The approaches described in this Brief stress repairs using wet plaster, and traditional materials and techniques that will best assist the preservation of historic plaster walls and ceilings-and their appearance. For both reasons, plaster walls and ceilings contribute to the historic character of the interior and should be left in place and repaired if at all possible. Plaster can also serve as a plain surface for irreplaceable decorative finishes.

Of more concern to preservationists, however, original lime and gypsum plaster is part of the building's historic fabric-its smooth troweled or textured surfaces and subtle contours evoke the presence of America's earlier craftsmen. A building owner needs to think carefully about the condition of the plaster that remains plaster is often not as badly damaged as it first appears. It resists fire and reduces sound transmission. First, three-coat plaster is unmatched in strength and durability. But there are practical and historical reasons for saving it. Historic plaster may first appear so fraught with problems that its total removal seems the only alternative. Plaster was used as the interior surface coating of this elegant 1911 church located in Eugene, Oregon. This variety and the adaptability of the material to nearly any building size, shape, or configuration meant that plaster was the wall surface chosen for nearly all buildings until the 1930s or 40s. Plaster could be treated in any number of ways: it could receive stenciling, decorative painting, wallpaper, or whitewash. It provided a durable surface that was easy to clean and that could be applied to flat or curved walls and ceilings. From modest farmhouses to great buildings, regardless of the ethnic origins of the occupants, plaster has traditionally been used to finish interior walls.Ī versatile material, plaster could be applied over brick, stone, half-timber, or frame construction. The handwriting of the artisans, the taste of the original occupants, and the evolving styles of decoration are embodied in the fabric of the building. Plaster in a historic building is like a family album.

When Damaged Plaster Cannot be Repaired.

Repairing Historic Flat Plaster Walls and Ceilings Plasterers applying rough and finish coats of plaster.

Ceiling plaster