Ancient technology is a modern application. Stucco decor.

The art of restoration includes many varied and interesting works. Especially when the objects of restoration are architectural monuments belonging to centuries long past. But behind the extraordinary beauty, pleasing and admiring the eyes of ordinary people, hides a laborious and creative process. Another type of restoration - stucco decor.

Stucco decor or stucco - this volume (relief) composition and decoration on the facades of buildings and / or inside it.

Its history of creation, as archaeologists believe, dates back to about the 5000th year BC. Homeland stucco decoration is ancient Egypt. The samples that have come down to our day belong to the era of the rule of the pharaohs of the First Dynasty. It was then (for 5000-2800 years BC) that the first stucco decoration and its elements began to be used in palace and temple attire.

About stucco decoration

Classical stucco is made of gypsum, but materials such as lime, cement mortar, concrete, plaster, papier-mâché are also allowed. The elements of the stucco decoration, as a rule, are molded in special shapes, which contributes to the repeated reproduction of the original pattern, ornament or image. But special styles of architecture provide for the manufacture of stucco "by hand". In this case, layers of material are applied on the spot.

Restoration of stucco interior in modern times is becoming increasingly important, as it is subject to destruction more than the supporting structures. The main reason for this is the shrinkage of buildings, leaks, vibrations from the work done in the vicinity of the damp in the premises.

Restoration of facades of buildings and structures also requires, in many cases, the restoration of stucco. Here, destructive factors are seasonal and daily temperature drops, precipitation, ultraviolet.

Specialists of our company carry out professionally the restoration of stucco decoration, identify the destructive factors, and further protect the stucco from destruction. Working with cultural heritage sites, we use gypsum modeling to accurately recreate all the details of the original architecture of the building or interior.

Plaster stucco

Stucco, produced from gypsum, is non-flammable, environmentally friendly product, it consists of gypsum and water. Gypsum is quite light and durable. These advantages allow it to be used in public interiors, houses and apartments.

But as a material, one gypsum is not enough to make a high-quality stucco decoration. Thus, the forms in which stucco is made have a great influence. The material used to create the forms should not allow deformations and be used as long as possible. The consequence is simple - the better the shape is made, the higher the quality of the relief of the stucco molding of plaster.

Gypsum is considered a traditional material for modeling. Products made from it were used in the architecture of ancient Egypt. The very name "gypsum" comes from the ancient Greek, "gypsum", which means "boiling stone." The stucco decoration was widely spread in the times of ancient Greece and Rome. Compositions and images of gypsum showed the life of ancient gods and mythical heroes, became the decor of the palaces of the Roman rulers.

The appearance of gypsum stucco in Russian architecture belongs to the 17-18 centuries. Stucco decor was the decoration of the royal palaces and estates of wealthy landowners. Gypsum stucco decoration is a classic decoration of interiors and facades of buildings, so it has not lost its popularity in modern times. The problem of restoration of stucco molding of objects of cultural heritage, museums, monuments of architecture is also an urgent issue.

Classification of stucco decoration

By scope, purpose:

For decoration distinguish between external and internal stucco.

Exterior stucco decoration is used in the frame of window and door openings, wall decoration between floors at the level of the basement and under the roof. Elements of outdoor decor: columns, cornices, pilasters, wall panels, etc.

Interior stucco decoration - is the decoration of walls and ceilings, individual objects (fireplaces, podiums). For interior decoration, stucco decoration is applied to sockets, moldings, baseboards, curtain rods, etc.

According to the place of attachment:

WALL stucco. Used for wall decor from baseboard to ceiling. They use moldings, medallions, consoles, brackets, pilasters, garlands, etc. to decorate the walls. These elements are very important. They can either crush the space, or give it rigor and graphic completeness.

CEILING stucco. In addition to the eaves, which cover the junction of the walls with the ceiling, includes sockets, panels, various typesetting compositions. It is worth noting that sockets and domes are relevant only with a sufficient ceiling height (more than 3 m), otherwise they hang over your head.

By execution:

SMOOTH. On the surface of a smooth stucco decor, the convex parts are replaced by concave, devoid of any relief. Smooth elements of stucco are distinguished by restrained and concise execution, which looks most successful in a classic interior.

WITH ORNAMENTS. The relief surface is formed with the help of various ornaments (heraldic, geometric, floristic) and often has carved edges. Such a stucco decor gives the interior a festive, solemn look and blends well with the Baroque or Empire style.

Stucco color

When decorating a room with stucco decoration, in addition to the possibility of using various forms of stucco, you can experiment with color. Stucco decor gilded, silver, patinated. Also, a decorative element can be painted in the tone of the wall (or, conversely, to create a contrast with it), tinted under a tree or artificially aged. For a variety of modeling can be painted in different color paint. For example, the same stucco can be white on the walls, golden on the doors, and tinted under the tree on furniture.

In conclusion, I would like to note that the use of stucco decoration for interior decoration presupposes the presence of highly skilled modelers, who know all the subtleties of stucco decoration technologies. If we are talking about the restoration, here it is necessary to strictly rely on the original architectural projects of the object, without bringing anything new, just to recreate the original appearance of the decorated interior or facade. If the stucco decoration is needed in the new interior, then you can not do without professional designers. After all, combining stucco with modern interior items is not easy and the smallest detail can radically change the image of the created interior.