Period Plasterwork: DIY Restoration Or One For The Experts?

Period plasterwork such as Georgian cornice mouldings are sought after features, adding style and elegance as well as material value to a home. However, original features have obviously been subject to the unavoidable effects of the ageing process, and may have become damaged by structural movements, renovations, or damp.

Naturally, you want your home or public space to look its best, and this may include the restoration of decorative plasterwork. But should you attempt this type of restoration yourself or call in the experts? Here’s a look at what’s involved, what you might be able to take on as a DIY project, and when it’s time to leave it to the professionals. 

What are the challenges of DIY restoration?

Compliance with regulations

First of all, you need to make sure that any work carried out falls within regulations and guidelines. 

If you have a period property, it may be listed or form part of a conservation area, and you will need to apply for consent before making any alternations or restorations. This is to ensure that the work is carried out using materials and techniques that are in character with the style of the building. 

What type of material is used?

Period plaster is made from different materials than modern plaster. Typically, it will be made from a mixture of lime, horsehair and sand that is built up in thin layers, whereas modern plaster is usually made from gypsum. These materials are incompatible, and could lead to issues such as cracking or discolouration if used together.

Therefore you would need to use specialist heritage plaster if you are attempting to repair rather than replace the plasterwork.

What is the condition of the plasterwork and surrounding structure?

Period buildings may have issues such as damp or structural failures that are the underlying cause of damaged plasterwork. If there are obvious signs of these issues, such as cracks, sagging, watermarks or mould, then they need to be addressed before the plasterwork is restored. 

How complex is the design?

Decorative plasterwork, particularly from the Georgian or Victorian eras, can feature highly intricate designs such as floral mouldings, geometric patterns, or scrollwork. Often these patterns are created with specialist moulding techniques to achieve a uniform effect, which would be almost impossible to recreate by hand unless you are highly skilled. 

What tools and techniques are required?

Even if you decided to go ahead with the restoration using mouldings, you would still need to get bespoke castings made. You would also need to research specialist tools needed to work with lime plaster, which may be costly and difficult to get hold of. 

Learning the necessary techniques and skills will also take a lot of time and trial and error, so consider if you have the time, resources and right mindset to deal with this. 

So, there you have it: taking on the challenge of historical plasterwork restoration should not be underestimated. Ameuteur work may cause irreparable damage, and can also be very costly and time consuming. Generally, anything other than simple repairs should be left in the hands of the professionals.