The stucco ceilings of the late seventeen-hundreds in the Castle Schloss Wörlitz were preserved by means of profiles of glass-fibre reinforced plastics

The heavy wooden beams carrying the invaluable stucco ceilings and ceiling paintings in the German Castle of Wörlitz had begun to rot at critical places. To prevent the ceilings from falling down, profiles of composite materials were used in replacement of the crumbling beams. In this way the rotten parts of the wooden beams could be replaced without damaging the ceilings.

In all critical places the crumbling parts of the old ceiling beams were removed and replaced by composite profiles. The rot was worst where the beams go into the walls because of the heat bridges created when cold and warm air meet.

It was impossible to use wood, as there is no room for fixing a new piece of wood to the old wooden beam. Neither was steel an alternative, as steel conducts cold air resulting in condensed water.

Fixing with glue
The plastic profiles are fixed to the sound parts of the old wooden beams with glue and bolts – a gentle way of restoring the ceilings. As composite profiles are lightweight materials, they can be installed without the use of heavy lifting gear.

The measurements from the German material testing institute, the MPA, indicate that the ceilings have the same carrying capacity as have ordinary ceilings.

Advantages:

• No heat bridges
• No maintenance costs
• Low weight
• Good strength and stiffness

Schloss Wörlitz is situated near Dessau south west of Berlin.

Schloss Wörlitz:
http://www.cockaigne.demon.co.uk/emma/woerlitzschloss.html