The vp informer

What's all the Hype over "VOC's" about?

2009-09-09T04:11:00.002-04:00

So what are VOC’s? Why are they added to paints and plasters? Why is everybody making a big deal over them anyway?

Architectural paints are classified generally in two categories: water based where water is the carrier or solvent and oil-based where the solvent is an organic liquid derived from petrochemicals. Paints can consist of solvents, toxic metals and other compounds. In both oil based and latex based paints when the paint is applied the carrier or solvent evaporates into the atmosphere off-gassing VOCs and leaving behind a solid coating (a painted surface).

Volatile Organic Compounds are organic chemical compounds that have high enough vapor pressures under normal conditions to vaporize and enter the atmosphere. VOC’s may be natural or synthetic. There are millions of compounds which may be classified as VOCs. The compounds that you can smell are generally VOC’s including fuels, solvents, coatings, and feed stock.

The problem with VOC’s is that as organic chemicals they may have serious health consequences. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates paint within its top five environmental hazards and has produced research that shows that VOC level indoors while paint is drying are 1000 times higher than outdoors.

The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights the dangers for people who work with paints. It reports that painters have a 20% increased risk of a range of cancers and a 40% increased risk of lung cancer. The (WHO) is also concerned about the long term effects of “off gassing” which is the release of toxic vapors over the life of the paint in your house. In Denmark, specialists have identified a neurological condition brought on by long term exposure to paint solvents known as “Painters Dementia”.

Children and older people are particularly susceptible to solvent vapors. Headaches, skin problems, heart stressing, and effects on the reproductive system is something to consider before working with these high VOC materials or putting them in someone’s home. Oil paints as you can tell from the smell are worse than that of water based acrylics.

In the USA the coatings regulations cap VOC in flat paints at 250 grams per liter (g/l). Most of California, CT, PA, NJ, DC, VA, ME, NH caps theirs at 100 g/l. Los Angeles and the surrounding basin being capped at 50 g/l.

At Firenze Enterprises we are proud to say that our lime based products including Firenzecolor Fine, Carrara Fine, and Carrara Coarse are absolutely “0” VOC g/l. If you combine them with mineral tints they do not exceed VOC 20 g/l. Our decorative finishes including Dune Africa and Swahili are as follows:

Swahili Gold- 15g/l
Swahili Silver- 15 g/l
Dune Gold- 15g/l
Dune Silver- 13 g/l
If these are tinted with low VOC tints up to 10% colorant they reach a maximum of 60 g/l.

So now that we understand a little about VOC let’s help to create healthy work places for ourselves as painters and artisans and help to create healthy living areas for our clients by choosing low and no VOC alternatives.

Venetian Plaster Newsletter #5 Released

2008-08-28T16:28:00.003-04:00

Topics on this newsletter include:

1. What is Green
2. Era A Penello Lime Paint
3. Firenzecolor Crackle Activator
4. Customer Feedback; New York Times Building Venetian Plaster

Click here to download a copy in PDF

And here's a preview:

Era a Penello- a truly versatile Finish
By Paul Hoafat

You may have heard me describe Era a Penello as the poor man’s Venetian Plaster. However, this is not giving the product the credit it deserves. Era a Penello is actually a Lime paint that can be applied as a Venetian Plaster. What I mean is that when you buy a large 20 kg container of Era a Penello it comes as a thick paste similar to Venetian Plaster. The difference is that it does not contain any aggregate or marble powder. Nonetheless, Era a Penello can be tinted and applied with a trowel and polished to a high gloss finish just like fine Venetian.

That is what makes it so versatile. You can apply it as I described above or you can thin it down with water up to 40%, adding color tints and roll it, brush it or spray it on any textured or smooth wall. Era a Penello is a product that’s long lasting, breathable, and best of all, anti-mold. And did I mention it is a “green” product?

In Italy, people do their exteriors with this product. It is perfect for those who like the Mediterranean look with its glorious patinas and classic movements. Lime paint traditionally takes many years to naturally attain that look. So, we have a product called Latte di Calce, which can be tinted with mineral pigments. It can be applied on exteriors as well as interiors. The result is a classic style right out of the pages of a medieval romance novel.

