Stripping paint from ornate plaster

[Anonymous]

I've just started to restore my Victorian house and would love some advice on the following. The ornate plaster brackets in the hallway have been painted over the years to the point of losing the intricate detail. Does anyone know of the best way to strip them (gloss paint) safely so as not to damage the plaster? I normally use nitromors to strip stuff but would hate for it to damage the plaster.
Any help or advice would be gratefully received!

 

[Anonymous]

I know exactly what you mean - our son's house had exactly the same. I got it off with Peelaway, but there are other poultices available, so it might be an idea if you were to get in touch with Strippers of Sudbury who are a fount of all knowledge and supply everything as well.


http://www.stripperspaintremovers.com/index.htm

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that their website looks great and I have ordered a trial pack of one of their products to try out. I shall post the results on here!

 

[Anonymous]

You will be sure to post Before-and-After pictures, won't you?

 

[Anonymous]

There was a thread or too recently - search for 'cornice'.

 

[Anonymous]

I am currently doing the same job on the cornice of my final room and have improved my technique considerably since I started. Personally I dont believe in the chemical approach, and I have read some conservation articles which recommend against it.

I am using a three stage process. This depends on there being a distemper layer beneath the modern emulsion/gloss, which in most cases there will be.

Step 1 - get the modern paint layer off

Spray copiously with warm soapy water. Using a scalpel, very carefully start to get throught the paint layer in a few places without penetrating right through to the plaster. As the water penetrates it will be possible to peel the modern paint layer away. For this I use a small artist's dog-legged palet knife, with a very thin flexible blade to get between the layers. Keep spraying and peeling alternately.

Step 2 - bulk distemper removal.

By the time you get the modern paint layer off the distemper layer will have been well dampened and softening will have started. Using a variety of different shaped wooden clay modelling tools, carefully remove the bulk of the distemper without damaging the plaster. Further spraying may be necessary.

Step 3 - final cleaning

For final cleaning I use some of the same modelling tools, plus wooden cocktail sticks for getting to the fine detail. I finish with a dusting brush (I used to scrub with lots of water and a tooth brush, but I now prefer to work more gently and with less water)

After all that hard work you will understand how much easier it is to remove distemper than modern paint (emulsion or gloss). For the sake of future generations who may also wish, one day, to see the plaster in all its fine detail, repaint in distemper. If damp stains come through (possible, if water has been used in the cleaning process) you may need to seal the surface first. I have used a modern spray on type for this.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for your help. I will post details back here of how it goes with stripping the brackets with before and after pictures....watch this space!!