Advice on repairing a stone mantlepiece

[philipchild]

Hello,
I have recently stripped many layers of paint from what looks like a bath-stone mantlepiece. It has a few largish chips knocked out of it and I'd like to repair it, however I need advice on what to use. Should I buy rectangular blocks of a stone and chisel out corresponding voids around the chipped areas to allow insertion? or should I try some sort of stone cement solution? If so what product is best?

thanks in advance,

Philip

 

[Penners]

My completely inexpert view is that repairs to moulded stonework are not a DIY job.

I suppose you could use a "plastic" material (ie: mouldable/shapeable) but a proper repair would involve setting in new pieces of the same stone and moulding them to match. That's a highly skilled job.

Don't forget that, if your building is listed, you ought to have a word with your Conservation Officer before you undertake the job, to ensure that your chosen technique is acceptable.

 

[JoceAndChris]

I second that: stonemasons have told me the same. Sorry to say it, but unless you are experienced in this field I think you might prefer how it looked before. Bodged repairs to stonework can look absolutely awful: we've got some here. And presumably you're not planning to paint it again, in which case, there's nothing to hide the repair.

We could do with a stonemason on the forum- is there one?

 

[Schoolmarm]

There used to be one called Richard.............................................