lime paint cross-links with the lime in the mortar, creating a strong bond with no tendency to peel over time and strong natural water-resistance.

Malta Grezza & Cocciopesto were used to restore the trims on the Palazzo Vivante after 150 years                                                    

What if I Really Want to Seal It?

Nature has provided for us with lime paint (Epoca 800) and its ability to form a strong water-resistant finish over lime mortars.  However, if a chemical water repellent is desired, wait a month for the curing to begin on the lime mortars.  Then apply a water-based siloxane primer, such as Rialto Durasil.  Lime paint can be applied after 48 hours, normally in two coats, a day apart.

What do they do in Italy?

The process in Italy is constantly ongoing.  If you travel there, you see plasterers are constantly occupied, restoring old buildings one at a time in a continuous cycle.  Probably the building they restore today was restored by their grandfather before them.  They use the same process and the same materials as we have outlined here.  They use Malta Grezza and Malta Fine with Cocciopesto, taking care to remove any loose material, repointing as needed, and finishing with a “fresh on fresh” coat of lime paint.  In fact, the Colosseum in Rome was recently restored using injected seasoned slaked lime mixed with Cocciopesto from our supplier, Rialto. 

The Palazzo Vivante is a good example of what these products can do.  As pictured below, the building was badly damaged.  Columns needed to be repaired.  The architectural trims had been especially badly damaged from exposure to the elements.  Owners of the building had not periodically repaired and painted with lime paint to prevent damage.

The repair team used a running template to restore the original trims on the building.  Malta Grezza and Malta Fine were used to fill and refinish.  And Epoca 800 lime paint was used in a rich yellow color to beautify and protect the building.

Palazzo Vivante, an
1844 Trieste
landmark shown prior
to restoration using
Malta Grezza and
Epoca 800 lime paint

                                              Palazzo Vivante after restoration

What if the Existing Surface is Unstable?

The receiving surface must be firm enough to support plaster prior to application.  The wall will only be as strong as its foundation.  If the existing walls are powdery, they need to be carefully cleaned until a strong enough base can be reached.

There are other alternatives to firm up damaged walls.  A few coats of dilute lime milk (made from seasoned slaked lime called Grassello di Calce) can be effective, especially in stabilizing earthen and stone materials.  Also, a surface hardener such as Vandex Mineralit can be useful for this purpose.

What if I need to Freshen it up?

Lime products allow for periodic maintenance.  Any major damage can be repaired with Malta Grezza and Malta Fine, taking care to finish the surface with the same texture and level as the original.  Then a new coat of Epoca 800 lime paint can be applied to freshen up the appearance and renew the protection of the building.

            “The regular application of a thin coat of limewash is a very old method of stone preservation which is particularly effective with limestones.”[6]

When restoring historic structures, the old way is best.  Use lime mortars and finishes to provide vapor permeability, protection from water, gentleness on masonry units, crack-resistance, resistance to fire, mold, and mildew, and a wide range of attractive finishing options.  Vero will bring the old-world products to the U.S., and help adapt them to your next challenging historical restoration project.

      The look of Epoca 800 is warm and natural, used here to recolor a stained building

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[1] Holmes & Wingate, Building with Lime, ITDG Publishing 2002, p. 5

[2] Guelberth & Chrias, The Natural Plaster Book, New Society Publishers, 2003, p.165

[3] Holmes & Wingate, Building with Lime, ITDG Publishing 2002, p. 5

[4] Holmes & Wingate, Building with Lime, ITDG Publishing 2002, p. 15

[5] Holmes & Wingate, Building with Lime, ITDG Publishing 2002, p. 49

[6] Holmes & Wingate, Building with Lime, ITDG Publishing, 2002.  p. 49

RUSTICO: HOW NEW PRODUCTS ARE BORN

I am often asked how we come up with ideas for new products – “Does it come to you in the shower?”  In my experience, the ideas that come to me in the shower don’t pan out.  It’s the ones that come from the field, from our customers, that go the distance.  Our newest lime plaster, Rustico, is a perfect example.

