Chimney step 3

The step from bakery to construction site really is an easy jump.  I also end up covered in white powder at the end no matter where I work.

With the ceiling repaired, I was ready to repair the chimney.

First of all, plaster is stinky.  Gag. 

 
After mixing, and trying not to breathe the dust, the plaster really went on the chimney like icing on cake.  The similarities are uncanny.  Just remember, don't lick your fingers.

The colors in the photos look "off" because the high intensity work light cast different shadows.  It helped me see the details and warm the room, but it cast strange shadows.

 
Slather, slather, slather.

 
Icing, icing, icing, icing. This was the tallest cake ever. 

Just like a cake, after one coat, I let the plaster set up for a few minutes to harden.  Then I started from the bottom with a thick second coat.

Walt Kowalski offered to enclose the chimney in drywall and be done with it.  I wanted to do something creative.  Artsy-fartsy.  {Insert eye roll from Walt Kowalski here.} He really is so patient with me when I get artsy-fartsy. I looked around the house and in the garage for something to stamp into the plaster to make a pattern.  I found lots of things to imprint, but not the right thing. 

The home improvement store had textured rollers and brushes, but still not what I wanted. Then I realized I was looking in the wrong section in the store. Instead of in the paint aisle, I needed the cement aisle.

I found a plastic mold that is designed for making a sidewalk that looks like stones.  Instead of pouring the cement into the mold, I used the mold as a stamp.


 

 Then I went back and defined the marks.

It looks like a stone chimney now.  I still need to clean up the lines between the "stones" and add another thin coat of plaster, but I like it.  I could even stain the spaces between the stones with a dark gray to give it more accent.

The plaster isn't dry in this photo, that's the reason for the darker color at the bottom.
 

Walt Kowalski called to say he was on the way home from work and wanted to know what pattern I used on the chimney.  I wouldn't tell him.  I just told him to expect artsy-fartsy.

WK: "Nonononononononono. I can't stand the suspense!"
Me:  "artsy-fartsyartsy-fartsyartsy-fartsyartsy-fartsy."
WK:" ARGH!"

He was home in 10 minutes and thought it was great.