Stripping gloss paint off an antique plaster frame

[KalandraJane]

Yesterday I pulled a mirror out of a skip, it's a mid 19th century rococo style (read:fiddly) piece where the frame is made of moulded plaster.

Pretty lucky find, except at some point some fool has painted over the original gilding with several thick coats of magnolia gloss on the front - the back is the original gold finish. The gloss is cracking in some places, looks like it has been on there a long time, and is so thick it's obscuring the detail a bit.

Does anyone know how I can get this off, or get most of it off, so I can either re-gild or repaint it in a more sympathetic finish? I'm afraid of the plaster absorbing any liquid/solvent I put on it, and it's too intricate to sand off, I'm stumped.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[misterhelpful]

Some chemical strippers like Nitromors can be used on plaster work but not having done it myself I can't guarantee it won't cause damage.

This website shows the results of a plaster ceiling rose done with it and a steamer to get into the nooks and crannies: http://www.victorian-house.com/plaster.html

There are other more eco-friendly products available but I don't know if they are as good for this kind of job.

Welcome BTW!

 

[KalandraJane]

Thanks for the advice, and the welcome!

I'll have a look for some, I don't have a steamer but a small brush to get into the nooks and something to pick at it with should work, right?

I doubt any bits would fall off like on the ceiling rose, the mirror frame is quite sturdily moulded.

Here's a picture of it, you can see how much the detail is obscured by the thick paint:

Untitled

• KalandraJane
• 9 Apr 2011
• 1

(by the way, that shoddily artexed ceiling reflected in the mirror is not my doing!)

 

[misterhelpful]

I'll have a look for some, I don't have a steamer but a small brush to get into the nooks and something to pick at it with should work, right?

Should do, but its a tedious job - rather you than me!!

The trick with chemical/liquid strippers is the timing, so my advice would be to work on one small area at a time. Also, try a bit on the back first to ensure it doesn't cause any damage.

by the way, that shoddily artexed ceiling reflected in the mirror is not my doing

Oh, don't worry, I've seen at least a thousand far worse.

Loving the leapord print though!