Preservation Brief 23, Preserving Historic Ornamental Plaster

Summary

This is number twenty-three of 42 preservation briefs prepared by the Technical Preservation Services of the National Park Service. This brief focuses on preserving historic ornamental plaster.

This Preservation Brief has been prepared to assist property owners, architects, contractors, and Federal agency managers in identifying the causes of ornamental plaster failure, specifying repair and replacement techniques and engaging qualified professionals to do the work. The scope of this Brief is limited to the repair and restoration of existing ornamental plaster; certain forms of decorative plaster such as scagliola, composition ornament, and artificial Caen Stone are not addressed, nor is the design and installation of ornamental plasterwork in new construction. Finally, guidance on using substitute materials to match the historic appearance of ornamental plasterwork--a legitimate option within the Secretary of Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties--is not discussed here, but will be the subject of another Brief on interiors.

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Cultural Resource Office, Joint Base San Antonio

Repository(s): Fort Sam Houston

Prepared By(s): Technical Preservation Services, Heritage Preservation Services Program, National Park Service

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