Craftwork Training Center Workshop: Basic Plaster Wall Repair

Basic Plaster Wall Repair

1 Day – 8:00am to 3:00pm

A versatile building material, plaster was traditionally used as a protective and decorative coating for walls and ceilings. Plaster is much harder than drywall, creates a more durable wall surface, and is more adaptable for specialty design features like archways and curves. While original plasterwork is a desirable asset to any period home, it may require maintenance and repairs to retain its elegance. Our workshop lecture, demonstrations, and hands-on exercises introduce the benefits of lime-based plaster, basic surface preparation, and simple methods for performing minor repairs to vintage plaster walls. Under the guidance of experienced masons, students will apply a scratch coat over wood lath panels, making sure proper
adhesion and sufficiently filled keys are achieved. Then, they’ll work with TAKCOAT™ and TOPCOAT™—specially formulated lime plaster from LimeWorks.us designed for resurfacing, restoring, and repairing existing plaster walls. Practicing on mock-up surfaces, participants will learn how to hold a trowel at the proper angle and use sufficient pressure to apply a transitional bonding layer of TAKCOAT™ followed by skimming on TOPCOAT™ and working it to achieve a smooth final finish. Prior masonry experience is helpful but not required.

Learning Objectives:

• Begin to understand the science behind breathable natural hydraulic lime.
• Be introduced to the procedures to properly mix and cure lime plaster.
• Begin to recognize how to apply alkaline fiberglass mesh over hairline cracks in existing plaster walls.
• Be introduced to proficient basic hawk and trowel techniques for applying TAKCOAT™ and TOPCOAT™ lime plaster.
• Start to understand how to seamlessly tie in repair work to create a unified and flawless plaster surface.

The workshop will be held at the historic Millhafen Farm—the headquarters of Craftwork Training Center and LimeWorks.us—located at 3145 State Road, Telford, PA 18969. A non-refundable deposit of $100 is required two weeks in advance with the balance due at the beginning of the workshop. All the necessary materials and tools will be supplied and a light lunch is provided for your convenience. The program will start promptly at 8:00 am. Please arrive 15 minutes early to complete the check-in process and come appropriately dressed and prepared for hands-on training. To ensure an exceptional learning experience, the class size is limited. However, a minimum of 3 participants is required to hold the workshop.