The final preparation required the floors to be swept, hoovered and washed to lift the dust. Only then was I able to safely tape a protective cover over the travertine (which is highly absorbent and would be marked by plaster drops.

also gave me the opportunity to check for flaws and potholes in the travertine that will need sorting later.

All done and ready to tape and plaster the joints and corners downstairs. Early start tomorrow.