Palazzo Venusio is a residence of historic importance in the center of the city of stone, Matera. Set behind the cathedral, it covers a surface area of more than 2,700 m² on six floors: four above ground and two below. Once the renovation work was completed, it became a high-end hotel.
Master Treatment Specialists Carmelo and Massimiliano Mento from Ellemme Forniture in Messina treated the different kinds of flooring: from seventeenth century artisan terracotta in the living areas to the new terracotta installed in the bedrooms.
This six-month job was complicated and multifaceted due to the differences in the various materials and the client’s special requests. Fila lab technicians were called on several times to work alongside the treatment specialists on the analysis of the materials and to decide on the most suitable systems and products. The old terracotta proved to be difficult to work on due to encrusted dirt on the surface. Cardboard had also been taped to the floor, leaving marks on the stone. The new terracotta contained calcium sulphate and thenardite which reacts with water and promotes the presence of efflorescence.
Products used:
W68 stain sealer for surfaces in terracotta
SATIN satin finish protective wax