Original Plaster Coving

[iturner1]

Can anyone explain how plaster coving is actually done? I don't mean the stick on variety we have these days I mean the type of coving in older houses.

My house is 1920's or 30's and most of the rooms have original covings. Some are more ornate than others. When I was in a solicitors office the other day I noticed their coving was really elaborate, with holes in it. Appeared to have been carved - did they really used to carve the stuff out?

In a couple of rooms in my house I may need to create holes in the coving to get services through. What's the safest way to cut through it, how easy is it to patch and how do I do it?

Do plasterers still install covings the old way or is this a dying trade? I imagine its pretty time consuming and therefore expensive.

any information most appreciated,

cheers

Ian

 

[Richard C]

It’s a dying (if not already dead!) trade I fear. There have been one or 2 posts on here about forming basic profile coving in situe but the ornate stuff is best cast & then mechanically fixed. I’ve never made the stuff personally but have watched a local specialist &, basically, if you have a useable sample pattern of whatever plaster work you wish to copy it’s possible to create infinitely long lengths of ornate coving but it’s obviously time consuming &, therefore, expensive.

The pattern is placed inside a sealed timber frame & a latex rubber mixture poured over it. When it's set, remove the original plaster & you now have a latex mould contained (but removable) from a timber case. Timber or cloth reinforced plaster mouldings can then be cast from your mould.

If your just trying to find a way through basic profile coving for wiring etc, run/fix the cables to wherever you nee them first, then fix the coving & then use a suitable sized hole cutter to retrieve the cables; use the round bits you cut out (doctored), stick them back & blend in with filler.

 

[iturner1]

That makes more sense. Someone had told that they created the covings by dragging a former along the walls - which I assume is how they'd do "basic profile coving" that you mention. I couldn't see how they could do the complicated stuff with the same technique.

In terms of cutting holes. The solid coving I have is probably between 5"-6". If I create a chase in the plaster walls for cables and need to go through the coving to get to the floor space or loft above I'm going to struggle with a hole saw. I'd have to start it from above, but would it cut through 6", can you get longer versions?

thanks

Ian

 

[Richard C]

In terms of cutting holes. The solid coving I have is probably between 5"-6". If I create a chase in the plaster walls for cables and need to go through the coving to get to the floor space or loft above I'm going to struggle with a hole saw. I'd have to start it from above, but would it cut through 6", can you get longer versions?

thanks

Ian

A hole saw is probably not a good idea on solid coving; what about a long masonry drill. I've got one 20mm dia. that’s’ about 450mm long which I use for pipe work among other things. If you chase out the wall plaster & then use a drill up behind the coving it should work; you may get some local damage but patching with filler & some patience should give an invisible repair.

 

[iturner1]

thanks for that, I've got some biggish drills so that shouldn't be a problem. I was a bit worried about loosening the coving with a drill, guess I need to be careful and avoid hammer action?

Any hints on the best type of filler to use. I assume I'll get the best blend by having something I can sand down later?

thanks again

 

[jbonding]

Iturner your right they do run a profiler along the wall its a running mould and there are loads of types. They would run like you say a basic mould and add the enrichments later ie; egg and dart, dental blocks and leaves there are loads but thats how its done. Like richard says they have a mould and they cast them then add.