Arteco 7 — Frequently Asked Questions

Arteco 7 is a water‑based decorative glaze system designed to create patina, antique and aged‑wall effects on interior walls. Instead of a flat coat of paint, it builds a translucent layer that can be brushed, sponged or cloth‑worked to give walls a quietly lived‑in, heritage character.

Arteco 7 is a decorative glaze, not a plaster. It sits on top of a prepared basecoat (for example L50 or P40) and is worked by hand to create patina and ageing effects. Where you want thickness and relief, you typically use plasters like Meteore 10; where you want visual age and depth, Arteco 7 is the system we use.

Common applications include:

• Feature walls in lounges, dining rooms and entrance halls.
• Boutique hotels, independent cafés and restaurants.
• Retail interiors, galleries and studio spaces.
• Stair cores and corridors where a flat paint would feel too thin.

It is particularly useful when clients want walls to feel settled‑in, layered and characterful rather than newly painted.

We treat Arteco 7 as the patina / heritage arm of the range. In simple terms:

• Meteore 10 — concrete, stone and marble effects.
• Klondike / Valmetal — metallic and industrial finishes.
• Valsetin / Valrenna — silk, suede and fabric‑like surfaces.
• Arteco 7 — patina, antique and time‑worn wall effects.

Many UK schemes use Arteco 7 as the “aged” note alongside cleaner plasters or metallics.

Yes — Arteco 7 is an interior wall system. It is not designed as an external façade coating or a floor finish. For façades, we tend to use other Valpaint mineral systems; for floors and wet zones we specify E‑VOLUTION PLUS or I‑BETON PLUS.

Arteco 7 is suitable for dry, ventilated areas of kitchens and bathrooms, such as feature walls away from direct splash zones. It is not designed for shower interiors, wet rooms or constantly wet areas.

For fully waterproof shower and wet‑room solutions, we use the Waterproof Artistic Walls framework based on Evolution bodies, sometimes combined with other decorative finishes above it.

Typical substrates include:

• New, fully cured plaster and skimmed plasterboard.
• Existing painted walls that are stable, degreased and lightly sanded.
• Prepared mineral backgrounds such as lime/cement plaster.

All substrates must be sound, clean, dry and primed with PRIMART 600 before the Arteco 7 basecoat is applied.

Yes — provided the existing paint is sound and well‑adhered. The surface should be cleaned, degreased, lightly abraded if necessary, then primed with PRIMART 600 and finished with the appropriate Arteco 7 basecoat (for example L50 or P40).

Yes, Arteco 7 can be used over compatible mineral textures to emphasise relief and create aged or washed effects. The texture must be fully cured, stable, and primed according to the technical data. We often use it as a patina layer over selected lime plasters in design‑led schemes.

In simplified form:

• 1. PRIMART 600 to stabilise and equalise absorption.
• 2. Basecoat (e.g. L50 or P40) rolled on and fully dried.
• 3. Arteco 7 glaze applied and worked by hand with sponge, brush or cloth.
• 4. Optional clear coat for projects requiring extra washability.

The Technical Data Sheet and Application Guide show detailed variations for Classic, Metallic Classic, Floral and Metallic Floral cycles.

Typical tools include:

• Soft brushes / spalters for veils and directional strokes.
• Sponges for broken patina, clouding and aged patches.
• Cloths for wiping back and blending.
• Spatulas / small trowels for light compression and refinement.

Recommended tools can be sourced from the ISF Tools & Accessories page.

At around 20 °C and normal humidity, expect:

• Basecoat (L50 / P40): typically dry and ready for glaze after about 6–8 hours.
• Arteco 7 glaze: touch dry in 3–4 hours; through dry in roughly 24–36 hours.

Always refer to the latest technical data and adjust for cooler or more humid site conditions.

Arteco 7 is a decorative glaze system — more robust than traditional limewash, but not designed for heavy scrubbing. In residential settings and many hospitality schemes it performs well when treated as a decorative feature.

Where higher cleanability is needed (stair cores, busy circulation), we may specify a suitable clear coat from the Valpaint system to increase resistance to marking and cleaning.

Yes — experienced applicators can often blend in local repairs by re‑introducing glaze and repeating the original movement. Because the system is hand‑worked, having the same person or team carry out repairs usually gives the best match.

Lighting is critical. Patina and antique effects can look very subtle in flat daylight but more dramatic under warm LED or grazing light. We strongly recommend:

• Preparing and approving a sample board or sample wall.
• Checking it under the same lighting the finished room will use.

This avoids over‑ or under‑working the effect relative to the final perception.

The key is to work with varied, non‑mechanical movements:

• Rotate sponges and cloths; don’t stamp repeatedly at the same angle.
• Vary pressure and direction; avoid strict vertical or horizontal grids.
• Step back regularly and adjust while the glaze is still workable.

Common design directions include:

• Soft limewash‑style patina — cloudy, subtle ageing over a solid base.
• Stronger antique walls — with visible broken areas and layered tones.
• Metallic patina — Classic cycles using L50 base for a gentle metallic interference.
• Motif‑based Floral cycles — using stencils or shaped movements where appropriate.

The official catalogue shows named effects with colour and base combinations to match.

Yes. Arteco 7 is a water‑based, low‑VOC decorative system with very low formaldehyde emissions and A+ indoor air quality classification in Valpaint’s test regime. It is suitable for residential, hospitality and commercial interiors where air quality and sustainability are important.

Yes. It is often combined with:

• Meteore 10 Cemento — concrete plasters with pockets of patina.
• Metallic finishes — for contrast between raw patina and controlled shimmer.
• Silk / suede systems — where one zone needs age and another needs polish.

The London Studio shows these combinations on full panels so you can see how they sit together.

On compatible substrates, Arteco 7 is an excellent way to introduce age, patina and soft colour variation into heritage and listed interiors without resorting to aggressive distressing. As always, substrates must be stable and any listed‑building requirements should be checked with the relevant professionals.

Arteco 7 is mostly used on standard wall build‑ups rather than as the primary finish over E‑VOLUTION PLUS or I‑BETON. For waterproof artistic walls in bathrooms and wet zones we normally prioritise other finishes (Sabulador, metallics, selected plasters).

Where a patina language is required in a wet area, we would assess this on a project‑by‑project basis via the Waterproof Artistic Walls route.

Yes. Arteco 7 is covered in our Valpaint London Academy sessions, alongside other Valpaint families. Training focuses on:

• Base + glaze logic (PRIMART 600, L50, P40, etc.).
• Tool selection and movement language.
• Creating repeatable patina cycles for real projects.

Many “antique effect” products are single‑pot paints with fixed patterns. Arteco 7 is:

• A system — fixative, base, glaze and optional protection.
• Hand‑driven — the artisan controls depth, direction and intensity.
• Project‑ready — backed by a full catalogue of effects, shade codes and UK technical support.

A typical specification line might read:

“Arteco 7 patina wall system by Valpaint, supplied and supported by Italian Surface Finishes. Substrate prepared and primed with PRIMART 600; basecoat (L50 / P40 or approved equivalent) applied and dried; Arteco 7 glaze worked to approved sample; optional clear protective coat where indicated on drawings.”

We can help you turn this into a full project sheet including substrates, build‑ups and maintenance notes.

Arteco 7 is available through Italian Surface Finishes in London. You can:

• Visit the London Studio to see full panels and lighting setups.
• Access catalogues and technical data via the Catalogue Library.
• Join the ISF Approved Applicator Network as an installer.