Modern material beads for plastering rounded edges?

[Udhi]

By the subject, you should realise, I have NO idea what I am talking about!

Basically, 1880s house. rounded corners to all walls. They seem to have done this by using round dowels nailed to the edges and then plastered over to give what looks like a 1/2"(?) radius.

The builders have managed to break one or two beads and are not keen on using replacements or wooden dowelling because it is going to swell/shrink as the plaster dries needing another patching before things settle.

The way the plasterers are dealing with it, seems to be, to build a right angle by bringing plaster board upto the edge, fix, then plane the radius.

This seems a tad foolhardy. I dont think historic and modern professionals used beading only as a guide but also to reinforce that thin area of plaster so it doesnt break when someone contacts it...

Whittle almost over, thanks for sticking with me

Is there a company out there who make a rounded plaster beading, of modern materials - steel, UPVC or anything that doesnt absorb water to help maintain the round radii that thousands of old houses have?

Udhi

 

[dann09]

The wooden corner beads are called quadrant beads, and come with various profiles - some have a quirk or recess on either side to accommodate any shrinking and make a pleasing feature.

They are pinned to wood packings and are a valuable and attractive detail. FWIW: House buyers pay big bucks for preserved historic detail.

Do not allow idiots to break or rip them out, and dont listen to inexperienced plasterers telling you that you cant skim up to them - you can, and you can prep them against 90% of shrinkage.
There is even a small tool to profile the plaster - or you make one yourself if you are a tradesman.

I've seen jobs where they went over the quadrants with what you are proposing and they often gave themselves further headaches.

 

[Udhi]

I think the Quadrant beads are literally half rounds. The ones that were removed were full dowels of well seasoned wood, which came out nailed to small wedges, just as you describe.

The builder is quite a decent guy, I suspect the plasterers are mid informing him and they ARE the deciding body in this task, within the project.

I am going to tell them to reserve the beads (might be called staffings) and not throw them away. let them build the edges in this long and tedious manner (the builder is not using somekind of reinforcing tape on the corners to try and keep me on my perch.)

I will keep the staffing and should the edge get knocked off, I am going to get it repaired by a plasterer who is willing to use the staffing. At this time, the rebuilt edges look like staffing has been used, my main worry is their strength, now.