I hope you followed my brief explanation that this is not a “poor man’s Venetian Plaster”. Era a Penello stands on its own as a Venetian Plaster or a Lime Paint with optional color wash.

Venetian Plaster in a Colombian Restaurant

2008-04-17T13:26:00.003-04:00

Meet our friend Carlos who had his walls done with Venetian Plaster, Fine Marmorino. Feel free to visit his coffee shop, Bahia's when you come to Miami. Giancarlo shows the smooth walls done with a beautiful Fine Venetian Plaster finish not too long ago. We have multiple locations that can be showcased with fine Marmorino including, the Italian Embassy, New York Times Building, Donald Trump's building, and more. This time we simply decided to share with you what a difference authentic Venetian Plaster can make in a place. If you had to compare the work involved with Fine Marmorino and a paint-based plaster in order to attain this type of finis it would be like night and day! We encourage you to learn more, pay us a visit, take a seminar, or get samples. Firenze Enterprises has been at the forefront of Venetian Plasters even before it was so widely used, and today we have the cutting edge system for the following:

Color matching
Exterior Plasters
Matte Finishes
Metallic Finishes
Professional Seminar
Mineral Colorants
Low VOC colorants

For long lasting beautiful walls that prevent mold growth and do not have toxic odors use the Firenzecolor line of authentic Ventian Plasters.

Venetian Plaster Newsletter Released

2008-04-11T08:59:00.003-04:00

We have the April issue of our Venetian Plaster newsletter. Customers have been very vocal about their appreciation for the newsletters. In this particular issue we cover Some information about what the company is doing to help applicators promote their business better. We also announce a few money-saving deals that should benefit many applicators. Feel free to download the large zip file and contact us if you have any questions or comments. We do have a printed version on glossy paper; if you are not receiving it, contact us with your address and we'll gladly send you a copy.

Venetian plasters Videos

2008-04-09T13:34:00.003-04:00

We continue to make the learning and marketing of t his wonderful product called Venetian Plasters. If you haven't found us on youtube then here's the latest venetian plaster video we have posted to our community. We have a few subscribers and a few thousand views dealing with our authentic italian plasters and we decided to post them on our blog. Below is a friend who found us through the world wide web and he simply loved our Venetian Platers. And did you know that we have more than one italian plaster? And we also have variations of finishes utilizing the same product. Well this is the first impromptu customer testimony!

The business of Venetian Plasters can be more than just business!

2008-02-12T14:56:00.001-05:00

We wanted to share with you how important our customers are to us. We had small celebration at one of our friend's home. A baby shower for Ashley's soon to come baby boy! We had our friends and customers join us for a wonderful, event-filled time. We had a blast with our families exchanging jokes, playing baby shower games. Firenze has been in the business of Venetian Plaster for more than 10 years and we are glad that it has not been for the sake of selling products. Throughout these years, we have forged a few valuable friendships which in turn have made our business and approach better. We are happy to share Venetian Plasters with a very personal touch that is very rare nowadays. As you come visit us and see the Venetian plaster showroom you may find a few friends you didn't know you had.

Venetian Plaster Trowels for every use

2007-12-21T11:19:00.000-05:00

Here's a little excerpt that has to do with our Venetian Plaster Trowels. Our good friend Martin Ahlf shared with us the story of how he used the Stainless steel Isoceles Venetian Plaster Trowel to apply the frosting on a wedding cake:

"For my wedding, my wife decided to make our own cake. When we realized that we didn't have a way to make the frosting look the way we wanted. I said "Let's use my Venetian Plaster tools!" it worked incredibly! Every one was amazed at how beautiful the cake looked. I used the medium trapezoid trowel and the small scraper."

We are happy to provide the best tools in the industry for the application of Venetian Plasters...or frosting on wedding cakes.

New Venetian Plaster DVD is released!

2007-11-20T09:34:00.000-05:00

This is another treat for all the authentic Venetian Plaster applicators throughout the U.S.A. Firenze Enterprises, Inc has produced the third dvd in our collection of Venetian Plaster instructional DVD's. We have taken your suggestions and real life examples learned through the years to make a resource for all types of situations. Our emphasis has always been about what sells, and what truly represents a Venetian Plaster finish. This means you will see a real customer's home being decorated with a specified color and texture. We do Venetian Plaster all year long. We teach seminars twice a month, and we send samples throughout the the nation to companies and individuals. Thus, this DVD carries a great deal of value for the industry and we're happy to be the ones to provide it. See a small preview below and feel free to contact us to obtain your copy. We have three options the various levels of interest:

1 – DVDIII order $59.95
2 – Venetian Plaster Trilogy $125
3 – Professional Pack $225

Venetian Plaster Newsletter Issue 3!

