Polished plaster is a term for the finish of some plasters and for the description of new and updated forms of traditional Italian plaster finishes. It can be applied to almost any surface, floors, walls or ceilings, both Interior and exterior.
However, polished plaster is mainly used internally, on walls and ceilings, to give a finish that looks like polished marble, travertine, or limestone.
Such plasters are usually applied over a primer and key-coat base, from 1 to 4 layers. They are finished (burnished) with a specialised steel trowel to a smooth glass-like sheen. Once finished the plaster is usually sealed with a protective layer of wax.
Polished plaster has many other finishes, such as pitted, stencilled designs, stone, blocking, Venetian, Marmorino and weathered.