Renovation
Ranging from the highly embellished and intricate to the relatively plain and simple, mouldings provide proportion and scale to interiors and are important to maintain
Property expert Roger Hunt advises on how to care for and repair interior mouldings
As well as their aesthetic value, helping to define period styles and the status of homes, or even individual rooms, most mouldings fulfil practical purposes, too. Skirting boards protect the foot of walls, and dado rails were originally fitted to stop the backs of chairs scraping surface finishes. Other mouldings are used to conceal the junction between two surfaces or materials; for example, a coving or cornice neatens the meeting of ceiling and wall, an architrave covers the uneven gap between door or window frames and the plaster surrounding them, while a ceiling rose tidies the area around the mounting of a light fitting.
Repairing and overhauling
Most mouldings are formed either of timber or plaster, although some were created using papiermâché. When undertaking renovation or repair work, try to avoid removing mouldings as plasterwork easily crumbles, and timber splits and chips. Where removal is necessary, photograph, number and note the position of all sections so that they can be correctly returned later. Mouldings were often made up of various pieces to create the desired size and look. They were also sometimes composed of a combination of materials, so it is important to try to understand how the mouldings were formed before starting renovation work.
Timber
Mouldings were fashioned from both softwood and hardwood, nailed either directly onto the masonry or into wooden plugs or battens – known as ‘grounds’ – embedded in the wall. Where timber mouldings must be removed, gently tap an old chisel under the edge then, using a block of wood to provide leverage, gently prise the moulding away from the wall. Take care not to damage the face of the timber while removing the nails. Screws and wall plugs are ideal to use when replacing items.
New lengths of mouldings are available from DIY stores, timber yards and specialist suppliers. Some merchants will machine new lengths to match original mouldings, although this process can be expensive so it is important to order sufficient for the job. Another source is architectural salvage yards; it’s worth taking a section of what you are trying to match when searching.
Plaster
Plaster detailing can be fragile and great care should be taken during building and repair work to protect it. Ceiling decorations, in particular, are vulnerable to vibrations, so may need to be supported. The way plaster mouldings were made varied: originally items like cornices were ‘run’ in situ with further ornamentation added separately in the form of ‘enrichments’ cast in moulds. Later, fibrous plaster was used. This is formed from plaster, hessian and timber laths, which meant that items could be cast on a bench, with the prefabricated sections subsequently fixed in place.
Minor damage may be repaired with a proprietary filler, while plaster of Paris is ideal for larger repairs. However, plasterwork requires considerable skill so it is advisable to employ a craftsperson where significant or intricate work is required. Some fibrous plaster mouldings are readily available to replace missing sections and a number of companies will reproduce plasterwork using moulds taken from existing items. ➤
Dealing with paint
Much of the detail and beauty of a moulding may be lost due to accumulated coats of paint added over the years. Paint removal requires care and is a time-consuming process; it is important to test stripping techniques on a small area first. Wire brushes and other abrasive methods should never be used. Plaster and wood are often successfully stripped using chemical removers and peel-off poultice systems. The careful use of a steam wallpaper stripper may help strip paint from plasterwork, while hot-air guns work well with timber mouldings – although it is important to avoid scorching the wood or allowing scrapers to dig in. Paint lodged in fine detail can often be dislodged with a toothbrush and toothpick.
New paint should then be applied in thin layers, while taking great care not to let it clog the indentations of the moulding.
Status and proportion
The most ornate mouldings in a home are found in the areas seen by visitors, such as hallways and sitting rooms, as these were designed to impress. By contrast, where rooms were only used by the household, mouldings tended to be far plainer, with those in basements and servants’ quarters being the simplest of all.
The status of rooms is important to remember when renovating a house, as elaborate reproduction mouldings introduced into informal areas can seem out of place. It is also worth remembering that adding mouldings where none would have existed can upset the proportions of a room. Removing original mouldings can have a similar effect.
It is always worth looking for any telltale signs that might indicate where mouldings were used. For example, when wallpaper is stripped away, patched nail holes or parallel lines of paint on the original plaster may reveal the position of long-lost picture and dado rails.
Maintenance checklist
Clean dust and dirt from crevices in mouldings Remove accumulated layers of paint
Look for rot or insect attack
Refix loose sections
Repair missing pieces or areas of damage