Scagliola

Scagliola provides a beautiful and distinctive finish to a range of schemes in establishments Worldwide.

As a highly experienced and creative International company Hayles and Howe can offer exquisite attention to detail and finishes for any scagliola project including restoration or conservation.

Scagliola is a marble-like material made from plaster, pigments and glue, polished by hand to a brilliant shine. The company founder David Hayles is widely considered to be the leading expert in both traditional and marezzo scagliola and has taught at both the European School for Craft Conservation in Venice and the Edward James Foundation in Sussex.

Hayles and Howe’s scagliola services cover all areas from design and specification to manufacture and installation. The company has a proud tradition of providing a high quality service to any home or building, public or private, large or small. The high standard of craftsmanship the company consistently achieves has been recognised by numerous awards, including the Queen’s Award, the Plaisterers’ Trophy and Humber Silver Salver.

Scagliola is a versatile and beautiful artificial medium that can be produced in a wide range of forms and colours which do not need to, but can, imitate those of natural minerals. It is now considered to be one of the most prestigious materials in the building trade.

The name scagliola is derived from the Italian word for splinters of coloured material (scaglie) mixed together with plaster and pigment to create a marbled effect. Its production is time consuming and painstaking, involving a carefully regulated polishing process. The finished article is virtually indistinguishable from real marble.

Hayles and Howe specialise in the manufacture, restoration and conservation of scagliola and have carried out award winning projects in both historic and new buildings throughout the world. This skilled workforce are able to provide a wide range of stunning scagliola products including mouldings and door-surrounds, corbels, plinths, pedestals, table tops, wall panels (plain, book matched or in-laid) and a full range of columns and pilasters in all the architectural orders. Hayles and Howe also enjoy manufacturing scagliola to match or complement any colour scheme.

As the manufacture and installation of scagliola is so specialised and labour intensive, each enquiry receives individual attention.

HISTORY OF SCAGLIOLA

Scagliola results from a meticulously programmed sequence of tinting, blending and arranging plasters to imitate marble. Archaeologists have discovered that the Romans and the Egyptians employed methods, long since forgotten, to imitate marble in plaster. However, it was in the 16th century Italian Renaissance that the contemporary approaches to Scagliola were conceived and perfected to effect complicated inlays in furniture surfaces.

SCAGLIOLA OR MARBLE?

Scagliola is unique in the opulence that it brings to an interior design. Which is why the great designers of history, and present day leaders in the field have used it. Unlike marble, scagliola can be used to make detailed and intricate patterns that cannot be achieved with marble. As we say, you are only limited by your imagination which is true to its word regarding scagliola as even though we are often asked to reproduce natural stone or marble finishes, scagliola has limitless colour finishes.

THE PROCESS OF MAKING SCAGLIOLA

Making scagliola is in essence a very simple process. You begin with some pigments, water and plaster, mix them to a dough like consistency and press in to moulds to attain the shapes required. After demoulding the piece is then sanded and filled several times to achieve the lustrous finish typical of this product. However it does take several years of patient study and practice to master the intricacies of producing the complex mixes and figuring involved.

Get in touch

Want to find out more about our products and services? Download our catalogue or get in touch with us to discuss how we can help you with your next project.

The Museum Pavilion

We were honoured to be commissioned by the Museum of London and the Architecture Foundation to help create plywood installation with plaster work and Scagliola finishes.

You can see photos of the work, development of the installation and more information about the work involved from our team here.

Tusmore House

Helping us achieve the Humber Silver Salver award, our work on Tusmore House in Oxfordshire is an exemplary showcase of scagliola columns and pilasters  installed in this 17th Century country estate.

Find out more and see the results of our work here.

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