Sgraffito Insights from 30 Years of Hands-on Experience

Abstract eng:
In this paper, I share key insights from my over 30 years of working with lime mortar for traditional wall finishes, from decorative render to mural art, and in particular with sgraffito. I am a mural artist, but due to a unique set of circumstances, starting 25 years ago, I had to start preparing and applying the render myself, with no craftsman to rely on; this, over the many years of work that followed, and the many wall conditions I had to deal with, allowed me to understand in depth the material and the technique. What I have learned can be very useful in restoring decorative finishes and sgraffito. In this paper, I will cover what to look for when assessing the restoration needs, and considerations for deciding to restore vs. replace and re-do; the special case of damage due to latex-paint covered renders; and discuss that we can repair just portions of the wall, even in the case of sgraffito, without having to re-cover the entire wall. Finally, I will then present key steps in preparing for mortar replace and re-do; how to prepare the material, how to apply the layers, and what tools to use.

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