The workshops will be run by Barry Affleck, our expert in all things to do with decorative plaster in both traditional and modern methods. Barry has 50 years’ experience in this field and is your source for future projects.
The format of the workshops will change from usual method by working on tables following along from upfront demonstrated step-by-step method. The material used will be provided as needed by an assistant so the class can move along seamlessly. The assistant will take boards in process to a drying area and bring them back to participants as needed.
The workshops are divided into categories of skill and difficulty. Each workshop is a required level before moving to the next level. We strongly suggest after each of them practicing at home, then move on after perfecting your skill at that level. Do not think because you have mudded drywall you have the skills to do decorative finishes. We have found the hardest person to teach is in that category. Muscle memory is your greatest enemy and it’s hard to retrain years of troweling experience in plaster. Decorative plaster is a trade unto itself and takes both skill and experience to do it well. Just because you completed a workshop on panels does not mean you can do a wall. This is why in the new program we are creating walls with interior corners, to simulate real site conditions. This will achieve a better understanding of difficulties that are on every job site.
Class Schedules and Types of Training in each case
1. Beginners Basic Training
This one-day program covers an initial introduction to the different systems available. The process will explain the different types of finishes and methods of application. It is divided into three parts.
Part 1 – Tools and their uses. Here we cover the Co Me professional Italian tool range, costs, and the bare essentials to create different finishes.
Part 2 – An overview of different products available:
– Texturline Acrylic plaster and paint systems made in Canada
– Coverit Lime plasters from Italy
– Valpaint paint from Italy
– Micro-topping-Ecobeton Italian Cement micro-toppings and concrete protection and preparation.
Part 3 – Hands on with acrylic plaster that will be basic introduction to using a trowel and other tools to create:
– Venetian plaster effect
– Cement look using an acrylic texturing system
– Available treatments including waxes and varnishes.
This work will be applied to MDF boards completing 4 panels.
The workshop includes an 8-inch Co Me trowel a Qt, can of acrylic Venetian plaster and a Qt of Texturstone both products are tinted to a medium Grey. To polish and protect the plaster an 8-oz jar of Burnishing wax and an 8-oz jar of Zero gloss Varnish.
After taking this class, it qualifies the participant to move on to some of the other classes offered.
2. Intermediate Level
This workshop covers Texturline, Urban, Valpaint wall systems and Coverit acrylic paints.
The workshop consists of:
– Creating effects on MDF boards
– Practicing on wall setup
– Working on interior and exterior corners
– Balancing the overall effect.
The effects will include:
– Venetian in black and a two-color version polished to gloss
– A version of a clay look with a flat finish
– An opalescent white on white
– A metallic spatulato technique in gold and silver
– A copper oxidation effect
– We will explore a couple of textured antique and polished concrete looks with Urban stone and concrete and Carolina Sandstone
– A sample of Calce Veneziano and liquid lime polished plaster
– A new item added to our range is Rococo mirror shine acrylic from Valpaint
– An old but tried favorite Moiré silk plaster in white and an accent tone
– From the Urban line a suede and limewash
– From Coverit two brush textures Tratti and Sensi
– From Valpaint a rust finish that does not need oxidizing called Corten
– Lastly Klondike a unique brush and trowel multi-colour product.
This totals 18 MDF boards size 24″ x 16″ samples in two days. If you have never done trowel work, take the beginner training before attempting this class or you will not be able to keep up.
3. Expert Level
In this do-it-yourself workshop, participants will be using the entire range of the Italian brand Coverit. You will get access to their extensive video library through their catalogues with QR codes for each technique.
This is a 3-day workshop: the extra day is required due to the drying time required in this discipline.
Coverit plasters in their catalogue:
– Super Lucido
– Classico
– Carrara
– Duetto
– Vesuvio
– Roma
– Calcite
– All Terrain floor to wall system
– Tratti
– Sensi
Techniques: Calce Veneziana
– #1 – #12 – #6 – #4 – #20 – #11 – #2 – #9 – #19 – #26 – #21 – #5 – #25 – #16 – #14 in catalogue we provide you.
The use of additives shown on page 59 of the Coverit Catalogue will be added in some cases.
Download the electronic version of the catalogue from www.coverit.it, English version. There are two you can download both as plasters are in one paint and in the other.
These catalogues cover the basic techniques, with images that architects and designers will use from the website and printed material we promote. On top of this, we will be applying some specialty finishes: Intonachino in varies grain sizes X fine is a replacement for clay plaster, but more solid. Fine is a typical lime plaster texture. Medium is for coarse aspect Tuscan looks. Another plaster we included is Carrara coarse, a heavy texture that can be polished on the high spots.
The plaster will be applied on 24″ x 16″ MDF boards (size is limited due to weight). We should get done 20 or so samples. If we can do more, we will depending on what time we have left on the third day.