Shrinkit cast decoration professional#
Re-creating elaborate cornices for one or more rooms- especially when run in place-is most likely a job for a professional plasterer with years of experience. The two methods for creating runs of plaster include running the plaster in place on a wall or ceiling and running it on a bench for later installation.Īn intricate acanthus leaf cornice from Foster Reeve & Associates demonstrates that the art of hand-carved and –cast plaster ornament is alive and well. Running ornamentinvolves creating a profile by pushing a forming tool over plaster while it’s still wet, then repeating the process until the correct proportions and details are reached. Additional cast pieces may then be applied to the base ornament as enrichments, enhancing the dimensionality of the piece.ĭelicate plasterwork in the Adamesque style in the Nathaniel Russell House in Charleston, S.C. Once the plaster sets, the mould is removed. The gypsum powder must be very fresh to interact properly with water and cure to a uniformly hard surface. Ornamental plaster for cast ornament is simply a mixture of finely ground gypsum and water.
Cast ornamentis formed by pouring wet plaster of the right consistency into a mould. There are two main categories for ornamental plaster: cast work and run work.
Shrinkit cast decoration install#
Ornamental plaster does require a certain amount of craftsmanship to make and install because working time is limited and there is no set recipe for achieving a desired consistency for the wet plaster. Easily installed, it can be glued, nailed, or simply attached to a surface with more plaster. Plaster can be cast, shaped, carved, sculpted, sanded, or cut. It is also versatile: plaster can be formed into ornate, multi-layered ceiling medallions, intricate friezes replete with scrolls and swags, or long runs of coved cornice work. Plaster is an ideal medium for decorative work because it can take fine detail. Re-creating miss- ing plaster ornament can be a challenge, but you have options: today’s possibilities for replacement include real plaster, age-old composition ornament, and more modern resin- and urethane-based enrichments. Over time, many of these ornamental treasures have fallen into disrepair or been lost altogether. Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival and Neo-Grec, Second Empire, and Neoclassical houses were not considered finished without decorative cornices, medallions, mouldings, and enrichments sculpted in plaster. Before elaborate woodwork became widespread through innovations in millwork in the late 19th century, ornamental plasterwork was part of the decorative package for many high-style homes. High ceilings and well-proportioned rooms cry out for ornamental treatment. Once you’ve got the hang of it, the undulating shapes and recesses of the cornice should form quickly. Running plaster mouldings requires sliding a tool fitted with a knife over fresh plaster in multiple passes.
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