Finding and Evaluating a Contractor

These Greek Revival columns (Gaineswood, Demopolis, Alabama, c. 1842-60) were drawn from Minard Lafever's Beauties of Modern Architecture of 1835. This bold new style began in New York City and quickly spread south and west. Photo: HABS Collection, NPS.

When ornamental plaster damage or deterioration has been identified, the historic property owner, architect, or developer should secure the services of a reputable restoration contractor before proceeding further. It is clear as more and more projects are undertaken, that there is a wide disparity of skills within the trade today. This is partly due to the introduction of gypsum board as a substitute for traditional plastering. As gypsum board became popular after World War II, plasterers saw the demand for their skills decline. Plastering techniques were forgotten because they were often not passed down within shops and families. However, ornamental plaster studios have seen a resurgence in demand for their services in the last decade, particularly as more historic buildings are rehabilitated.

Locating an experienced contractor who is suitable for your particular project is the goal. First, many professional preservation organizations can provide references for suitable restoration contractors. Local plasterers' unions should also be able to identify contractors with experience in ornamental plaster restoration projects. Architects with preservation and restoration project experience may recommend contractors they feel have done a good job for them in the past. Museums with period rooms have engaged craftsmen to assemble the backgrounds for display of antique furniture and decorative arts. Finally, historical societies, either national, state, or municipally organized, may have funded projects which repaired and restored ornamental plaster.

Once several contractors have been identified, their specific abilities need to be evaluated. Prospective contractors should be invited to visit the job site to see and define the scope of work; written proposals, including prices, from all bidders, are essential for comparison. References should be provided and investigated. An outside consultant may be engaged or an informal adviser designated to aid in evaluating the experience and proposals of the bidders. To get a total picture, a completed project should ideally be visited by the prospective client with the contractor present to answer questions which often arise.

Finally, although this may not always be achievable, the bidder's studio may be visited, preferably on a normal working day (see A 20th Century Shop Tour, above.) Alternatively, the bidder may be visited while working onsite. Some ornamental plasterers simply do not have shops. They prefer to cast onsite, adhering the casts while the plaster is wet, and coordinating the job closely with the architect, who inspects each unit as it is cast and before it is installed.

Conclusion

Decorative plasterwork is usually a component of the historic character of interiors and, consequently, The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Preservation Projects call for its protection, maintenance, and repair. Where decorative plasterwork has deteriorated beyond repair, it should be replaced to match the old. Based on physical documentation, both repair and replacement can be accomplished using traditional molding plaster and casting procedures, together with the best of the modern molding materials available. Once a "lost art" after the Depression years, the skills of today's ornamental plasterers are increasingly in demand as part of historic preservation project teams. The ingenious and inspired decorative work created by our earlier architects and artisans can now be assured an extended life.