Restoration of porcelain items. Porcelain restoration methods and rules for caring for it Porcelain tableware repair

The presence of glaze is the main distinguishing quality. Many people ask the question: "How to wash porcelain and how to care for dishes?" Collect all the components of the broken pottery. Before starting restoration work, each of the fragments should be placed in paper, after cleaning if they are dirty.

Porcelain restoration

You will need the following materials: paint thinner, cotton swabs, napkins, abrasive powder, matches, emery, glue, razor blade, soft brush, duct tape.

1. It is necessary that all the fragments be dry, and most importantly, clean. Wash the broken edge first. Do not wet ceramics too much. If soapy water doesn't clean it, use acetone.

2. Bleach the shard with a special solution.

3. Before you start gluing, match all parts of the item. See how tightly they fit together. You will also have an idea of ​​the best order in which to glue the pieces together.

4. Glue the smallest ones first, and only then move on to the larger ones.

5. Do not forget to remove excess glue with a swab.

6. Add a special pigment of the color you need to the adhesive.

7. Glue the edges of adjacent pieces using matches.

8. Wait until the item is completely dry. It usually takes about 24 hours. Carefully remove excess adhesive with a razor blade.

9. If a small part of the product is lost, mix the adhesive with talcum powder. Use your fingers to fill the hole with the mixture. Sand the surface.

10. In case a large piece is lost, plasticine will come to your aid.

11. Apply a two-part mortar to the chipped area. Fill the plasticine mold with paste. Wait for the paste to dry.

12. Remove the mold, sand the surface with sandpaper. Be careful not to scratch the glaze.

13. Apply dry paste in the appropriate colors, exactly repeating the pattern.

14. Place paper under the fry and circle the pattern to transfer the pattern.

If a product made of a noble material is of great value to you, you should not engage in restoration yourself. It is best to entrust this matter to a specialist. If you still decide to save money and do everything yourself, remember a few principles that will help you successfully restore an item.

Basic rule: no need to strongly moisten the porous ceramic layer during cleaning. Glue porcelain as soon as the fragments are washed and dried. After the glue dries, it may be necessary to restore the pattern. You will be helped by ordinary acrylic paints, which can imitate the gloss of glaze, as well as enamel paints used to decorate porcellana. Choose the colors for the pattern carefully and don't try to match the background as you won't be able to find the right shade.

Hair crack repair

1. Clean the surface near the cracks, mix the glue and place in the oven. Set the temperature to 200°C. When the handle gets hot, turn off the oven. This will provide the best bonding.

2. Apply the paste as soon as possible to fill the crack as tightly as possible.

3. After that, remove the remaining glue with the same blade, while trying not to damage the pattern. Wait for it to cool down.

