Decorative Plasterwork
Repair or restoration of decorative plasterwork requires the services of an expert. Expert advice should be sought before anything is touched, as frequently plasterwork is removed and thrown out, in the mistaken belief that it is past repair. Sagging, damaged plasterwork with missing portions can be repaired and restored. It is essential that samples are kept of any details that have to be removed or replaced.
Commercially mass produced plasterwork has neither the feel nor the look of antique hand crafted plasterwork, and, in general, is an inappropriate substitute in a historic building.
Cleaning historic plasterwork Overpainting and dirt can hide the fine detail of the original work. There are several methods of cleaning plasterwork depending on the composition of the paint and substructure, and the advice of an experienced operator is needed. The effective Peel Away method, which is used extensively, may not always be suitable; it is important to know the constituents of the underlying layers prior to use. Ways of cleaning more gently and effectively are evolving all the time and it is recommended that an expert be consulted, prior to any cleaning being undertaken.
Further Reading
Conservation Guidelines
No. 6 Decorative Plasterwork
Department of the Environment/Irish Georgian Society Dublin 1996
Keohane Frank, Editor,
Period Houses, A Conservation Guidance Manual - Dublin Civic Trust Dublin 2000
Beard, Geoffrey
The Works of Robert Adam
London, 1992.
Clifton-Mogg, Caroline
The Neoclassical Source Book
London, 1991.
Curran, C.P.
Dublin Decorative Plasterwork of the 17th and 18th centuries
London, 1967.
Irish Georgian Society Records, 5 vols. (1909 - 1913)
Reprinted Shannon, 1969.
McDonnell, Joseph
Irish Eighteenth-Century Stuccowork and its European Sources
Dublin, 1991.
Parissien, Steven
Adam Style, London, 1992.
Stagg, W.D. and Pegg, B.F.
Plastering: A Craftsman's Encyclopedia London, 1927.