Heritage Ceilings

Lathe and Plaster

A construction method which is said to date back thousands of years which in short is to attach sticks to a frame and fill between them with a mud. This was used as a relatively simple way to create a wall or fill a hole to provide protection from the external elements. From sticks and mud to cut or axed timbers nailed to joists and filled with lime mortar reinforced with plant or animal fibre and smooth set plaster creating the modern decorative finishes of the 1700 now heritage ceilings and walls. Lathe and Plaster became a statement to the home and to the skills of the craftsmen that constructed and finished these impressive building components. Their skills included the running of decorative cornices and ornate ceiling roses.

They can be found in many of our homes and commercial and government buildings from plain to highly decorative, some still in excellent condition while others have sadly gone forever. We have repaired and conserved many of these Heritage ceilings and walls over the years by way of Liquid Chemical Injection Stabilization systems designed here in Adelaide over 30 years ago. This is a highly successful method of conserving the ceiling in its original form but increasing its strength and flexibility. This method is used also to stabilise cornices, ceiling roses and other decorative details and components. Cracks can then be flushed, any missing sections replaced and any cornice sections or decorative details can be glued back or replicated and reinstalled.