Colonial 1790 - 1830

During this period "lime plaster" was used when covering walls and ceilings. Although it was quite soft and took some time to dry, it was ideal for application directly onto birck and stone walls, or using "laths", could be applied to timber framed walls and ceilings.
Still today, lime plaster is used on brick walls to achieve the final "set" finish, although the "floating" is now done with sand and cement.

Using laths and lime plaster was an ingenious method of providing a smooth and flat surface. Timber strips 38mm x 10mm were nailed to the underside of the ceiling joists, spaced by the width of the tradesman`s finger. The plaster was then forced into the gaps and by vibrating the trowel slightly would slump back on the top of the laths , forming a secure anchorage. A large trowel was then used to smooth the surface.

All the work undertaken during this period was performed by a team of 31 convict plasterers. This was possible because fashions of the day called for simple but regimented designs from the Georgian and Regency Styles

Victorian 1830 - 1910

With the arrival of Free Tradesman from Britain in 1830, Australia`s plastering industry was born. They brought with them new technology in the form of Plaster of Paris. Plaster made from Gypsum. This is a much harder material and sets very quickly, making it the ideal choice for casting in moulds.
Early casts were made from piece moulds and were generally heavy, bulky and thick in design, to allow demolding and handling for transportation and installation. This process allowed decorative plasterwork to flourish and later gelatin was used to achieve the undercut design.

By 1850, all ceilings and timber framed walls were "lathe and plaster" construction, which set the scene for factories or "modeling shops" to proliferate. Workers became known as shop hands and those tradesmen possessing the ability to create original designs became known as "modellers".
Cornices were individually run on site and were consequently simple, straight lines. If a more elaborate design was called for, such as moddillion blocks, such decoration was applied later.

This system was also used for early picture rails, chair rails and skirting, being replaced later by mouldings manufactured by timber mills due to excessive labour costs.
Archways too, were run "in-situ", with the side embellishments added with plaster casts later. All external corners had an ovolo moulding as part of their construction to protect the soft lime plaster from damage.
With design influences coming from Italianate, Queen Anne, Gothic and later Federation ( 1900 ), the High Victorian period produced the most ornate work exemplified in the ceiling roses, some of  which were moulded in multiple pieces and  assembled on site.

Edwardian 1910 -1940

The Edwardian period brought with it another startling innovation, this time home grown.
The introduction of teased sisal or hemp was developed right here in Australia and remained unique to this country until the early 1920`s.
About this time the method was adopted in America and Britain . It proved to be the catalyst for an enormous change in style for plaster decoration.
Now the ceilings themselves could be made in the factory, not individually on site.

The first panels were approximately "3 feet square", around 920mm, and as joining methods were extremely primitive, battens or "cover strips" were used to conceal the joints. As knowledge increased new and better ways were found to join the panels, allowing an increase in size upto " 4 feet x 8 feet", 1250mm x 2400mm. The battens became nothing more than decorative beading.
Patterns were now cast directly into the sheet so designs were light and soft. The Adamesque style suited this method of production extremely well and with its light swags and bows was very popular.

The Federation style extended into this era reaching its pinnacle.
Uniquely Australian designs proliferated, often incorporating indiginous flora and flora. This trend continued into the Art Nouveau Style (1920).
By early 1930 the geometric designs of the Art Deco period were gaining a foothold.

Modernistic 1940 -

With the advent of another World War, technological innovation became vitally important. Any mechanised process which could release men from the workforce to fight was embraced. The plaster industry was no exception.
These conditions brought about the creation of " Plasterboard " - plaster encased with paper for reinforcement - in a fully automated production line. It became a very sad time for architecture in general.

During this period all forms of decoration were stripped from houses to modernise them. Timber sash windows were removed from buildings and replaced by alumininium sliders. Decorative ceilings of all designs were replaced or covered over with plain sheeting and cove cornice.
With the introduction of paper lined plasterboard, the fibrous plaster industry was virtually destroyed overnight on the east coast of Australia .
Due to the lack of demand for decoration, the plaster shops were reduced to producing plain sheet merely to survive.This situation ultimately led the two major plasterboard manufactureres into a program of acquisition.

Between them, they purchased the majority of the plaster mills in Australia . With a thicker, heavier sisal-reinforced product, the fibrous shops could no longer compete, either closing down, becoming a plasterboard stockist or purely a plasterboard installation company.

The end result ?

Thousands of irreplaceable moulds representing Australia`s architectural design history, accumulated over more than a century, were taken to the rubbish tip and dumped. Similar to burning a Picasso to save storage space, these priceless works of art were discarded as people were unaware of their intrinsic historical and artistic value.

Technology was overtaking craftsmanship.
An invention by ICI was the next milestone in Australia`s remaining Plastering industry. Called "Plasterglass" it was a test medium for Glass Reinforced Cement, consisting of gypsum plaster reinforced with fibreglass.
In 1966 ACI introduced this medium into Australia to boost their glass sales, thereby allowing plaster products to become lighter, stronger, moisture and termite resistant, and because there was no paper sheath, fire resistand as well. The fibrousplaster shops now had a product to compete with paper lined plasterboard.

A revival was led by Chris Savage & Associates, who developed from a unique artistic niche in the industry. To this day Chris Savage continues as the market leader producing designs of the highest quality now recognised around the world.
They proundly represent Australia which once again is exporting its advanced technology in this industry to other countries overseas.