During our unseasonably hot summer of 2018, we commenced on a programme to resolve the issue of plasterwork falling from the walls of the nave in St. Andrew’s Church.
Having sought expert advice on the cause of the problem and the processes to be undertaken to remedy the situation , we subsequently contracted a company, specialising in Victorian plastering techniques to undertake the restoration project.
The first phase of the work involved the careful removal of all plaster from both walls of the nave. This was a slow and tedious task, carried out using hand chisels, to avoid unnecessary stress to the walls or causing damage to the stained glass windows and their surroundings.
Several layers of a lime based plaster were subsequently applied to the bare walls, allowing time for drying out between each application. The drying process was considerably helped by the unusual hot summer weather. All plastering was finally completed by early September.
The repainting of the walls was deferred until November to allow the plasterwork to fully dry out.
The final phase of the project involved the application of five coats of a white lime based paint, thereby completing the restoration work to the original Victorian standards that were typically used during the construction of the church extension in 1870.