Hello all

I have a client who has had marmarino applied to his shower cubicle by an inexperienced applicator, as a result the walls will not dry, they stay constantly wet. I have repaired something similiar to this before but in this case I think I will need to remove the marmarino and re-apply. Any tips/suggestion on the best method for removing marmarino.
The walls the marmarino is applied to is a gypsum finish. The marmarino is not a traditional lime based material.

Tonyr

Sounds like a mess. I have no idea, it sounds like you may have to demo the finish and start fresh.
Is it wet enough to scrape off?

Hi Amy
From the photo's I've seen, and the conversations I've had with the client, it's only the bottom half that's wet. The client say's it's been like that for 2 weeks and shows no sign of drying.
Going to have a look on Wednesday. I think it will be hard work to scrape it off, but I see no other alternative.

Tonyr

This sounds like either the water is trapped behind the wall, or the guy is showering daily and isn't being totally upfront (two weeks?)
Cant see why it wouldn't dry out,..doesn't make sense. He may have other issues with leaking water. .
I would use a BIN alcohol based primer to seal it up and them go over it with something else,
possibly another finish or tile it.
I would never be totally confident applying plaster in a shower.

Thanks for the the advice. I will be able to make a proper assessment when I visit the client on Wednesday.
Fritz, I have applied Marmarino in shower stalls before without problems, with an open and closed finish, if it's done correctly it will work.
Nancy, thank you for your reply, I would never attempt to seal while the wall is still damp, I've made similair repairs like this before and the clients say's I come highly recommended, so I have a reputation to up hold.
I keep you posted on the progress.

Tonyr

no, I didn't mean to seal a wet wall by any means. Dig it out and fix it.
Or have the homeowner have the leak fixed.
If the moisture looks as if it has been stopped, then alcohol sealers help evaporate moisture within the substrate.
I had this issue, and is ongoing with a Marmorino I applied in a bathroom. Big ol house, big ol roof,.. but they had/have moisture coming in. I have repaired it once,..and she wants me to repair it again. I told her I will not touch it unless the leak is fixed by her roofer.
I am not big on applying these plasters in shower stalls. If it works great,..but I cant see it working long term. A shower at daily use is like rain coming down every day on an exterior surface with soap and scum.
Nothing I would put my name on.
I stick to the dry walls.

Fritz
If I use VP or Marmarino in a shower stall I use a natural product (no resins or acrylics) and add a Pozzolan. If the finish is an open texture I apply 2 coats natural liquid wax with a brush, if the finish is to be smooth I apply natural bees wax balm 2 coats with a cloth. If its applied correctly shower stall should be dry within 14 hrs, even if used every day.
I'am currently experimenting with this on the floor so as to get a seamless finish between wall and floor in the shower stall. Also if you use all natural products your shower stall will not only be waterproof but mould resistant.
Yes I agree there must be no leaks from whatever source.

Tonyr

Hello all
Just thought I'd let you know the result of my client visit. The client was told what he got was Venetian Marmarino (what ever that is). On inspection, what the customer got was Venetian Plaster in the style of the rocky mountains, with no wax and unburnished.Unfortunatly it all has to come off and be re-applied.

Tonyr

Tony What is a Pozzolan? Ken

Hi all, sorry for the late reply, been working away from home. Glad you found out about the pozzolan, if you use Marmarino outdoors you need to use pozzolan to make it set very hard and protect it from the elements, you also need to keep it water tight for upto 30 days, all those buildings in Venice that have Marmarino on the outside will have pozzolan in. Thats why its so good for using in showers, but if applied correctly and waxed correctly you will not have to use a pozzolan.
The best time to use pozzolan in Marmarino is on floors, I have done extensive tests with Marmarino on floors with a pozzolan additive and it works really well.

Not sure if the pozzolan will work with safra products, not sure how the pozzolan will react with resins and acrylics, never tried it.

Tony

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tonyr,

Being a newbie I have many questions. I hope that this isn't redundant for you veterans!
What is rocky mountain venetian plaster?
Is the Pozzolan used as an additive or as a finish sealer? What/where is best souce(s) for natural bess wax balm. Is Briwax OK?
Lastly, how does Marmorino hold up on a floor and how would one apply the Pozzolon on the floor? Once applied, how is the floor maintained in terms of regular cleaning and additional maintenance such as resealing?

Firstly the reference to the rocky mountains, was the state of the finish, all lumpy and as we know VP should flat and highly polished. The pozzolan is an additive and should be mixed in with the marmarino in small quantities the mix ratio should be 20% volume of pozzolan to marmarino. Marmarino on floors should only be applied to areas for soft shoes or bear feet. Cleaning should only be done with a damp cloth and you should not need to re-seal. As for the bees wax balm I have no idea where you can purchase this in the states.