Asher Benjamin explains how to make stucco

 

First, a brief introduction to stucco. 

Are stucco and plaster the same thing? Not now.Today stucco is used outside. Its recipe will be different from plaster used inside. In 1814, the names referred to the same thing.  

  

These cherubs are plaster. They cavort in the dining room of the Canfield Casino of the History Museum in Saratoga Springs, NY.   

 

 

 

 They are forever in motion on the frieze of the entablature, 

 just below the deep cornice, 

a counterpoint to the circular window ringed with energetic vegetation centered under the coffered barrel vault above.  

Lots and lots of white plaster. Made from lots of molds. Mass production allowed this extravagance in 1902.

 

 

 

100 years earlier moldings were made from wood. Plaster sealed the wall. It was held in place by lath.   

Plaster was lime, sand, hair and water, mixed by hand. 

Its keys fit into the spaces between the lath, holding the plaster in place,  allowing the plaster to create a 'wall'. That plaster kept out drafts, reflected light and created a space, a place. It still does.  

 This plaster is applied to lath which was split by hand, thus the uneven shadows.   

 

This image of the back side of lath shows the plaster keys pushing though the spaces between the lath.  This lath is even because it was cut by a circular saw. This plaster wall would be much smoother than the image above. 

 

 

 

Asher Benjamin shared the latest uses of plaster with aspiring Master Builders in his book, The American Builder's Companion. 

It was first published in 1806, then updated in 1814 to include stucco ornaments (Plate 36,  prefaced by 3 pages (74-76) of instructions, titled Plate XXXVI.

 

 

 

 

Benjamin was a Master Builder with apprentices. He also ran a school for carpenters in Boston. He was skilled at describing how to execute the work. 

 

 

 

 

Here is his footnote describing how to make the stucco. He says to  just mix it up, beat it well every day, and let it cure for four or five days on a brick wall.

Not too much a stretch from plastering a wall, but seemingly far removed from the Canfield's yards of dentil and corbel moldings and the carefree cherubs.

 

He describes the best way to make an ornamental stucco ceiling, by hand. 

Then he explains how to do it more quickly, cheaper. What he describes is the beginning of mass production, ie: the Industrial Revolution, starting us on the path to those cherubs.

For the rest of Benjamin's instructions, please read his notes. He wishes "to give the student every information in my power... and be of no injury to those who are well acquainted with the art of stucco working."*  I think he would be pleased that we are reading his instructions 200 years later.

 

In 2009  I wrote 2 posts about  how Asher Benjamin wanted the builders who would read his pattern books to see and enjoy what moldings could create. He clearly loved the "beautiful variety of light and shade". 

I included the portrait of Benjamin in the first post. Historic Deerfield recently cleaned it. To see it please google 'Asher Benjamin'.


http://www.jgrarchitect.com/2009/01/beautiful-variety-of-light-and-shade.html

http://www.jgrarchitect.com/2009/12/strong-mouldings-and-falling-water.html