2007-11-06T16:30:00.000-05:00

We are still producing our newsletter! If you desire to get a hard copy, send us your mailing information! The pictures are unique and beautiful and the PDF file is rather large. We know that you have a busy schedule and may not be into posting your messages on the blog. But we are sharing information that could make you very successful, especially when it is dealing with a genuine Venetian Plasters. Let us know somehow if this is helping or if you desire more. Your friends at Firenze Enterprises.

New York Venetian Plaster Seminar Pictures

2007-11-06T10:33:00.001-05:00

This Venetian plaster seminar took place in October, 2007 with a bit of a large crowd in our showroom. We have walls showcasing each unique finish and color and this gives people a unique understanding of the product. Our seminars happen twice a month and we generally spend the whole day teaching and having students apply the product one by one.

New York Venetian Plaster Seminar Pictures

2007-11-06T10:33:00.000-05:00

Newsletter Issue 2, Vol 1

2007-10-22T12:47:00.000-04:00

Inside you will find the Venetian Plaster article describing some of the characteristics about Firenze Marmorino. The information has been distributed through a newspaper and a design magazine. We're doing all we can to spread the word; Firenze Venetian Plaster is a green product that creates beautiful results! Download

New Venetian Plaster Video

2007-10-16T15:49:00.000-04:00

Venetian Plaster application can be arduous when trying to achieve a smooth glossy finish. Firenzecolor, Fine Marmorino is very smooth and can be applied in three coats. Each coat of application needs to be perfectly dry and all the edges need to be sanded down. This process requires time and attention to detail. The last coat of burnishing is the coat that will complete the process of this Venetian Plaster. We recommend that you apply a thin coat covering about 2 square foot of Venetian Plaster and then being burnishing. In order to avoid areas missed or not reached in time before drying you can have a team applicator burnish right after you apply your third coat.

The Fine Marmorino is extremely easy to apply compared to most synthetic base plasters which are neither Venetian nor Plasters. If you are able to have a fellow applicator work a long side of you then your job will be complete in less time. Try to apply together and cover the wall with the same technique. You can avoid undesirable results by planning ahead the area that you will cover from beginning to end. An experienced applicator should be able to apply about 300 square feet per day. Two applicators can cover over 900 square feet. Burnishing the wall can be much more thorough when you have 4 sets of eyes checking the sheen is consistent and aesthetically pleasing. If you have a customer paying substantially well for your job, then this tip can prevent much trouble when the job is complete.

Here is a demonstration at a real job site. Venetian Plaster application by two people together. Let us know your thoughts.
Here's the youtube version:

Newsletter Issue 1, Vol 1

2007-09-10T16:03:00.000-04:00

Feel free to download and print our Venetian Plaster Newsletter. We welcome your comments, so feel free to participate! Download PDF Here

NY Demonstration of Venetian Plasters

2007-05-02T12:01:00.000-04:00

We recently conducted two demonstrations in Miami and New York. Our Italian associates came to show a few new application techniques. Some samples were applied in ways that were very innotative. The plasters shown were both for interior as well as exterior finishes. We are glad that we had many of our old friends as well as new artists. Some of the products such as Marmorino KS, Era Veneziana, Marblestone, and more are already available.

Fine Firenze Rivesto Marmorino Application Demonstration

2007-04-20T14:48:00.000-04:00

We hope to provide you a useful guide on how to apply this unique product – Fine Marmorino Venetian Plaster. Customers of various experience levels and artistic backgrounds (faux finishers, painters, plasterers, muralists, and more) contact us with legitimate questions such as: What is the difference between this product and so many others out there in the market? What substrates can this Venetian Plaster be applied on?, etc. The following is a product description to answer some of the more common questions:

Italian Plaster called Marmorino is a 99% natural lime based plaster with 42% marble that comes from Italy. Lime is calcium carbonate and that is the principal ingredient for Marmorino. It is crushed, placed in a furnace, heated up to 1800 degrees, loses a percentage of its weight and carbon dioxide is removed in the heating process. It now technically becomes calcium oxide. This calcium oxide as a powder is mixed with a specific percentage of water begins the process called slaking of the lime. After many months, the molecules in the lime gain a uniform order and the aggregate or add mixture such as marble powder is added. For the coarser materials a specific grain of sand is added. There are elements in the production and resins ingredients that remain proprietary to each manufacturer.

