Ornamental plaster dome
in Washington, DC
Slide show. How we did it:
We started with an octagaonal hole in the ceiling.
I cut the template with a router..
Next, I screwed 1 x 6's to the bottom of the octagon. This provides a track for the template.
Then, I screwed a 2 x 8 to the skylight framing, drilled the center, and put in a long bolt.
A "shoe" is attached to the bottom of the template. This keeps the template from wobbling on the track.
1 by blocks are screwed to the track. These hold the joints in alignment.
Template finished and bolted to the support on the skylight.
3/4" channel iron is bent using a template for a guide
3/4" iron is screwed to the octagon.
1-1/2" channel iron is bent in a circle a tied to the 3/4" iron
Eye hooks are screwed into the joists. 1-1/2" iron is tied with 9 gage hanger wire. There are 4 hanger wires.
1-1/2" iron is screwed to the skylight framing. Then 3/4" iron legs are tied on.
Metal lath is tied to the 3/4" iron.
Framing and lathing finished.
Fast forward to the finished dome.
Dome is filled with moulding plaster and lime while template is rotated.
Dome is shaping up a little at a time.
Template pushed around.
We mixed mortar on two mortar boards and passed it up.
Template removed, dome is troweled smooth.
Dome almost finished. Note how thick it is.
The top of the oculus is trued up by laying one by material the top and filling in.
Now all there is left is to fill in catfaces.
Ceiling is filled in with metal lath and plaster.
Filling in ceiling
Finished dome.
