VENETIAN PLASTER & MICRO-CEMENT COURSES, TAUGHT BY AN EXPERT
our academy is based in Musselburgh, on the outskirts of Edinburgh
Click here for map.
Our instructor
ROB GROOM
Leading our training academy is Rob Groom, who brings over 20 years of experience in the trade. Rob's extensive knowledge and passion for Venetian plaster and microcement finishes are at the core of our academy.
Under his guidance, we meticulously curate courses that cover a diverse range of stunning finishes suitable for any setting.
SEAMLESS SURFACES ACADEMY
As a student, you'll benefit from Rob's hands-on expertise, gaining the skills and confidence needed to achieve your desired specifications and aesthetics. We take immense pride in providing high-end, quality training, excellent communication, and the finest instruction possible.
Join us to learn from the best and transform your abilities in creating beautiful surface finishes. Your satisfaction and skill development are our top priorities, and we are committed to helping you master the art of Venetian plaster and microcement finishes.
Website coming soon.
OUR COURSES
VENETIAN PLASTER / POLISHED PLASTER
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On this 3-day course you will cover:
Acceptable background/surface construction and preparation.
How to deal with problematic or the joining of two different backgrounds.
Application of base coats.
Application of five different finishes using four of the staple plaster materials. This will give you an in depth understanding of how and why the materials work the way they do. The materials covered are:
Application of finishes learnt to larger format areas including finishing angles and detailed surfaces.
✢ Marmorino Fine
✢ Marmorino Medium
✢ Marmorino Course
✢ Intonachino fine
✢ Intonachino Medium
Application of a finish learnt (of your choice) to a larger area.
Sealing, protecting and caring for the finished surfaces.
During the course there will be no limits on material usage. If you make a mistake then you can try again. You are here to learn and get the best results.
At the end of the course you will leave the course with x5 600mm x 600mm sample boards, you will have worked on a larger area and have the knowledge and resources to take away and perfect what you have learnt.
Training cost: £720 (inclusive of VAT)
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On this course you will cover:
Everything covered on the 3-day course listed above, plus:
Application of finishes learnt to larger format areas including finishing angles and detailed surfaces.
5 additional finishes (5 additional sample boards to take away). These finishes will include:
✢ Pastellone – This can be used on floors and walls.
✢ Beton Stucco – a concrete effect plaster allowing you to create refined to industrial shuttered concrete effects.
✢ Travertino – Create beautiful Travertine stone effects.
✢ Marmorino Velvet – A Smooth matt finish with a luxurious suede like texture
✢ Dolomia – A Coarse plaster with textured and smooth areas and the addition of gold Mica flakes
Training cost: £1,200 (inclusive of VAT)
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On this course you will cover:
Everything covered on the 5-day training plus experimenting with more advanced finished like:
✢ Banding (Using to two different finishes to create linear or geometric designs
✢ Addition of different aggregate or powders to enhance the materials you have already worked with
✢ Stencil work
During the second week you will also complete an entire room. The aim here is to treat it like a live project. You will take a real-life scenario from start to finish. You can decide whether you complete the room in one finish or combine more than one. This will also give you more practice working with angles, niches and other tricky details.
Training cost: £2,550 (inclusive of VAT)
microcement
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On this 2-day course you will cover:
✣ Acceptable background/surface construction and preparation
✣ How to deal with problematic or the joining of two different backgrounds
✣ Application of base coats
✣ Different application methods of topcoats to produce different finishes
✣ Sanding and sealing, using acrylic, water based Polyurethane and solvent sealers.
On this course you will practice on sample boards, which you can take away on completion. You will also cover one larger area, which can be either a floor or wall surface. The choice is yours.
Training cost: £540 (inclusive of VAT)
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This course is designed to give candidates the chance to complete larger areas to simulate completing a full room. There will be a floor, ceiling and walls available with angles, niches and an obstacle or two to apply around.
The course will include everything that is covered in the 2-day course, plus:
✣ How to plan your room and order of application.
✣ Different preparation methods for walls and floors.
✣ Working with internal and external angles.
✣ Creating clean expansion gaps to prevent cracking caused by movement (very important in wet rooms and showers.
✣ We will also touch on joinery and furniture application.
Training cost: £1,200 (inclusive of VAT)
TADELAKT
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On this 2-day course you will cover:
✣ Acceptable background/surface construction and preparation
✣ How to deal with problematic or the joining of two different backgrounds
✣ Application of base coats
✣ Application of top coats (Finished with trowel and stone)
✣ Application of protective coatings (Soaps and waxes)
Training cost: £540 (inclusive of VAT)
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On this course you will cover everything in the 2-day introduction plus:
✣ Larger areas (walls and or ceilings)
✣ How to plan application order
✣ Anti-crack solutions for basecoats
This course is designed to give experience in applying an entire room and provide maximum opportunity to practice the application technique. At the end of the course, any sample boards can be taken away.
Training Cost: £1,440 (inclusive of VAT)
TESTIMONIALS
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charlie
Rob was superb, very calm and methodical in his approach to explaining the various techniques and timings, very experienced and knowledgeable even after the course Rob was very generous with his time and advise to on-going projects. Whatever your background Rob is impartial and approachable. Great teacher, would highly recommend 👍
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hannah
Rob's 2 day microcement course provided me the confidence and skills to tackle a number of projects on my own. Rob's on-going support has been extremely beneficial and has allowed me to take on bigger projects and overcome all challenges along the way. I would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in microcement installation.
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fraser
Recently completed a microcement course with Rob. Friendly and relaxed but very informative, Rob’s knowledge is second to none. Everything was explained and demonstrated really well. He guided us through all aspects of microcement with practical sessions and sharing his experiences from the real world.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Unless otherwise stated, please arrive at 08:30 for a 09:00 start.
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We provide a fridge, microwave, as well as tea and coffee.
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Yes, onsite parking is available. Additionally, we are conveniently located on bus routes connecting to local train stations and Edinburgh city centre.
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Yes, we'll provide these once your course is confirmed. Sometimes we are also able to supply loyalty discounts with local hotels and Airbnbs.
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Yes, PPE will be supplied for all students.
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Please bring pen and paper for note-taking purposes.
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Any cancellations must be made at least 5 working days in advance to receive a refund.
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Upon commencement of the course, training materials and notes will be emailed in PDF format.
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Upon completion, students will receive login details for a forum where everyone can interact and ask questions.