Rustico is a straw plaster based on the same seasoned slaked lime that makes Antiqua and Epoca 800 so popular among applicators.  Applied in one thick coat, Rustico is crushed with a grinder after setting up to expose the straw fibers and rustic aggregate.  The look is rustic, as the name suggests, like a farm house that utilized local materials to keep the elements out.

So how did it happen?  Our customers were coming to us asking about straw plasters.  Their questions -- “Can you match this Japanese straw plaster?” and “Make me something like this” came up enough times that we took a closer look at it.  Straw plasters on the market were acrylic-based with artificial looks except for the straw.  This struck me as a sad state of affairs – that our industry was promoting straw plasters as green, when they were based on petroleum products.

 

This set us in motion.  For our first attempt, we tried hay from our salesman Larry Sunseri’s barn and put it in Antiqua lime plaster.  The hay absorbed the moisture from the plaster and darkened in an unpredictable way.  And the hay rolled under the trowel.  I obtained 5 other types of hay and straw from Bellflower Feed Store, and none of them worked either.

Our second attempt added a coarse marble aggregate to allow for a thicker one-coat application.  We realized we needed to grind the outer surface to expose all the natural goodness underneath, and this got us closer to the rustic farmhouse look we were shooting for.  But the straw was still darkening uncontrollably.

We heard at a trade show that rice straw behaves differently from other straws, but that it may need to be boiled to remove the oils before putting it in a plaster.  So we went searching for rice straw.  As luck would have it, plenty of rice is grown north of Sacramento, and an air-quality ordinance was just passed forcing farmers to resell the rice straw that is a waste product of farming operations, rather than the customary method of burning it.  So we waited a few months until harvest and obtained 2 bales from a helpful farmer named Ron in Willows, CA. 

That made all the difference and the Rustico formula was finished.  Glen Moore at Builders Plastering worked with us to refine the formulation and got the first job done with it (Thanks Glen!)  The rice straw didn’t darken like the alfalfa Larry feeds his horses.  And the coarse aggregate and seasoned slaked lime provided a rustic look with natural materials.  We’ve already done a restaurant (Ozumo at Santa Monica Place) and a yurt in Santa Fe with it.  That’s how a Vero product is born.

Ozumo Restaurant at Santa Monica Place

Sante Fe Yurt

Plaster as Art: New Uses for Old Products

“These are my walls.  This is who I am.”

At Vero, we are in the business of making old products, used since antiquity, serve new purposes.  Just as these plasters add beauty to European landmarks, they can add beauty to a new custom home overlooking the Pacific Ocean or a sushi restaurant in Hollywood.  Increasingly, creative artisans are finding their most creative expressions on their interior jobs.

Interiors have to serve two purposes – they have to be the comfortable living spaces that people relax in and recharge their batteries.  And they have to provide that glimpse of the inner personality of the owner that tells friends and family, “These are my walls.  This is who I am.”  So it is no wonder that the most creative applications we have ever seen are happening on interiors.  Some of these creations are best described as works of art.  Others are textural wall treatments like nothing we’ve ever seen before.  And some artisans are using the unique capabilities of Vero products to restore old and discolored walls.

Works of Art

One of our first customers was Terri Riesenmann, of Faux You Designs of Riverside, CA (www.fauxyoudesigns.com).  She has taught us more over the years about creative applications for our plaster than anyone.  She did this stenciled lime plaster (Antiqua) treatment on a job when we were probably still selling out of our first container from Italy.  It made us see the plaster as part of the art on a wall.

                                          Palm Springs, CA

And as featured on the Vero website over the past few months, Hugo Rivera (www.hugorivera.com) has literally taken up residence in the Vero studio, while he develops his feel for using authentic plasters for his art pieces.  Hugo counts himself a “post-modern frescoist”, and has chosen to use plasters over oils and acrylics because they feel and smell more natural, and can achieve more complex and rich textural effects.  Pictured below are a few examples of his work, currently on display at Townley Gallery in Laguna Beach, CA (www.townleygallery.com).

