Marmorino Carrara - Carrara Marble-Effect Venetian Plaster
Marmorino Carrara is a mineral decorative plaster made from high-quality slaked lime for interior and exterior walls. It recreates the soft veining and luminous depth of natural Carrara marble from Italy - the same Venetian plaster tradition used in palazzi for centuries, now in a breathable, low-VOC formulation. Because every wall is hand-trowelled, the result is genuinely one of a kind: shading and movement that change with the light and with the decorator’s hand.
Silk Plaster’s Marmorino Carrara is produced with 24-month aged slaked lime. The long carbonation period yields a denser, more workable paste with a deeper polish - so the finished surface burnishes to a smooth satin or glossy marble lustre and develops a true, stone-like patina over time.
Why choose Marmorino Carrara
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Authentic Carrara marble effect Fine marble grain and natural veining give walls the depth of real Italian stone - matt, satin or polished gloss. |
Breathable & anti-mould 100% vapour-permeable lime that won’t trap moisture in walls, with natural antibacterial, mould-resistant properties. |
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A+ indoor air quality Non-toxic, neutral smell, free from harmful fumes and very low VOC - safe for people with allergies or chemical sensitivity. |
Interior & exterior, UV-stable Mineral-based and 100% UV-stable; protects masonry against weather and pollutants and won’t blister or peel. |
Where to use it
Ideal for feature walls, living rooms, hallways, bedrooms, hospitality and retail interiors, ceilings and architectural details - and, thanks to its mineral nature, for protected exterior façades. With a suitable protective topcoat it also suits humid rooms such as bathrooms.
Suitable substrates
New and old plasters based on hydraulic binders; mineral, absorbent and cohesive old coatings; and absorbent mineral conglomerates - all correctly primed.
Not recommended over old synthetic paints (washable quartz/plastic coatings), freshly painted surfaces, or unprotected outdoor concrete.
How Marmorino Carrara is applied
- Prepare the surface. Substrate must be matured (min. 28 days), smooth, sound and dust-free. Treat any mould and remove efflorescence or flaking paint.
- Prime. Apply 1-2 coats of deep-penetration primer (diluted 1:8), then one coat of BaseQ mineral primer for lime plasters. Allow 6-8 hours to dry.
- First coat. Trowel on one coat with a stainless-steel Venetian spatula, forming the swells that become the marble veining. Let dry 8-12 hours.
- Second coat & burnish. Apply a tight, thin second coat. As it sets (after 5-15 min) compact and smooth it under pressure for a satin finish; repeat the pass after 5-10 min for a polished gloss with deeper colour.
- Protect (recommended). Seal with SP Varnish (matt), Pearl topcoat (glossy pearl), traditional Velatura, or natural wax for water-resistant, washable surfaces.
Apply between +10 °C and +35 °C at <75% humidity. Full cure: 7-12 days. Best results come from an experienced decorator - the burnishing passes create the signature lustre.
Technical data
| Base | Mineral coating from high-quality slaked lime (24-month aged) |
| Finish / gloss | Full matt to satin; polished gloss 3% (EN 13300) |
| Colour | Lime-white or tinted to chosen colour |
| Coverage | 1-1.5 m²/kg per coat (substrate-dependent); ready to use, no dilution |
| Tools | Stainless-steel Venetian spatula with rounded corners |
| Drying time | Touch-dry 2-3 h; recoat after 12 h; full cure 7-12 days |
| VOC | Ultra-low, below Directive 2004/42/EC limits; neutral smell; A+ indoor air quality |
| Application conditions | +10 °C to +35 °C, humidity <75% |
| Storage / shelf life | +5 °C to +30 °C, frost-free, sealed; 2 years unopened |
Colours: supplied lime-white or tinted to your chosen shade - explore the full palette in the Silk Plaster fandeck. Full specs: Technical Data Sheet & MSDS.
Marmorino Carrara - frequently asked questions
What is Marmorino Carrara plaster?
It is a traditional Italian Venetian plaster made from slaked lime and fine marble, trowelled and burnished to reproduce the look of polished Carrara marble on walls and ceilings.
Can Marmorino Carrara be used in bathrooms?
Yes. Lime plaster is naturally breathable and mould-resistant; sealed with a wax or protective topcoat it becomes water-resistant and washable, making it suitable for bathrooms and humid rooms.
Is it suitable for exterior walls?
Yes - it is mineral and UV-stable for protected exterior façades. It is not recommended on unprotected outdoor concrete, where its high permeability offers no protection against carbon-dioxide attack.
How much Marmorino Carrara do I need?
Roughly 1-1.5 m² per kilogram per coat, depending on the substrate and technique. A typical two-coat marble finish therefore uses about 1.3-2 kg/m² in total.
Is Marmorino Carrara safe and eco-friendly?
Yes. It is water-based, ultra-low-VOC with an A+ indoor air-quality rating, non-toxic and free from harmful fumes - safe for people with allergies or chemical sensitivity.
Bring the timeless look of Carrara marble to your walls
Marmorino, Grassello and Stucco Veneziano: how the terms relate
Venetian plaster is an umbrella term, and three names come up again and again. Grassello di calce is a raw material rather than a finish: it is slaked lime putty, matured under water before use. Marmorino is a lime plaster in which that lime putty is combined with ground marble, which gives it body, a fine stone grain and the ability to be compacted and burnished. Stucco Veneziano describes the smoothest, most polished end of the same family, worked in very thin passes to a mirror-like gloss.
Marmorino Carrara sits in the marmorino group. It is built on 24-month aged slaked lime and carries a fine marble grain, and how hard the final passes are compacted decides where it lands: full matt, satin, or a polished gloss. If you want a coarser, more openly textured lime surface instead, see Travertino Naturale, also known as Intonachino.
For a side-by-side view of both Silk Plaster lime finishes, see the lime plaster overview.
