Cornices, besides making any room or roof seem beautifully elegant, also has an important practical purpose of covering the joint between the walls and ceiling of a building.
Whilst the cornice dates back millennia to the era of the classical order, as the top part of an exterior entablature, it was first brought indoors as part of Italian renaissance architecture.
Whilst we have seen so many different creative styles and eras of cornices, the common ground between them all is how difficult a design can be to restore. This is in no small part because of how many layers of paint need to be removed to reach the original plaster.
In some small cases, however, it is possible to do some mild repair work yourself. Here are some ways to make the job easier.
Use a Paint Removal Product
Whilst sugar salt, a wire brush and many many hours of labour can remove the old layers of paint, it is far easier to use a specialist paint removal product that can soften the old layers of paint and make them easier to remove without damaging the cornice plaster.
Be very careful when removing paint, as the plaster underneath it is both weaker and older.
Use Multiple Plaster Coats
As anyone who has made a plaster sculpture will know, plaster is a versatile but frail material that is prone to breaking.
Once you have applied your first coat of plaster and waited for the material to dry fully, apply a second coat of plaster, let that dry and use a dedicated plaster paint to protect the whole design from future damage.