Any items made of porcelain have various losses over time. For example, glaze crumbles, chips appear, chipped, sometimes individual details and large fragments fall out. Repairing porcelain products and replenishing lost fragments is a time-consuming and complex process. In ancient times, both unbaked and fired clay, as well as gypsum, were used for this.
In the modern world, gypsum mixed with PVA glue, which is called gypsum polymer, is used to restore porcelain. In addition, materials such as cyanoacrylate composites, mastic such as Remoset or Milliput, epoxy resins are used, which are filled with talc, glass microspheres, dry pigments and other fillers. Dental materials are also used to restore porcelain products.
The last stage of restoration is mixing the components with paints corresponding to the tone of this product to fill in the missing fragments. Nowadays, you can freely buy any paints and varnishes.
Professional restorers pay special attention to manufacturing defects. As a rule, it can indicate the time of manufacture of this porcelain product and its belonging to a particular company. More common factory defects included: deformations, flaking or cracking of the glaze, swelling, bubbles, flies, defects in painting and gilding. But products with such flaws still entered the market. Drawings were applied to them, and the flies were masked by painted small flowers, insects or leaves. Any old things, as well as porcelain dishes, even with good storage, lose their former appearance. It becomes shabby, scratches appear, chipped, chipped, applied with a knife, fork or spoon. Inside the porcelain vessels there are deposits from coffee, tea, wine, as well as lime deposits that are in the water. Are such defects not subject to restoration?
If a professional restorer gets down to business, he will do everything in such a way that it will not even be possible to determine where and what the defect was. They have at their disposal not only modern methods and materials, but also extensive experience.
To determine the presence of a closed crack, you need to lightly tap on the product, for example, with a fork or something metal. If the sound is sonorous with a continuation, then this thing has no cracks, but if there is an invisible crack, the sound will be deaf. To find it, you need to use an ultraviolet lamp or a magnifying glass.
When buying a well-preserved antique porcelain product, you can run into a fake in a handicraft way. But in the factory, they can also make items with a fake brand.
You should not engage in self-restoration, as the result can be very disappointing. Such repair of porcelain products most often causes additional damage to it. Possible unsuccessful gluing, the use of short-lived adhesives, inaccurate processing of replenishments, using abrasive materials, and much more. The elimination of new defects is added to the old defects and will not only take more time, but will require significant financial costs.
Museum restorers use materials to repair porcelain, which can be replaced if necessary with others. When using restoration techniques, they work according to the principle: the repaired defect is invisible from a distance of 180 centimeters, and at a distance of 15 centimeters, it should be clearly visible. But this only applies to museums.
In a commercial restoration, no defects should be visible, at any distance. Any restorations, as well as porcelain dishes restored using commercial technology, will not be cheap. But it's worth it, because a broken item cannot be distinguished from a new item. In addition, the work of commercial restorers is very complex and requires a lot of skill. And they work painstakingly and for a long time with expensive materials. Therefore, before giving a porcelain item for restoration, you need to inquire in advance about the cost of its repair and see the work of the master.
When self-restoring porcelain, for example, gluing some parts, you need to remember the places where the glue will be applied, degrease, that is, wipe them, for example, with a solvent. For bonding, it is better to use PVA, epoxy resins or cyanoacrylate glue, which dries very quickly. Table china intended for eating is glued together with harmless special glue.
After all the preparations, you need to apply a small layer of glue on both parts of the porcelain and attach them tightly to each other. Then they must be pulled, for example, with a bandage, and the excess glue removed. Now the table china can be placed in a warm place for several days. If there are small chips, then they can simply be filled with epoxy. It is better to tint with acrylic paint.

Restoration of porcelain and ceramics is a complex and time-consuming process that requires patience and accuracy. In addition, it is necessary to have certain skills in working with such products. If you have no experience in restoration, then it is better to entrust the work to professionals, especially when it comes to an antique item.

Repairing porcelain that has shattered into fragments should begin with the collection of fragments and their comparison. Glue porcelain according to the following scheme:

1. Ceramics are glued only in their pure form, so it should be washed before the procedure.
2. Compare all the fragments, starting with small ones and ending with large ones.
3. Large fragments are glued last.
4. After applying the adhesive, the product must dry for 24 hours.
5. A special paste or mastic will help remove traces of gluing.

Let's start with the question of how to glue porcelain. The answer to it is simple: glue, which is sold in the store, will help to glue the surface of the product. Having bought such glue, you can safely begin restoration. But before gluing the fragments, they need to be washed well, warm water with detergent is suitable for this.

We glue porcelain

If necessary, the edges of the product, small and large fragments are wiped with acetone or a solvent.

Having degreased the surface, it is necessary to compare all the fragments: it is worth starting with small ones, since large ones are easier to glue. If a small fragment has been lost, then it can be replaced. A small amount of glue, which is fixed with your fingers, is also suitable for this. The remaining glue is removed with a cotton swab.

If the glue remains on the surface for a long time and dries, then it will be difficult to remove it from the product, because acetone or a solvent can damage ceramics and erase enamel or gilding.

After gluing, the ceramics are left to dry for a day. This time is enough for the glue to fix and fill the cracks.

After gluing, craftsmen use mastic or paste based on porcelain or glass dust. With its help, it is possible to remove cracks and make the restoration invisible.

