Q. We just bought our first house, an American Foursquare, dated 1917. It has been vacant for several years and the interior is not in the best condition. We'd like to gut it to get rid of the sagging ...

Q. How important is it to repair plaster before repainting? Our ceilings have peeling paint that we’re pretty sure was caused by past water damage. Since the water problem is no longer an issue, can ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Ornately styled plaster ceiling - Catherine Mcqueen/Getty Images The ceiling may not be the first place you look when you begin ...

Flaking and cracking plaster are relatively minor maintenance items, but when the plaster starts to sag or "belly" out from a ceiling, it indicates deeper problems that require your full attention If ...

Plaster latticework frames the main ceiling design, which consists of layer upon layer of ornate moldings repeated in a symmetrical pattern. Acanthus leaves, roses, hummingbirds, fluting, bundles of ...

Q. We're buying a house that is probably close to 100 years old. It has been vacant for the past several years and needs a good amount of cleaning up and fixing up. One thing we're concerned about is ...

Save the plaster! This might have been the rallying cry of Julia Child, were she a preservationist rather than a chef. “Preserving nice plaster work, if possible, is always worth it,” reBUILD Workshop ...

Popular in 19th century homes, plaster ceiling medallions offer a visual transition and seat for a light fixture in important rooms. Their elaborate bas-relief designs also helped hide soot from oil ...

If Beth Cayre had to move, she would regret leaving the dining room ceiling, with its plaster cherry blossom branches hand molded by ceramics artist Matthew Solomon. And who could blame her? The ...

Q: My parents have lived in their house for 48 years. The house is about 54 years old. They have always used good-quality paint. About three years ago the ceiling began to peel. When a representative ...