Waxed plaster wall: how to do it?

Mar 11, 2005 5 Replies

I see waxed plaster walls in interior design magazines quite a lot, and I've seen them at some very nice modern hotels as well. They look like really smooth granite almost. I'm thinking of trying this in a guest bathroom we're building at home, on walls that aren't in direct contact with water.



If anyone's done this, I'd love to hear about the challenges and any tips. And if there's a book that covers the subject, I'd appreciate any pointers.



Thanks!



Its not wax it is paint, called different names by the technique used, Marbelising, Faux finish, etc. You never wax walls, nobody does. It is a time consuming art of making a wall look like marble with paint. Clear coats are often used for protection. Again never wax, paint will never stick to wax.

On 10 Mar 2005 18:26:59 -0800, "Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward" wrote (with possible editing):

If you mean encaustic paint try this:

formatting link
If you are referring to Dundean (a wax for Venetian plaster), then try:
formatting link
I would encourage you to try these techniques on samples - they are very difficult to do properly.

It is waxed plaster, at least what I have in mind is. It doesn't look like faux anything, it's just a plain coloured wall where the wax gives it a smoothness and texture. The idea is that the plaster is tinted in the desired colour, applied to the wall very smoothly, and then the wax applied to that.

This website mentions a stylish modern home where the technique was used, but unfortunately doesn't show photos: "

formatting link
".

Thanks Larry, the Dundean reference is the one I meant. I have already looked at that but it doesn't really give a step-by-step description of the process. I have practical questions: how thick should the plaster be, how do you do corners, how many layers of wax are needed, how long do you wait between layers, how do you maintain the finished walls, should a beginner even attempt to do this sort of thing... If someone's done it before please let me know! Thanks!

On Fri 11 Mar 2005 05:27:59a, m Ransley wrote in alt.home.repair:

You are wrong. Certainly there are a myriad of types of faux finishes, but there are also finishes where the plaster (or even painted plaster) is rubbed with either clear or tinted wax.

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required