I have a 100 year old painted plaster shepherd, approx. 30cms tall, irreplaceable and possibly valuable. One arm has broken lengthways but cleanly in two places. The pieces are fragile so it is important to make a good repair at the first attempt.
What is the best way to do this?

clare, December 2007

Have it done right. Wrong repairs add to the
cost of a proper repair..not worth the chance
of ruining a statue that can be passed on.

Sam, March 2013

If you have to mold smaller elements like missing finger tips, toes, noses or flower petals a 2 part epoxy plumbers putty works very nicely. It requires no additional adhesive, dries to a rock solid repair, is very strong, cheap, and is easy to mold like clay. Just cut off the desired amount with a butter knife, mix it between your fingers till it is a uniform color and attach it to the statue in the shape you desire. The only drawback is that you only have a few short minutes to mold the repair. Once it is completely dry (about 20 minutes), it is easily sanded and painted to match the surface of your project. Plumbers putty is available at most home improvement chain stores or local hardware stores for under $5.

Epic Restorations Statuary Maintenance & Repair Artist, July 2010

First, you want to clean the surface with regular alcohol and a q-tip. Do not soak the statue in liquid. You only want to remove any glossy surface on the paint so that the adhesive will stick better. Glue the pieces back together with a Polyvinyl Chloride Adhesive (like Elmer's all purpose glue). a Polyvinyl chloride adhesive is best because it will not deteriorate the plaster. Place the glue on each piece and hold the pieces in place with masking tape. Wipe away excess glue. Allow adequate drying time (at least 24 hours or longer for more humid climates). Once the area is dry, fill the remaining gaps with a thick mix of Plaster of Paris and the same glue used to repair the piece. It should resemble the consistency of drywall spackle. Mix only a tablespoon at a time in a small glass bowl. Using a flat sturdy edge like a putty knife, smear the paste into the crevices. let it dry. Lightly sand the area and repeat the process if necessary. Once it is completely dry, you can paint the surface. Remember, to prime the surface first with a base coat and let it dry completely as it will soak up a lot of paint. Then paint with acrylics and seal with a clear spray. If your statue has a gloss finish, you may want to spray the entire statue with a clear matte spray prior to the repair so that your paint adheres better. You can restore the gloss finish when you have completed the restoration. Good Luck!

Epic Restorations Statuary Maintenance & Repair Artist, June 2010

I have had success with sealing a statue after it's been repaired, using "Modpodge", which is available in either a matte finish or glossy finish. I have actually mixed acrylic paint with podge and water, and painted it on statues which I have repaired to seal them; this dries to a beautiful finish which is fairly waterproof, as long as you don't leave the statue out in the rain, or soak it with a lot of water. I also use this podge/paint/water combination on my own paintings.

~ Jane, June 2010

I have just made extensive repairs to a 45 year old plaster statue with grout or tile plaster mixed with water colors and Elmers glue. It is a slow process of adding layers until you reach the desired look. I do have before pictures showing missing face and body parts. Surface and delicate parts can be repaired with the grout mixture. However, if you need to make missing parts it is better to use the tile grout which is coarser and makes a stronger repair. You can use the grout mixture on the final surface. However, I have not solved the problem of sealing the statue so that it can be cleaned in the future. Using water over the glue finish clouds the finish.

I do have the after pictures which are unbelievable. It looks like the statue's original finish.

Ida, March 2008