Longtime customer Chris Miller (www.millerandsonscs.com) has recently completed this masterpiece on the walls of a home.  Making use of Antiqua lime plaster, he was able to interplay texture and color to create perspective and depth in this canopied roadway scene.

Textural Treatments

When Solution was first introduced, we envisioned it as a weather-resistant plaster that could take the look of Evolution (interior only) to the outside of a building.  What happened after we showed it to our customers was an explosion of interest, some of it for exteriors, but most of it for its high-gloss and ease of use.  As the product’s popularity almost ran us out of product several times in the first year, most customers were troweling it smooth.

Then came Dodger Stadium.  Ted Xentaras of Luxe Plaster (www.luxeplaster.com), added texture to their wall finish using Solution.  Paired with our silver metallic topcoat, Stucco Argento, the resulting finish is a stunning pewter-like treatment with a texture reminiscent of bamboo that you can see on the field-level VIP bars at Dodger Stadium.

To another extreme, Luxe was given a very peculiar request. An electrical contractor wanted a wall of his office emblazoned with his favorite formula. Luxe, once again, delivered an impressive wall with a mathematical equation out of Evolution using custom stencils.

Our very own in-house artisan, Lisa Milligan, worked on art panels for the reception area of the Mercedes Dealership showroom in Laguna Niguel, CA giving the entrance a sophistication and class just like their luxurious automobiles. Vero’s Antiqua and Epoca Spatolato lime finishes have been chosen as the specified materials to be used in all Mercedes Dealership’s across America.

Picking up the torch from where those guys left off, John Moss (www.mossartstudios.com) was asked to deliver a wall finish that jived well with the target market of the Affliction stores.  He came up with a rock-n-roll, multi-dimensional look that the customer immediately embraced as exactly what he was looking for.

Soon after, Glen Moore of Builders Plastering asked us for a plaster for a Japanese restaurant that incorporated straw for a rustic look.  We had seen several Japanese straw plasters in the market that were based on acrylic formulations and had no depth of color.  So we made a lime plaster with added marble texture and rice straw from the Sacramento area, and produced our newest product, Rustico, that adds the warmth and depth of lime to the rustic straw to produce a farmhouse finish that we’ve fallen in love with.  We since used it as the exterior finish on a yurt in Santa Fe, NM.

We had finally entered the world of restaurant design, and we love the creative challenge of designing appetizing and fun yet serviceable wall designs.  So when the Cheesecake Factory requested samples for its new store in Houston, we borrowed ideas from some of the artisans featured above and presented them with these finishes.  Alfredo and Jose of Earthtone Painting were instrumental in creating these unique plaster effects.  If you see a Cheesecake Factory going up near you, stop by and see these finishes for yourself.

Another local artisan, Cary Ezell of Walls n Effects (www.wallsneffects.com), layered different colored Antiqua to create this unusual finish reminiscent of tobacco leaves and leather.

Restoration

Chinnaya Nwosu of Taocon (www.taocon.com) had a challenging assignment.  He had to repair the discoloration on a cement ceiling treatment in a Manhattan loft with critical light streaming in through huge windows with views of the Hudson River.  He used our lime paint, Epoca 800, that has proven a versatile fix-it tool for these type of applications and a beautiful finish in its own right.  He diluted it to a milky consistency and sprayed it directly onto the cementitious plaster.  He was able to cover up the discoloration from years of water leaks and stop the gradual degradation of the original coating.  And Vero matched the gray color so the owner will wonder if time was moved backward when he sees those stains gone.

Inspiration for Us All

While we can’t move time backward, we can help customers achieve the creative vision in their heads using our very versatile product line and its unbeatable aesthetics and performance.  When you draw on our 10-year history of Venetian plaster creations, you benefit from all the artisans who came before you, who have created their unique expressions of their customers’ personalities.  All so that your client can show a little glimpse of himself or herself in their walls that says “These are my walls.  How do you like me now?”