Staff & Stucco
Staff & Stucco
L'Atelier is renowned for its expertise in staff, stucco and ornamentation. The art of the staff and stucco craftsman lies above all in the mastery of plaster and the associated gesture. Using techniques inherited from the 19th century, our journeymen work in accordance with the rules of the art to create decorative elements such as cornices, moldings, rosettes and decorative ornaments.
Staff, an exceptional know-how
Classic
Classic
Bas-relief
Bas-relief
Architectural works
Architectural works
Restoration
Restoration
...to the staff
Plaster...
Plaster...
At the origin of our staff works is plaster, gypsum extracted from quarries in the Seine-et-Marne region, which gives the white powder so appreciated as a building material for its rapid setting, fire resistance and extreme finesse.
...to the staff
Reinforced with hemp (filasse), this plaster is transformed into staff - a very solid natural material appreciated in interior decoration since the 19th century. It's best known for its use in moldings, cornices and rosettes, but can also be used for many other architectural structures and elements: pilasters, columns, fireplaces, cupolas, false ceilings, bas-reliefs, and so on. Imagination is the only limit to its use.
Preparatory drawings
Working from drawings, the staffer creates a variety of molds and shapes (domes, columns, rosettes, etc.).
Profile cut-out in zinc plate
The staffer cuts the cornice profile from a sheet of zinc. The zinc is then embedded in plaster to prevent warping.
Creating a wood profile
Then, on a marble slab, he creates a wooden gauge that he holds in place with plaster ducats and filasses.
Profile formatting
After applying a layer of plaster to the marble slab, he pushes the gauge to shape the designed profile. After several passes, some of them "dry", to cut the plaster, a mold is obtained.
Shellac and slip application
He applies shellac to the dry mold to insulate it, and coats it with slip to prevent the plaster from sticking.
Staff of a proof in the mold
He dips the staffing brush into the tightly mixed plaster, and with a wave of his hand, squirts it into the mold. The result is the "print".
Putting oakum in snow
Once the print is complete, he places a layer of snow filasse.
Spraying a new coat of plaster
On top of this, he sprays another coat of plaster with the staffer's brush.
Smooth the edges of the mould with a coating knife
Finally, he smoothes out the edges of the mold with a coating knife.
Demolding
All that's left is to unmold the print, dry it and place it on the table.
Armature affixed behind demolded proof
Installation of framing behind the panels to stiffen them for handling and transport.
Adding plaster with knives
Sculpt as required at the joints so that they are no longer visible.
Installation
On-site installation by experienced fitters. Connections between each panel.
Re-jointing
Finished product
The finished product as seen by customers and visitors.
Stucco
Stucco is used to cover ceilings and walls, both indoors and out. It's a mixture of slaked air lime and "fillers", which can be sand, marble powder or stone powder. Colorants and binders, such as animal or vegetable glues, can also be incorporated, as well as "armor" made of hair, bristles or mesh for relief decorations such as mascarons.
The principle is a succession of layers of progressively finer filler, modelled and cut. There are marble stucco, stone stucco, Roman stucco, Marmorino stucco, Mantua stucco, two-layer stucco and hot-iron stucco.... Slow-setting and more difficult to work with than plaster, stucco requires more work and a certain skill. But it is more "flexible" and therefore less prone to cracking than plaster. It also has better hygrometric properties.
To become a stucco plasterer :
European School of Art and Materials
Formation aux métiers d'Art "Les temps d'Art
École des Métiers SEPR "Formation aux métiers d'art rares" (Training in rare arts and crafts)
Stucco
Used in decoration since antiquity, today it's a material in its own right, adding to its restoration and imitation functions (stucco-stone, stucco-marble) that of a highly flexible material for contemporary creation.
Stucco is used to cover ceilings and walls, both indoors and out. It's a mixture of slaked air lime and "fillers", which can be sand, marble powder or stone powder. Colorants and binders, such as animal or vegetable glues, can also be incorporated, as well as "armor" made of hair, bristles or mesh for relief decorations such as mascarons.
The principle is a succession of layers of progressively finer filler, modelled and cut. There are marble stucco, stone stucco, Roman stucco, Marmorino stucco, Mantua stucco, two-layer stucco and hot-iron stucco.... Slow-setting and more difficult to work with than plaster, stucco requires more work and a certain skill. But it is more "flexible" and therefore less prone to cracking than plaster. It also has better hygrometric properties.
Our projects
Staff & Stuc
KNOW-HOW
Paint & Decor