04 Apr High gloss polished plaster application ideas for commercial properties

Polished plaster or Venetian plaster can transform any wall into one that convincingly resembles solid stone.

All pure Venetian plasters are a mixture of limestone powder and water. As the mixture dries, it reacts with carbon dioxide in the air and turns back into solid limestone (this is why, if you hit it with a hammer, it breaks in chunks the same as rock).

Once it is dry, Venetian plaster can be polished by hand or machine and this process transforms the surface into a high gloss, marble-like surface. It also brings out the plaster’s unique characteristics, ensuring no two walls are the same.

For high-end commercial spaces and properties like five star hotels, luxury retail stores and gallerias, high gloss polished plaster delivers a hit of prestige, providing a perception of luxury that wallpaper and paints cannot match. Solid stone is expensive and exclusive – and polished plaster provides the look in practical application.

Ideas for commercial properties

High gloss polished plaster is durable, functional, low maintenance and suited to any application. It’s also waterproof. This means you can safely use it anywhere in a commercial space, from customer bathrooms to eating areas.

Stone content

Although pure Venetian plasters are a mixture of limestone powder and water (and thus, resemble solid limestone when dry), polished plaster can also be made with marble dust or granite dust instead. This has the effect of making solid marble or granite walls which can be polished to a high gloss the same as lime walls.

Polishing

Polished plaster can have any level of polished finish you desire. It can be left in a near natural state with a fine, matte finish, or it can be gently polished to a satin finish (this will have a 30% shine). For luxury spaces, a high gloss mirror-like finish is by far the most popular choice because it reflects light and provides a perception of spaciousness.

Colours

The wet mix can be tinted with natural or artificial pigments to create stone walls with either a subtle or powerful colour. Reds are commonly added to create pinkish walls, but we have also seen a rise in requests for light grey walls. This is a good opportunity to make walls that match your brand colours or interior design theme.

Metallic elements

The wet plaster mix can also include metallic flecks of gold or silver. These reflect light in a different way to the high gloss polished plaster to offer a metallic contrast. They also make an already luxurious plaster even more upmarket. Another option is glitter, which has a surprisingly upmarket feel for such an affordable product.

Gold and silver tints

Just as we can add natural and artificial colour pigments to polished plaster, we can also add metal powders and dust. These create very expensive walls, however, polishing them creates a stunning cross between stone and metal. This is best used for feature details, such as above archways and columns.