I am searching for in-depth information on wax or other clear finishes for plaster. For our new build home (near Boston), we are planning for plaster walls and ceilings, and I expect to go with some shade(s) of white for all of it. That said, I am curious about the possibility of applying a clear finish over the plaster, and allowing the natural (white-ish) color/depth to show through. There are several considerations at this point:

1) Do we use a special type of plaster by necessity, or just choice? (Lime plaster, slaked lyme plaster, venetian plaster, etc.) What sort of requirements do we need to have for our plasterer? I am open to just 'ordinary' plaster-color, or maybe something subtly more special. (No fancy marble-finishes or texturing.)

2) Can a clear finish be durable and appropriate for the entire house? We will have tile behind the range, 5" integral backsplashes behind sinks, tile in the showers, and a wood baseboard, but I would like to go with something that can reasonably work everywhere else.

3) Would such a finish require regular re-application - emphasis on both *require* and *regular*? I have seen suggestions that a wax finish should be applied every two years, and I'm thinking, "no way". But I could perhaps be convinced that I might *dust* them (we're talking the whole house, here) every two years. And in high wear areas, maybe I could re-wax every so often. (We will have a whole-house ventilation system and radiant heat, so dust should not be horrible.)

We have kids, and I am clearly not a fastidious housekeeper, and I would love to think there is an option out there that would be practical, low-/no-VOC, easy to care for, beautiful, and not overly (when all is said and done) expensive.

Thank you in advance for guidance!