If small cracks covered the surface of porcelain ceramics with a cobweb, then such a paste will help correct the situation. But if there is no such material at hand, then glue can be used. Glue is diluted with acrylic paint, imitating the color of the product, then the dishes are placed in the oven, heated to 200 degrees. When the product is hot, it is removed from the oven and the cracks are smeared with glue, the excess is removed with a swab or suede.

The restoration of porcelain figurines begins with the head, since it is the face and head of the figurines that suffer the most. If it is required to restore the integrity of the coating and the pattern, then either acrylic paints or enamel are applied to the porcelain. The color is selected individually. Enamel is ideal as it is used for painting ceramics and porcelain.

If a part has broken off from the figurine, then you need to glue it with glue, wipe the seam with mastic - this way it will last longer.

And how to glue porcelain if there is not enough large fragment? To do this, you can use plasticine. Plasticine is selected by color, treated with glue, and then the crack is filled. It is worth applying a drawing to the restored surface so that the restoration procedures are less noticeable.

How to restore gilding on porcelain?

Restoration of ceramics and porcelain, on the surface of which there is gilding, is a rather difficult task to be performed at home. If the item has historical and cultural value, it can be attributed to antiques or a rarity, then it is better to use the services of a master. If this is not possible, then something you can do yourself.

Gilding is restored in three main ways:

• put gold leaf on ceramics;
• the coating is restored with the help of special paints;
• partially glued, processing joints.

A ceramic object with a gilding on the surface can be restored with gold leaf. It is applied to the surface of porcelain in a thin layer, fixed with glue. The danger of this method of restoration lies in the fact that it is necessary to join parts of gold leaf with an existing pattern. If you apply it on the surface of gilding, then after the restoration, the drawing will have irregularities.

The use of paints has several nuances: you need to choose a color, the paints are applied in a thin layer. The thinner the layer, the better the gilding looks. If several layers of paint are applied to the surface of the product, it will not look too neat. The color is selected independently, it can be difficult to accurately determine the shade, so it is often necessary to remove the remaining paint from the surface of the dishes.

Gold leaf can be glued along the joint, and gilding is also applied along the joint. If the shade of paints is similar to gilding, then the restoration will not cause any particular difficulties. The paint is applied to the ceramics with a thin brush; if necessary, you can remove the paint from the surface of the product with acetone.

Acetone or thinner will work well with paints, but as a result of such processing, the object itself may also suffer. As a result of this manipulation, some of the gilding will be removed along with the paint or glue that was used for the gold leaf.

How to care?

Porcelain and ceramic dishes that have been restored at home or have just left the workshop require special care:

1. Do not use harsh detergents for washing dishes.
2. Products are not recommended to be washed in hot water.
3. After restoration, the dishes should not be used everyday.

If the thing is related to antiques, then after restoration it is better to leave it in a closet on a shelf and not use it in everyday life. It is recommended to wash such a product only with warm water, then wipe it with a soft cloth.

Gradually, the seams that have been processed lose their tightness, water and reagents destroy the glue and mastic, so it is not recommended to wash porcelain or ceramics often. But it should be borne in mind that the dishes that have undergone restoration at least once will definitely be in the hands of the master again.

Over time, any collector gets tired of buying cups, and his gaze turns to everything rare, highly collectible, to what is available on the antiques market in a single copy. And what if there is a chip on this item in a conspicuous place, and there is only one such vase? To take or not to take? I've been asking myself this question more and more lately.

Restoration is different for everyone. There are lovers of antiques who buy only luxury items, and there are those who love everything, including cracks. On the market sometimes come across such items, the historical value of which is great, even if there are problems with their integrity. And it happens that restoration is the only way to preserve and convey their original beauty to posterity. This is especially true of Russian pre-revolutionary porcelain, which certainly does not increase every year.

Last month, I decided to explore the restoration market in practice. And as an experiment, I bought several items with minor, but at the same time facial defects. Looking ahead, I will say that I was very surprised by the results.

This Friday I visited the restoration workshop again. Art Ville as a client, having already brought the second biscuit bowl for restoration, which needs a little beauty guidance. The defects are small, but they affect the appearance - they are on the front side. As a perfectionist, they haunt me.

