Deterioration Patterns Wallpaintings: Difference between revisions

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Author: Nicole Riedl

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Examples of damage by salt progression[edit]

Calcareous sinter crusts[edit]

Calcareous sinter crust, Roman wall-painting, grave chamber, Nehren
Calcareous sinter crust, Roman wall-painting, grave chamber Nehren

Repeated precipitation of calcium carbonate on the surface of wall paintings forms a white, dense calcareous sinter crust. It is characterized by a high stability and strong bond with the painting. The vapor permeability of the wall painting is reduced and the layered crust deposits affect the aesthetic appearance considerably.

Cauliflower crust[edit]

Cauliflower crust, grave chamber Nehren
Cauliflower crust, grave chamber Nehren

The formation of firmly adhering pustules and stable crust deposits, is a characteristic of the cauliflower crust. The composition may consist of calcium carbonate or calcium sulphate. Depending on the contaminants present, the cauliflower crusts appear whitish, yellowish, reddish or brownish. Biogenic precipitate can be stored within the crust deposits.

Hygroscopic salts[edit]

Gypsum crust, hygroscopic, grave chamber Nehren
Gypsum crust, hygroscopic, grave chamber Nehren

Darkened areas within the layers of crust deposits are visible alongside fissures in the paint layer and the topcoat of the plaster. Increased humidity, originating from the plaster or the ambient air, is bound by the salt crystals and appears macroscopically as a dark, blotched composition.

Powdery salt deposits[edit]

Powdery salt efflorescence, sodium sulfate, grave chamber Nehren
Powdery salt efflorescence, sodium sulfate, grave chamber Nehren

White, loosely adhering salt efflorescence on the plaster and the paint surface. A characteristic of this efflorescence is the formation of small crystalline, soft, powdery salts, which can differ considerably in their chemical composition. The example shows sodium sulfate deposits on a repair plaster made of trass cement.

Scaling due to salt activity[edit]

Scaling, grave chamber Nehren
Scaling, grave chamber Nehren

The crystallizing salts burst the plaster structure. During the phase transition from liquid salt solution to the formation of salt crystals, an expansion takes place and pressure is applied to the adjacent plaster matrix. Hence, entire layers of plaster are lifted from the substructure and become crumbly and fragile.