Many “Venetian Plasters” on the market are neither Venetian nor Plaster they are American, and are paint. These are thick acrylic paints with color and chalk added as add mixtures. The resulting products are synthetic and are faux finishes. Our lime has a high alkaline content and it acts as a natural anti mold agent on your walls. The product does not emit any toxic fumes or odors. It is harmless to the applicator and to the resident.

Because this product is produced from lime and marble, it will dry back into stone again. This is known as the lime cycle. Lime is the only stone that can be pulverized, liquefied, and after application becomes lime again (calcium carbonate). The shine and polish is natural not reliant on any waxing. The applicator is literally applying what will become rock on the walls. It has the property of absorbing humidity as well as keeping areas cool - natural air conditioning.

A word about coloring lime based Marmorino and Venetian Plasters

There are three different types of tints or colorants that we use in our Venetian Plasters. There are natural/mineral tints that come from the earth and are mixed into the plaster to give a desired color. We also use low VOC tints (Volatile Organic Compounds) which use a biodegradable food additive as a base. Low VOC tints are highly recommended for colors to be consistent when there is a large job that will require dozens of buckets of product. Finally we use universal/synthetic tints that have ethylene glycol as a base. Natural pigments are best in order to keep the Venetian Plaster natural. The coloring will be more challenging to keep consistent when mixing into multiple 5 gallon buckets. The final result is a semi glossy, translucent surface with natural color ranges. Products with high synthetic content affect the product’s translucence and viscosity while being less than natural. Venetian Plaster that has to be tinted to dark colors generally will require additional effort and sealing in order to provide a
three-dimensional wet finish. Venetian Plaster mixed with low VOC tints will maintain the translucence of the product and will produce no toxic odors.

Tip: When applying a dark color continue overlapping with your trowel, this will add movement and three-dimensional depth to the wall.

We emphasize that this is a professional-grade product. Individuals need to receive appropriate training at seminars guided by a certified instructor. After training is concluded, students need to invest time of practicing with products. The hand needs to be trained in handling the trowel. Experienced plasterers should have an advantage in this process due to experience in controlling the trowel. All that needs to be learned is the learning of the proper Marmorino application techniques. Each coat of the application has a way and a method and a purpose in order to produce the final master piece. If one coat is done improperly, it will affect all other coats and repair will be needed. We have produced two DVD’s to demonstrate the basic techniques of Venetian Plaster. Feel free to request one by calling our offices or sending an email.

Applying the three coats:

The first and thickest coat is applied with a stainless steel trowel only; otherwise product can be stained by metal. The product is skim coated or floated over a primed, smooth, level 4 / 5 wall. Do not apply in straight lines and do not go over the same area too many times. After first coat is fully dry (preferably overnight) apply enough material to completely cover the first coat and leave it smooth and unpolished. If necessary, lightly sand high spots and corners with sanding block size 400. Apply thinly and evenly. Do not compress product. The third coat is applied after the 2nd coat is fully dry and the high spots and corners have been sanded down. Apply thin coat with a bit of pressure to allow the product to adhere to 2nd coat. Cover about 4 - 6 sq feet and go back to burnish. Here is where the product will bring out its shine as well as its translucence. Burnish and check by viewing wall from side for sheen and reflection. After the third coat has been burnished and dried, apply the water based impregnation paste. Apply as much as the product with absorb and make sure to wipe off the excess in order to avoid unfavorable results. The impregnation paste is not a wax.

Final Thoughts

We have been educating individuals with much experience and with no experience for more than ten years. We dedicate our time and efforts expanding this business to many more cities in the USA. Contact us with any questions or comments.

