Restoring and Preserving Sculptures and Statues

Restoring and Preserving Sculptures and Statues

Metal statuary and statue restoration requires special skills such as custom sheet metal fabrication. At Heather & Little Ltd., our artisans maintain the character of the original work, concentrating on repairing the damage that threatens the structural integrity of the piece. In addition, the oxidized patina developed by statues and sculptures often becomes a part of their cultural identity. Therefore, we make every effort to maintain the sheen and tone without compromising the protection of the metal.

Each type of metal requires specific consideration during the restoration process, and this work requires the expertise of craftsmen familiar with decorative sheet metal and custom sheet metal fabrication. Our team also considers the history and identity of every statue or sculpture we restore. 

Metal Statuary and Statue Restoration for Different Materials

Zinc, bronze, lead, and cast-iron statues beautify cities across North America. To restore damaged statuary, it's essential to understand the structural issues that develop over time based on the type of metal used, as follows:

• Zinc. Zinc was a popular material for statues from 1860 to 1900. Often, these works were electroplated with copper to give them a distinctive patina. Zinc statues located outside corrode over time, requiring restoration efforts to restore pitted zinc surfaces exposed when the overlying copper wore away.
• Cast iron. This brittle material experiences stress fractures and other damage when rusting joints expand. Restoration professionals can repair this damage using methods such as welding, stitching, or pinning.

• Bronze. Like many other metal statues, bronze sculptures develop a green patina due to lack of maintenance. When undergoing conservation efforts, it's important to maintain this patina for aesthetic value. When the patina includes disfiguring marks, making text on the statue hard to read, we repair it with care.

• Lead. Lead statues often require extensive repair, and that's due to the core material used to bolster the soft lead covering. Craftsmen cut tiny windows into the statue's core to remove iron armature and replace it with less destructive stainless steel bands. The removed portions used to access the statue’s interior can be burned back into place to restore the piece.

Heather & Little Limited

At Heather & Little Ltd., our craftsmen reproduce and restore statues for clients throughout North America. You can see our work in many places, including:

• Historic properties
• Courthouses
• National landmarks
• State buildings

Our artisans create forms and hammer sheet metal over top of them. This traditional technique, called repose or repousse, follows the same process used by the original sculptors and craftsmen. 

To properly restore zinc and copper statuary with sheet metal fabrication, it's important to have the right skills and experience. Heather & Little hires and trains skilled artisans dedicated to preserving the beautiful statues that celebrate history. 

We excel at this type of work and are particularly proud of the restoration of the Trumbull courthouse in Warren, Ohio. This award-winning work included restoring the Lady Justice statue that adorns the top of the courthouse.

You can see more of our work on our unique projects page. 

Interested to know more? Have questions about decorative sheet metal for restoring and preserving sculptures and statues? Feel free to contact us online or call us toll-free at 1.866.674.3153.