Some plaster restoration

[Chad Fabry]

I posted some pictures of plaster work on a ceiling medallion on my company FB account. I don't want to swamp you folks who are friends with me on Fb but I wanted to share the project with anyone who gives a crap.

Here's the link if you're inclined: plaster medallion

[kurt]

Nice. What materials did you use for "gluing" the parts back together?

[Chad Fabry]

Kurt, Mostly just plaster. For awkward pieces I used super glue after wetting the surfaces with water (or spit).

[kurt]

Admix?

On second looks, that's a really fine medallion.

[Chad Fabry]

No, just plaster. Many of the breaks had gaps so the plaster worked best- it created 1/8" gap filler and adhesive all in one. Wet both pieces and join. The repairs are quite strong.

At first I carved the contours while the plaster was still plastic, but by the end I was smoothing the contours with a wet tool I made shaped like a tiny spoon or a riffler w/o the barbs.

It's a slow process building the sections in layers but almost all of the repairs are undetectable. It is a nice medallion with a lot of intricate detail that was obscured by thick gobs of latex paint.

I'm open to suggestion for the re-mount on the ceiling. I was going to mount it to 3/4 birch plywood cut in a circle about 6 inches smaller than the medallion. The edge would rabbeted to leave just an 1/8" lip. Next I planned on removing the circle of drywall from the ceiling and inserting the circle of plywood screwing to the joists. The reveal created by the rabbet would overhang the drywall edge.

Originally, it was mounted directly to the plaster with plaster.

[Chad Fabry]

We tried white and it was too stark against a grey ceiling.

The Chandelier is a BIG spanish revival with brass and iron circa 1920.

Is this too gaudy?

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[StevenT]

We tried white and it was too stark against a grey ceiling.

The Chandelier is a BIG spanish revival with brass and iron circa 1920.

Is this too gaudy?

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If the medallion fits the rest of the house then it is not too gaudy.

I just bought a home that is circa 1855, although the earliest documentation I found so far is 1898. There are medallions in each room. Not quite as fancy as yours, but still beautiful. Luckily they are all in excellant condition.

On another note, the Boss wants to get rid of the four fireplace mantles (and sides). I believe they are original to the home. I'm looking for an interested party. I'm probably going to end up putting them on Craigslist.

If you are interested I will post a few pics. If you like them and are interested I'm sure we can work it out. Do you still shear sheep?

[kurt]

Gaudy is not the right word.

I have a general distaste for gilded finishes. They don't fit into any design scheme imho.

[Bill Kibbel]

On another note, the Boss wants to get rid of the four fireplace mantles (and sides). I believe they are original to the home. I'm looking for an interested party. I'm probably going to end up putting them on Craigslist.

If they are original to the home, they should remain stored there for future owners to rectify.

[StevenT]

On another note, the Boss wants to get rid of the four fireplace mantles (and sides). I believe they are original to the home. I'm looking for an interested party. I'm probably going to end up putting them on Craigslist.

If they are original to the home, they should remain stored there for future owners to rectify.

That thought came into mind also. It does make sense.

[Chad Fabry]

Bill, what color do you suggest for the medallion?

I said the chandelier was spanish revival, I meant spanish mission.

[Bill Kibbel]

Bill, what color do you suggest for the medallion?

Well, I agree with Kurt about the gold.

I would do monochrome with different brown hues to enhance highlights and shadows of the relief.

[Bill Kibbel]

This is kinda what I was trying to describe.

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[Chad Fabry]

Thanks for the feed-back.

I wasn't sure about the gold because I suggested the treatment, not my wife. I have questionable taste, she has impeccable taste. She didn't love the gold but she didn't flat out refuse it.

I'll start again and add some age to the look.

[kurt]

Yeah, that's not bad. Kind of a rubbed out bronze patina look. Burnish a few highlights, darken the shadow areas, it could look really good.

What's the color bias on the grey ceiling? Warm or cool?

[Chad Fabry]

The color is Ben Moore Coventry Grey. My wife says it's a neutral grey.

[kurt]

Got out the color fan.....

Yeah, I'd call it neutral. So, you can shift either way.

I like the idea of that patina'd look but I'd keep it shifted warm and avoid any hint of gilding. Gilding with a Spanish Mission style light would be hideous. You need to transition from Spanish Mission into neutral grey. Lightly patina'd look like Kibbel said would be a good direction to explore.

Spanish Mission lighting, a mildly patina'd medallion.....it could tie the room together....the Dude abides....

[Erby]

Like Chad, I don't do colors. Ain't got no sense of color matching at all.

[Chad Fabry]

I finally had some time to mess around with some finishes. The one in the back is the original gold, and the other three are finishes that I'm considering. What do you think?

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[kurt]

The only one I'd even begin to consider would be the "brown-ish" one at the lower right. The others are hideous.

If you got a Spanish Mission light fixture, any type of gilding has to be understated. Really, really understated. Only a few burnished areas, and I'd be really selective with where they were located and how prominent they figured when I stepped back and got the overview.

[Les]

I'm with Kurt. others are, or could be , a distraction.

[kurt]

It can also mean you got the wrong light fixture. Let's maintain the full interior decoration obsessive-ness, and throw all design elements into the mix. You should obtain the services of a licensed competent interior decorator and have them evaluate all possibilities.

You might get it done by next year...

[Tom Raymond]

I think a vneed to see this light fixture.

[Chad Fabry]

So last Sunday, I asked a friend to come help me install the medallion. I mounted it on 3/4 inch birch, 7 ply, plywood painted the color of my ceiling.

I agonized over what adhesive to use and settled on latex modified thinset.

The first piece fell as I drove the first screw into the ceiling joist. By the time I backed the screw out, six more fell to the floor. After testing, I concluded that plaster medallion parts cannot withstand an eleven foot drop.

It was one of those moments where you don't swear or shout, you just bend over and start picking up the pieces.

It took a week but I glued 5 of seven back together enough to mend them with plaster and some time. I cast two from scratch. This time it's attached with OSI urethane and 36 trim screws that I countersunk and covered with plaster. So much for reversibility.

I asked my friend to come back to help me again and he said he would. When I asked what time he'd arrive, he said "twenty minutes before the medallion crashes to the floor." He's hilarious.

I'll post a picture after it's up and after I hang the chandelier.

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[kurt]

I think you finally got the color thing going the right way.