Many of the entrance frames, accents and all the stained-glass window frames & traceries are original carved Bedford Limestone. Old archive photos revealed that these were once exposed stone, but now covered with 3-5 layers of primer and paint. With a goal of finishes that matched the original construction, we stripped, repaired, honed, and detailed all stone back to its original state. To do this, we had to build tents and warm the surface temperature of the stone (for the first 3 months of work) to a minimum of 50 degrees for our initial chemical strip to be effective. We also encountered areas where the stone was so deeply stained with tar-based sealer, it became necessary for us to faux finish. We discovered some areas where stone had been replaced with cast pieces that we also faux finished to match. Our own Brad Bruce did such an amazing job in matching finishes, that it was difficult for anyone to know the difference unless they knew where to look. In addition to our plaster work and stone restoration, we also restored all Holy Water stoups, cast plaster ceiling ribs that resembled wood and shields with paint & gold leaf gilding. Church staff and other subcontractors took advantage of the opportunity to reroute and replace wiring inside of walls as we made repairs. Our thanks go out to all that were involved who provided so much support, patience, and quick decisions to make this project an incredible success!
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