Pargeting is a decorative plastering process used to create relief designs on walls, with origins dating back to the 17th century. It can also be used for practical purposes, such as creating a smooth surface on rough walls or hiding studs. Pargeting can be used for both interior and exterior walls, and even in the lining of fireplaces to create a smooth surface for smoke ejection. The technique involves applying wet plaster to a section of wall and shaping it using hands or tools, with the range of decorations limited only by the designer’s imagination and resources.
Pargeting is a type of plastering process that is often used to add some sort of ornament to walls, usually in the form of a plaster relief or design that covers the full extent of a wall. The term itself is sometimes spelled “pargetting” and is believed to have originated in the 17th century. As a type of decorative plaster, pargeting can be used to create a wide range of geometric shapes and even realistic images of pastoral scenes, people or animals. The technique can also be used for practical applications, such as creating a smooth surface on a wall that would otherwise appear quite rough.
The basic process of pargeting involves applying wet plaster to a section of wall. Typically, the plaster is held in place with the use of a set of pegs or nails which provide sufficient support for the wet plaster while still allowing the material to be shaped using the hands or even various types of tools. The formation of the decorative elements continues as long as the plaster remains somewhat malleable, with variable times based on the ingredients of the plaster mixture and the prevailing atmospheric conditions. If successful, pargeting can add great visual interest to walls.
In addition to serving as a means of adding decoration to walls, pargeting also serves the practical purpose of hiding studs at the joints where walls are joined. This was especially true during medieval times and the technique allows the seams to appear even and smoother. The technique was and to some extent can still be used today to help create interesting facades on the exterior walls of buildings and can also be used for interior walls if desired. The range of decorations that can be created with this technique is limited only by the designer’s imagination and resources.
An alternative use of pargeting is also found in the lining of fireplaces, specifically the flues that serve to treat the fumes created by those fires. The plastering approach helps create a smooth surface within the flues, which is more conducive to smoke ejection through the flue channel. Using this approach to chimney construction is similar to using pargeting on a wall in that nails or pegs are used to help hold the plaster in place as it is molded and shaped to the designer’s specifications .
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