The main thing that I really wanted was to understand the justification for the restoration of antiques. So to speak, to reveal the ratio of the cost of purchase and the cost of professional restoration of the subject. I am now writing about commercial, and not about museum restoration. That, in the event of a need, there is a possibility of selling this item at a cost greater than the cost of its purchase plus the cost of its restoration.

For example, about 4,000 rubles will be charged for restoring the original appearance after a small chip on Kuznetsov's faience rusks. For me, the price is justified - the item is quite rare. But already at such a cost, the restoration of a tavern cup or plate, even a pre-revolutionary one, no longer makes sense. If this is not the memory of your beloved grandmother.

Of course, restoration of restoration is different. Often in Izmailovo comes across porcelain with homemade restoration, which can be distinguished with the naked eye. My opinion - it only spoils the item, and does not increase its value. And often this repels buyers.

Having visited the Art Ville workshop, I managed to peep the work of restoration specialists. There are many photos at the end of the post. From them you can imagine what a serious and painstaking work it is.

The workshops are amazing. There is a special working atmosphere. In them you can see rare items, those that may not be found on the market. So in the photo you will see Kuznetsov's Bread and Salt dish, which was in the works at the time of my visit. It is very beautiful.

I was told that during the restoration of each item, materials, compositions and paints are selected separately. And that the management of Art Ville requires its craftsmen to match the color of the product 100%, making sure that the restoration is not noticeable. And, by the way, my previous order was executed at the highest level - after a long inspection, I could not find a pokotsany place.

I was shown many items both brought for restoration and already ready to return to their owners. I also liked the fact that you can estimate the cost of restoration by dropping photos of the item in WhatsApp and get a quick answer. And after that, make a decision about the purchase or the need to restore the item in each case.

I used to be so upset by the loss of the integrity of items, but now I know that rare specimens have a hope for a decent life!

Broken glazed pottery reveals two layers at the split site - a porous inner part (usually white or cream) and an outer layer of glaze. This structure is clearly visible in the first photo: a ceramic saucer with gold ornaments before and after restoration. The photo shows the characteristic features of ceramics: the absence of a glaze layer (compare with photo 2).

The presence of a layer of glaze distinguishes porcelain from conventional ceramics.

Try to collect all even the smallest fragments from a broken ceramic object. Wrap each one in tissue paper and store until then. until it's time for restoration work. Remember that if the fragments are contaminated, you must first wash them thoroughly.

Gather the following materials: cotton swabs, paper tissues, acetone or cellulose-based paint thinner, abrasive powder (optional), soft brush, baby sanitizer bottle, matches or toothpicks, duct tape, razor blade, needle file, sandpaper paper and two-part glue, such as Ardalit.

1. Each piece of ceramic must be clean, so it must first be washed and dried.
First, wash the broken edge of the shard with a cotton swab and soapy water (large surfaces can be washed with a paper towel).
Try not to moisten the ceramic too much - the water remaining in the pores will slow down the drying of the fragment, and a fragment of ceramic that is not completely dry may simply not stick. If soapy water isn't enough to clean the shard, wipe the shard with acetone or cellulose paint thinner. As a last resort, clear
the edges of the fragment with abrasive powder typed on a match or toothpick. Rinse the shard and let it dry completely.

2. If, after washing, dirt has clogged into the cracks of the ceramic (it is especially noticeable on white ceramics), the fragment should be bleached. Remember that household bleaches cannot be used for this, which, together with dirt, can destroy the glaze layer. To bleach, immerse the shard in a solution consisting of
three parts water and one part child care disinfectant.

3. Before you start applying glue, try on the broken pieces - do they fit well together, and how many fragments were lost.
At the same time, you involuntarily remember in what order you have to glue the pieces, How to deal with the missing fragments will be described in Step 9.

4. It makes sense to first glue small fragments together and so move on to large pieces that will be more convenient to glue together.
At the same time, measure the work with the time it takes for the glue to dry. It is best to use a two-part glue for gluing, which dries within 24 hours, instant glue can only be used if it is a single piece that has broken off.

