While restoring historic buildings, often an antique ceiling tile is discovered missing or broken beyond repair. Due to age, locating an identical ceiling tile may be impossible. Recreate an antique ceiling tile by creating a mold from an unblemished tile with latex molding compound, also known as mask latex, and then manufacturing a paper mache tile. When painted and installed onto the ceiling, the faux ceiling tile is nearly, if not completely, undetectable from the other antique tiles.
Instructions
1. Locate a box or plastic container no more than 1/2 inch wider and longer than the ceiling tile. It may be necessary to use strips of cardboard, duct taped into a larger container to match the measurements. The box needs to be 1/4 to 1/2 inch wider and longer because latex shrinks as it dries. Latex shrinks because liquid used in the latex is absorbed in the air. Different brands of latex have different shrinkage rates, but 8 percent is the typical shrinkage rate.
2. Pour latex molding compound into the container to a 1 1/2 inch depth (or 2 inches deep if the tile is thicker than 1 inch). Latex molding compound is liquid and sold in buckets or containers. It is usually white and dries white.
3. Press the ceiling tile face down into the latex. Allow the latex to dry for four hours. Gently remove the ceiling tile by peeling it from the latex. Gently remove the mold from the container. Allow the latex to completely dry for about 48 hours.
4. Mix three parts shredded (torn) newspaper and one part clothes dryer lint in a bucket with enough liquid fabric starch to create a paste-like consistency. Liquid starch must be used undiluted to be effective. Liquid fabric starch is available at grocery, discount and dollar stores in the laundry aisle.
5. Scoop a handful of the mixture from the bucket. Squeeze out the excess starch. The mixture should be wet, but not dripping. Press the mixture into the latex mold. You will use about four cups of mixture. Press the mixture up around the edges. Overfill the edges to allow for paper shrinkage. Allow the paper mache to dry for at least 48 hours until completely dry and papery to the touch.
6. Peel the latex mold away from the paper "tile." Trim the edges of the paper tile with scissors to match the size of the antique tile.
7. Spray paint the paper tile with a clear coat to act as a sealant. Paint the paper tile to match the ceiling tile. Paint or spray paint a gloss finish on the paper tile if necessary. Enamel paints have a high gloss property and if used may not require the addition of a gloss coat. Allow the paint to dry.
8. Install the paper tile by hammering a finish nail through each corner and into the ceiling. Use paint to touch up over the nail heads if noticeable.
Tags: ceiling tile, paper tile, molding compound, tile with, Allow latex, antique ceiling