The Art of Venetian Plaster Color Matching

2007-04-19T13:45:00.000-04:00

I don't think that all customers really understand that when asking for a color match it takes time, including waiting time. They come in (Thinking of paint instead of Venetian Plaster) and pick a color from a chart or even bring their own color swatch to match and get frustrated at the fact that there is waiting time. To get a color match, our Colorists have to go through a process, which takes time and effort.

First, they have to get a kilo of material. Next, they have to decide what type of tints to use. We have mineral pigments, low voc tints, and synthetic tints.

Then, they have to check to see if we have a color on hand close to it. If we do have something, they shoot that formula and if it is necessary, they will adjust it. For example, if a customer brings in a swatch of a burgundy color, we can get a red color that we already have and they add whatever tint needs to be added in order to get to that burgundy. If we don’t have any color that can come even close to the match, our colorists then have to do it from scratch. They have to measure and mix different tints together figuring out how much to add of what tint, to make that color. You also have to know how your colors will react with the lime!

Second, in between the processes they have to do test samples on a board to check the progress. This is crucial because wet material dries 30%-40% lighter!

Third, after getting the color matched perfectly and doing the last test sample, they can now make the material. They have to first input the formula into the computer, then get the amount of Venetian plaster that the customer wants and shoot out the formula into the wet material. After they shoot out the formula and make the Venetian plaster, they have to make sure it looks exactly like the test kilo they made of the color and must make a physical sample of it. If the colorists don’t like it, they then start to tweak the material. When it’s ready, they keep an actual swatch on file under the customer’s name. Doing this helps them know how the color should look if the orders that same color again in the future.

Rome was not built in a day! Neither are color matches. It takes time, but the results can be spectacular. What started out as a color swatch, transforms itself into a large very profitable job that depended on the color being just right.

A Good Deal

2007-04-18T09:15:00.000-04:00

We have had such a big response to the current marketing promotion we are having. Everyone loves the postcard we sent out with the valuable coupon on it. What’s not to love? Buy four 5gallon pails of Venetian Plaster and receive a fifth 5gallon pail (untinted) FREE!! PLUS… get a 4 kilo container of Soapstone Sealer FREE, too! Customers are taking advantage of this offer at our Florida and New York location. I had a customer come in yesterday and he bought 4 buckets of Venetian Plaster and got the deal. He was so excited he asked if he could redeem the coupon twice on the same invoice. I told him that wouldn’t be a problem. He bought 8 buckets, got 2 for FREE, and received 2 large Soapstone Sealers FREE! What a great deal! He was so appreciative he couldn’t stop thanking us. It was like watching someone realize they had a winning Play 4 ticket. It’s such a great feeling knowing that you not only met a client’s expectation, but exceeded them as well. If anyone else out there wants to take advantage of this offer email me at sagasti@firenzeenterprises.com and we’ll hook you up.

Trip to Venice

2007-03-19T15:17:00.000-04:00

I want to share with you our recent trip to Venice. Cindy and I visited the factory which has just been upgraded with new machinery. You’ll notice the quality of our Marmorino is even better, because the equipment has to do with the filtration of the lime. It certainly feels good to know you have the best.

Dininer with our business associates in at Italian restaurant

Each batch is of processed lime is checked to ensure quality and spreadability

Machinery for filtration of lime (cont.)

Cindy in front of wall with Dune double gold at Fendi Showroom

Cindy in front of hotel made with Marmur medio on exterior

Venice

Cindy in Venice

Paul in Venice

About Venetian Plasters Seminars II

2007-02-12T16:04:00.000-05:00

Continuing the explanation about Authentic Italian plasters, here’s part II of our 3 part compilation. If you have seen the previous video, then you might have gathered some surprising information about these products. There is really so much we would like to share with everybody about our Venetian plaster. Plus, we are really excited about becoming part of this relatively new form of information distribution. People need to know that there is something better and more natural. Heck! It’s been available for more than a few thousand years. What does that tell you? It tells you that you need to get a hold of this and learn more! By the way, feel free to comment, or drop us an email, we are delighted to help others in anyway possible. Here’s part II

Pictures speak louder than words

2007-02-01T15:10:00.000-05:00

Because it’s not the same to talk about Venetian plasters than it is to see the beautiful walls, we wanted to share with you some of our latest contributions. Some people might have seen Venetian plaster in certain areas of a house, but how about Venetian plaster on all the walls? Sounds exciting? Here are some pictures of a condo remodeling by one of our clients in key Biscayne, FL. The owner of the condo requested the entire 3,500 sq ft done with fine Marmorino. Most of the walls were sealed with Firenzecolor silver wax. If this is something that interests you, please feel free to contact us at any time for technical support or you Venetian plaster needs.