5. Connect the pieces smeared with glue. Remove excess glue with a cotton swab.

6. If you are dealing with white ceramics, add some titanium white powder to the glue.
If the object is made of dark terracotta, you can add a little powdered pigment of a suitable color to the glue.

If individual fragments of an object are lost, you will need: tracing paper, palette knife, talcum powder, ink eraser, plasticine, sandpaper, ceramic paints that match the color and (optionally) metallic paints.

7. Apply glue with a match to both edges of adjacent fragments and glue them to each other. Continue gluing the pieces, moving from the bottom of the item to its top. To secure the glued fragments, connect them with strips of adhesive tape.

8. Let the glued item dry for 24 hours at room temperature. Remove the remaining dried adhesive with a razor blade, lightly touching it to the surface of the ceramic. Be careful not to cut the glaze layer with a razor, especially where there is gilding or silver paint.

9. It may happen that a small fragment of ceramic is lost, or it may turn out that the preserved fragment does not fit into the hole intended for it. In this case, mix some two-part adhesive, coloring it to match the glaze (see Step 4), with talcum powder until the consistency of clay. Fill the hole with the resulting paste using your fingers or a palette knife. Let the glue dry and then sand the surface
file and sandpaper.

10. If you have lost a large fragment, such as the handle of a jug or the edge of a plate, make a “shape” from plasticine. Take a lump of plasticine and squeeze out a recess inside it with your fingers, repeating the shape of the lost fragment.

eleven . Apply a layer of two-part adhesive to the chipped edges. Hold the plasticine mold in one hand and use the other hand to fill it with glue paste (see Step 9) using your fingers or a palette knife. If you need both hands to fill out the form, attach it to the object with duct tape. After filling the mold with glue paste, leave the mold in place until the paste dries.

12. When the glue paste is completely dry, remove the mold and sand the surface of the created piece with sandpaper. Fine details can be sanded down with ink erasers. At the same time, do not go into adjacent areas of genuine ceramics so as not to damage the glaze.

13. The dried adhesive paste should be painted with suitable color paints for ceramics.
At the same time, follow the pattern of the ornament, and in difficult cases, copy the pattern onto tracing paper.

14. To transfer the pattern to the surface of the dried glue paste, place a piece of carbon paper under the fry and circle the pattern with a pencil.
Sometimes you may need gold or silver metallic paint to restore the design.

ABOUT PORCELAIN RESTORATION

The most important difference between porcelain and ceramics is the presence of a layer of glazing - it can be seen on
chip. Between the layers of glaze is a layer of porous ceramics.

You should not undertake the restoration of a valuable porcelain product - it is better to entrust this to a specialist.
If we are talking about a product of little value, you can do the following.

Remember the first rule: try not to wet the porous ceramic layer too much during cleaning, and glue
porcelain immediately after the shard has been washed and dried.

Porcelain should be glued according to the same rules as ceramics, including tinting the glue.

After the glue dries, it may be necessary to restore the existing on the surface of the object
pattern. For this, use acrylic paints, which allow you to imitate the shiny surface of glazing, and enamel paints, which are used to decorate porcelain.

Choose your colors carefully and copy the pattern as described in Steps 13-14, but never try to imitate the background, as you are unlikely to get the exact shade.

Hair crack repair

1. Clean the area around the crack as described in Step 1 on page 158, mix and paint the two-part adhesive as described in Step 4. Place the item in the oven set to 0°C and heat until the handle won't get hot. In this case, the edges of the crack will slightly diverge, and it will be easier for the glue to get inside.

2. Remove the cup from the oven and immediately fill the crack with glue by rubbing it in with your fingers or a palette knife.
Try to fill the crack as tightly as possible with glue.

3. When the glue no longer enters the crack, remove the residue with a soft cloth or carefully scrape it off with a razor blade, being careful not to damage the pattern on the cup. Let the cup cool.

From the book "Repair and Restoration. A Practical Guide"