Behr Venetian Plaster

You've heard our woes of renting out our condo, including the damage to the Venetian plaster walls caused by the tenants. Repairing the damaged walls, however, was relatively easy.

The original plaster work had been accomplished over the course of two years, the last of it completed in October of 2007. We used Behr's Venetian Plaster, applied in two coats with a trowel. (Follow the link for instructions.) It is a ridiculously easy application, anyone can do it. However, I was a bit apprehensive about the repairs, wondering if they would match the finished areas, as so much time had passed. In this photo series, I'm trying to cover a dark scuff in the master bedroom left by one of the headboards.

But I took a big scoop of the leftover plaster, which had been stored in the basement, and just troweled it on as usual, blending it in.

When it was dry, you couldn't even tell the difference. The original surface on this particular wall had been done two years ago.

All in all, I'm pleased with this product. And while it does provide a texture to the surface, the plaster is soft, and can be sanded down easily. While I haven't tried it yet myself, I've read on other blogs that the walls can be sanded down completely, primed, and painted with a more "normal" paint. Has anyone else tried this?

I love, love Venetian plaster, and we'll be using it in The Box House quite a bit. You know, when we finish with the critical things like leaky roofs and stuff...