Venetian Plaster Colors for everyone

2007-01-31T12:10:00.000-05:00

I have been working for Firenze Enterprises for over one year and I can say that everyday I learn something new about Venetian plasters. I learn about new and old techniques and about colors that people desire on their walls. Everyday I see at least one new customer come in and ask for a unique color that they obtained from a place, a picture or an item. I know that they spend a long time choosing the color and then changing their minds numerous times. It amazes me to see how people bring unexpected things just to get the specific color they want. For example, a customer brought in a toy red car because he wanted that same red in Venetian plaster. The colorists were able match it and it came out great! I have had customers bring pieces of tile, pieces of cloth, and even a piece of a wall in order to show the exact color they had in mind. It is amazing to see what colors people want done in Venetian plaster.

Eric Yulfo's Story

2007-01-31T09:48:00.000-05:00

My name is Eric Yulfo. I am the assistant to the Director of Operations as well as the head of the Sales Department. My journey at Firenze Enterprises started in 2004. I started in the warehouse mixing buckets and worked my way up to where I am today. When I first saw this product, I fell in love with it instantly and I vowed to have it done in my house. The only problem with that was I had to convince my wife. You see, my wife is not a big fan of Venetian plaster. (for the life of me I still can’t figure out why). Her line of thinking was that she didn’t like the idea of having Venetian plaster on the wall for life. I did convince her, however, to let me put Marmorino KS in our master bathroom. To go with the décor in our bathroom, I picked the color Salmon. Once the Marmorino KS was on the wall, she did admit that it looked beautiful. The following month we were remodeling the interior of our home and our kids made it known that they did not want regular paint in their rooms. Knowing how my wife felt about Venetian plaster, I suggested another of our products called Dune. She left it up to the kids to decided for themselves. So their rooms are now done in Dune. One day, while putting on the Dune in my son’s room, my wife asked me for some of our Firenze Primer. I told her where it was and thought nothing of it. At the end of the day I went to take a shower. As I entered our bathroom, I noticed something very different. To my horrified eyes, my wife had painted over the Marmorino KS with a yellow gold latex paint. I yelled out to her, “WHAT DID YOU DO!.” Her answer? The thought of having this on our walls forever didn’t sit well with me, so I painted over it.” I told her that the Marmorino KS was still on the wall. With a smile on her face she looked at me and said, “yes I know that, but at least I won’t see it so in my head it’s not there.” As a result of this experience, I found out that if an individual no longer wants Venetian plaster on their walls, which I still can’t figure out why, they are not committed to it. It will not require labor intensive sanding or anything like that.

About Venetian Plaster Seminars

2007-01-30T14:02:00.000-05:00

We prepared theses clips to describe what our seminars are all about. There are people that have misinformed notions about Venetian plaster seminars. They believe that they will learn countless techniques, abstract finishes, mysterious colors and visual marvels. In fact, many seminars are really workshops meant to be more artistic than practical. On the other hand, there is the real world: Where most customers willing to invest thousands will ask for classic finishes. For this you need truly lime-based marble plasters and real life training. Let us know if these clips get the point across. Here is Part 1:

Venetian Plaster DVD outtakes

2007-01-12T09:22:00.000-05:00

My name is Raymond Hoafat and I work for Firenze Enterprises, Inc in Miami, and NYC. We import some of the best plasters from Italy and we specialize in Marmorino and lime based plasters.
We have had a great time producing two DVD’s on the application techniques of different plasters. We were going to have it done by an outside company, but they wanted to charge a lot and the process seemed too restrictive. We just bought some equipment and software and produced it ourselves. The First DVD was technically not of the highest quality, but the information contained within is priceless. We did not use a script but used a kind of "stream of consciousness" concept. We have some clips of outtakes from the film that were hilarious. Check out Giancarlo as he follows the cameramans directions to ensure that his sample board is shown in the best position.
We take our business very seriously, but “boys just wanna have fun.”