Plaster revived in updated form Modern craftsmen keeping moldings, ornamentation alive

Beverly Bryant

"PLASTER" the word conjures up images of years gone by, when meticulous craftsmen devoted their lives to the art of creating detailed moldings and ornamentation.

As with all things, time and technology have brought changes to the building arts.

Drywall replaces lath and gypsum plaster. Fewer craftsmen make molds for decorative pieces, and most of those who once made their livelihood creating cornices from plaster have retired or are close to it.

Although the art of plastering is going through changes, it's not the dying craft many may call it. New products and techniques make it possible to achieve many of the same effects today.

Lonnie Nichols of D&L Plastering said most of the old-style plastering his company does involves patching or repairing old plaster.

"Most of the inside plastering we do is veneer plaster or Venetian plaster, which creates a glass-like finish," he said.

Nichols said gypsum plaster is permanent.

"You can't move walls," he said.

"People couldn't afford plastering now," Nichols said. The amount of work and the level of workmanship make it prohibitive compared to the use of modern materials such as drywall, he said.

Pat Miller of Pat Miller Plastering agreed.

"Older homes have gypsum plaster, and we do a lot of repairs on those," Miller said. "By square foot, it can weigh 8 to 10 pounds. The durability of it is great. Twenty years ago when I got into it, they kept telling me it was a dying art. True plasterers are artists. They can make anything come through."

Nichols and Miller are both in their 40s and see advantages in using newer materials, while keeping an appreciation for the old ways.

Miller said he uses a synthetic stucco system called EIFS for exterior insulation and finish systems to create the look of plaster or stucco on exterior walls.

At the core of the system is a solid foam material that can be cut in any desired shape.

"It's really versatile," Miller said. "Anything you can imagine with the foam, you can make the shapes, like a crown molding or a curved arch."

He said the system uses an expanded polystyrene foam with a fiberglass mesh imbedded in it, covered with a portland cement and acrylic mixture.

"Portland acts as a catalyst which hardens it, and you get a cementitious coating," he said. "The finish is flexible. The acrylic gives it elasticity for movement to avoid cracks.

"I also use it as a finish over the stucco, which can crack. It also keeps the water from coming in. A lot of people have gone to it because there is an insulating effect."

Mike Jones of FoamCo creates the architectural elements Miller uses in his projects. Jones said he loves working with the foam.

"I get in raw blocks of foam 36 inches thick, 4 feet by 8 feet. I use a computer-controlled machine that draws the shapes using a software program," Jones said. "Pat comes to me with drawings, and we draw them in the computer.

"We do a lot of sculpting of three-dimensional things anything you can dream up."

Miller said exterior insulation and finish systems have gotten some bad press on the East Coast because of bad installation practices. Incorrect installations caused mold and water infiltration problems, he said.

"It's a real good cladding system with the proper flashings, sealants and caulking around windows and other openings," Miller said. "It keeps heat and cold from transferring through it, and you get an R-factor insulating value from it."

Miller is a certified inspector for stucco and exterior insulation and finish systems in Edmond.

"The problem is people getting hold of the material and not knowing the application method," he said. "The city of Edmond requires EIFS and stucco inspections. I wish the rest of the Oklahoma City area would follow suit on that to keep reputable installers out there doing it."

Miller said the problems occurred when installers used an adhesive to apply the foam to wood.

"When water got in, there was no way for it to escape," he said. "We put in a moisture barrier and then fasten it to the structure mechanically, which leaves room for any moisture to escape. Proper caulking and flashing helps keep water from getting behind the material in the first place. It just takes a knowledgeable person to do it."

Special correspondent Beverly Bryant can be reached by e-mail at beverlybryant@hotmail.com.

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