Archive Record
Images
![#6: Incised ["keyed"] plaster on interior stone walls](https://s3.amazonaws.com/pastperfectonline/images/museum_296/006/thumbs/100801083-6.jpg)
Additional Images [4]
Metadata
Collection |
Sites and Structures Reports |
Archive Number |
HPTSSR38 |
Title |
Sites and Structures Report-GDH, December 31, 2018 |
Description |
George Douglass House Project work Accomplished October 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 Continuing plasterwork begun in the 3d quarter of 2018, the following significant progress was made on exterior plaster restoration on the cove cornices on the façade and north gable-end, and with interior plastering in the 2d floor chambers: Exterior cove cornices: A. Front façade of 1765 structure: stabilized all salvageable intact plaster; removed rotted lath and re-lathed with hand split recycled lath; applied base ["scratch"] coat and brown coat. [Image #1: Photo 54, 1/9/19: fragment of original plaster from cove cornice, with lime bits and animal hair binder in brown coat layer]. NOTE: see record HPTSSR37, Sites and Structures Report GDH Sept 30, 2018 for further details and images on cove cornice restoration above the roadside facade. Test segments of brushed and troweled finish coats were created to determine which most closely reproduces the original surface [Image #2, Photo 67, 11/12/18]. A finely troweled finish was selected. B.North Gable-end [with date-plaque framed in aedicule]: Removed rotted lath and re-lathed with hand split recycled or sawn lath; stabilized salvageable loose plaster; restoration to be completed in spring, 2019 [Postponed to 2020-21 by Pandemic constraints]. [Image #3, Photo 1, 11/1/18, missing and insecure plaster and restored lath on north gable-end cove cornice; Image #4, Photo of the relatively intact GDH north gable cornice, November, 2018, reproduced on Plate 122 of the 1931 book Early Domestic Architecture of Pennsylvania, with Photographs by Eleanor Raymond and Introduction by prominent restoration architect R. Brognard Okie]; . 2d floor chambers: All stable original plaster wall panels on 2d floor: removed non-period coatings and accretions and preserved original plaster on original lath [Image #5, photo 15, 10/5/18, hand-split ["riven"] lath, wrought ["rose-head"] nails [see record HPTSSR37, GDH Sept, 2018] on all stable wall segments. Significant progress was also achieved by applying base coats and finish plaster on interior chamber walls on the 2d floor, following preservation guidelines and employing traditional techniques. Deteriorated plaster and coatings were repaired or replaced on stone perimeter walling [Image #6, photo13, 10/11/18]; Unstable plaster was raked out from cracks to stable margins [Image #7, Photo1, 11/20/18, above doorway between kitchen chamber and "store" chamber], and infilled and feathered to stable margins with lime plaster [Image #8, photo 27, 1/9/19]; removed loose and detached old plaster residue from inside corner gaps to stable margins and re-plastered cracks and gaps at wall intersections with lath and lime plaster; repaired or replaced plaster around fireplace and at meeting with paneled over-mantles; infilled behind displaced baseboard along front stone wall; Scratch coated and brown coated interior stone walls; closed later-period doorway between northern chambers with boards, lath, and plaster [Image #9, 4, 12/19/18]; Removed rotted and unstable wood lath from exposed ceiling [Image #10, photo 51, 11/9/18, exposed ceiling lath in front chamber; tooled and keyed base coat on stone walling between and above windows]. Applied plaster washers where needed to anchor ceiling plaster and mitigate de-lamination. Applied wire lath over steel columns, and scratch coat, brown coat, and troweled finish coat to match original surface. Removed later paint down to original plaster on stable walls above and below chair rail and consolidated lath in voids to accept new base coats; applied base coat plaster to interior walls; Applied lime plaster with troweled finish coat plaster to walls; Stabilized and prepared ceiling damage for restoration, plastered over original, replaced, and restored hand-hewn/split lath. 2d-floor Hallway: Installed wire lath over steel column, scratch coat, brown coat, and finish coat to match original surface; open all wall and inside corner cracks to stable margins; repaired opened cracks with lime plaster; re-lath ceiling damage and prepare for restoration and consolidation of sub-strate, followed by base and finish plastering. All new interior plaster applications were continuously heated to 50 degrees F. or above during critical cure-periods. Laurence Ward, December 2020 |
Date |
December 31, 2018 |
Object Name |
Report |
Catalog Number |
1008.01.083 |
Search Terms |
Plaster restoration cove cornice hand split lath riven lath scratch coat brown coat troweled finish hair binder lime bits aedicule sawn lath Gable-end rose head nail chamber wall tooled plaster plaster keys plaster washers Wire lath plaster margins date-plaque HPTSSR sites and structures test finishes keyed plaster |