Your plaster will look different when it dries — and it's not just about drying. The final color of your Earthaus plaster is shaped by the finish type, the application technique, and the lighting conditions in your space. Understanding these factors will help you set accurate expectations and make confident color selections.
Wet vs. Dry Appearance
All lime-based plasters appear darker when wet and lighten as they dry and cure. This is normal. The lime in the plaster undergoes a process called carbonation as it cures, which brightens and stabilizes the final color over several days to weeks.
Do not judge your final color while the plaster is still wet or freshly applied — wait for full cure before evaluating.
How Each Finish Affects Color
The same mineral pigment color will look noticeably different depending on which Earthaus finish you choose. This is because each finish has its own material composition, surface texture, and way of interacting with light:
Tadelakt Finish: Colors appear slightly darker than the Fan Deck. Tadelakt is burnished — compressed and polished using Olive Oil Soap Sealer — which deepens color saturation. This effect is most noticeable in mid-range and darker shades. Lighter whites and off-whites are less affected.
Marble Finish: Colors appear slightly darker, with more movement and tonal variation. Like Tadelakt, Marble is burnished, which deepens saturation. The multi-coat application also creates more pronounced visual movement across the surface.
Stone Finish: Colors closely match the Fan Deck. The Fan Deck's printed swatches are matched to Stone Finish, making it the most accurate reference for Stone. Standard Stone is sealed but not burnished. If you choose to burnish your Stone Finish, expect slightly deeper color.
Sand, Base, Lime Slurry & Lime Stucco: Colors closely match the Fan Deck. These finishes are unsealed and matte by default. Applying a sealer will enhance color slightly, bringing it closer to the Fan Deck representation.
Limewash Finish: Colors appear brighter and more pastel than the Fan Deck. Limewash is pure lime without pumice, which creates a brighter, more light-refractive base. This makes pigmented colors appear softer and more muted compared to plaster finishes. Lighter hues marked with ▫ in the Limewash Palette may appear washed out under bright lighting, resulting in minimal tonal variation.
The Role of Lighting
Lighting dramatically affects how Earthaus colors appear:
Natural daylight reveals the truest hue but shifts throughout the day as light temperature changes.
Warm artificial light (incandescent, warm LED) will make colors appear warmer and slightly darker.
Cool artificial light (cool LED, fluorescent) can make warm tones appear flatter and lighter colors appear cooler.
North-facing rooms receive cooler, indirect light that can make lighter colors appear more muted.
South-facing rooms receive warmer, direct light that enhances warm tones and movement.
This is why Earthaus strongly recommends evaluating samples in the actual lighting conditions of your space before committing to a color.
Why Screens Can't Show You the Real Color
Digital displays — phones, tablets, monitors — use backlit RGB pixels that fundamentally cannot reproduce how mineral pigments interact with reflected light. The color on your screen will always differ from the finished plaster. Do not select a color based solely on what you see on screen.
Recommendations
Order a Fan Deck as your starting point for narrowing down colors.
Order Handmade Samples in your chosen finish to see the actual color and texture.
View samples at different times of day in the room where the plaster will be installed.
Expect the Fan Deck to be most accurate for Stone Finish — adjust expectations for other finishes as described above.
For color questions, email [email protected] or text 1-800-917-2414.