Delamination. Delamination or separation of the compo from the wood substrate is the simplest repair problem to remedy. The conservator begins by testing cracked areas with slight finger pressure to determine which parts of the design need consolidation. Compo sections that have separated from the substrate, but are otherwise intact, can be glued back in place using emulsion type adhesives such as "white" glues or a clear, solvent-release adhesive. For vertical surfaces, the glue is painted onto the back of the delaminated compo as well as the wood base and, when slightly tacky, re-attached, and held with clamps until dry.

Professional conservators often formulate their own adhesives based on stable synthetic polymers (plastics) dissolved in solvent that will be more reversible, should the need arise, and also offer better long-term stability than many commercial adhesives.

Repairs to broken or damaged compo. When some original compo has been lost, additional work is required to make a repair. One particularly easy and inexpensive method of repairing broken ornamentation is to use non-hardening clay ("plastilina") or polymer-based modeling materials as an impression material to make a mold. After a mold is made from existing ornament, missing or deteriorated portions of the historic design can be duplicated with a durable gypsum plaster. Especially in cases where economic considerations dictate procedure, use of this substitute material may be helpful because it is cheaper. Alternatively, an existing studio mold may sometimes be used to make small replacement pieces in a repair project.

In another scenario, a repetitive design on a mantelpiece may be damaged or portions missing. Especially if the compo design is complex and several portions of ornament need to be replaced, rigid polymer molds with traditional compo are recommended for the repair work. The mold is created using a section of the original ornament as a model. After replacement pieces are fabricated, they are attached using brads, or finish nails. The pointed end of the nail is clipped blunt with snips to avoid possible splitting of the wood substrate. The nail is first hammered into the surface, then countersunk, and the resulting hole filled with gesso putty or additional compo.