Dimensional Wall Plastering Techniques

Embossing

• One of the advantages of using plaster on walls is the opportunity to add dimension through embossing. Plaster embossing involves pressing or scoring patterns into the plaster while it is still soft. Scoring patterns with a sharp-edged tool can create the appearance of bricks or stones. Embossing textures such as bumps, rough surfaces and indentations give the wall more depth and allow light and shadows to enhance its finish.

Venetian Plastering

• Venetian plastering involves applying multiple layers of thin plaster to a wall using a flat tool such as a spatula or metal trowel. No single layer completely obscures the wall behind it. Instead, the gradual buildup of layers, using a series of regular, repeated patterns, creates a texture that gives the wall a multidimensional appearance based on real differences in depth between layers.

Adding Molded Ornaments

• Molded plaster ornaments are decorative elements you can attach to a wall during the plastering process. They stick out ranging from a fraction of an inch to several inches and portray images such as floral patterns and decorative geometric ornamentation. You can create your own plaster ornaments by constructing or purchasing molds and filling them with the same plaster you use for your walls to ensure the colors match perfectly.

Stenciling

• When working with plaster, stenciling is the process of applying an image using a precut stencil, which serves as a guide. Painting or staining plaster using a stencil creates an image that can add texture to an otherwise flat plaster wall or enhance the texture that's already there, giving it a new dimension. Plaster stencils can accent colors elsewhere in the room, in the flooring or on painted walls when the stencil appears on the ceiling.