Appendix G_AM 5.pdf

Appendix G Architectural Historic Finishes analysis

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LABORATORY REPORT: FINISH ANALYSIS

Date: March, 2020 Commissioned By: QPK Design Building/Project: West Point USMA: Building 606 Renovation Building Address: 606 Thayer Road, West Point

Construction Date: 1921-23 No. of Samples: 6 Samples Removed By: E. Morasset, H. Duggan Analysis Performed By: H. Duggan Analysis Checked By: E. Morasset

Building Conservation Associates, Inc. (BCA), performed an analysis of the historic finishes found on select original interior elements on the ceiling in the Entrance Hall of Building 606 at West Point Military Academy. On March 2, 2020, BCA visited Building 606 to perform a conditions assessment and remove material samples for laboratory testing. The removed samples were representative of the finishes for salient architectural features.

During the visit, BCA had access to the ceiling from a ladder. Due to the height of the ladder and the presence of immovable furniture in the entrance hall, the accessible areas of the ceiling were limited to the Southeast and Northwest corners. BCA exposed areas of the vault field and a rib in the Southeast corner using three different chemical paint strippers to reveal early extant finishes. Samples were also removed from the ceiling and taken to the BCA laboratory for examination. Six samples from the ceiling were subjected to laboratory analysis. The following report summarizes the findings of the finishes study and identifies the earliest extant finish color found at each sample location.

Following the BCA review of relevant historical documentation and plans provided by QPK Design, BCA visited the site and examined the building for areas from which representative samples of paint finishes could be removed (Figure 1). Small finish samples were removed using a combination of hand tools, Xacto blades, and a Makita Oscillating Saw. Samples were transported in labeled plastic bags to the BCA laboratory. Sample locations and labels are available in the findings of this report.

Chemical exposures were conducted using CitriStrip Paint & Varnish Stripping Gel, SOY-Gel Paint Stripper, and Prosoco Heavy Duty Paint Stripper. Each product was applied to a small area of the rib and vault field for a dwell period of four hours ( Table 2).

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Finishes Analysis

BUILDING CONSERVATION ASSOCIATES INC March 2020

Summary of Findings

The vault fields have an uneven, wavy textured surface. Chemical and physical exposures revealed that the original surface appears to be a cementitious decorative coating. The matrix of the coating appears pigmented, and the sands used within the matrix vary in size and color, suggesting that this coating is a decorative treatment.

Overall, the ceiling has an appearance approximating that of stone. Based on the inspection and cross-section analysis of samples in the accessible areas, a beige stain was applied to the cementitious surface to create the earliest extant presentation layer.

The beige stain gives a slightly darker, but translucent tint to the surface. This vault surface was later covered with one campaign of white paint. Evidence of imitation stone joints, as described on the 1921 plans (Figure 1), were not found on the vault. The overall appearance of the beige stain on the cementitious surface was matched to Benjamin Moore 996, Ashen Tan (Figure 2).

The ceiling ribs have a similar appearance to the vault field. The same cementitious matrix noted in the vaulted area was also observed in this feature as the first layer. The second layer is a thin plaster skim coat followed by approximately one paint finish layer, which is the current, exposed finish. Although it is possibly the same as the ceiling field, the presence of an applied stain on the cementitious finish of the rib could not be confirmed from cross section analysis.1

Laboratory Analysis

All finish samples were initially examined in reflected light using a Nikon SMZ-U stereoscopic zoom microscope with a magnification power up to 7.5x. Samples to be embedded and sectioned for analysis were identified. The selected samples were then mounted in a proprietary polyester-based resin (Bioplast®). Cast samples were sectioned, polished, and mounted on glass slides for microscopic examination. The samples were observed under the Nikon SMZ-U microscope as well as a Nikon 50i compound microscope with magnification power to 200x. Samples were observed in both visible light filtered through a daylight correction filter and ultraviolet light (UV). The ultraviolet light was generated by a mercury illumination system filtered through a violet filter cube (EF4 V-2A Ex400/40 Dm430 Bar 450).

Photomicrographs of representative samples were taken using a 5-mega pixel Nikon DigiSight color digital camera system and are included later in this report to illustrate specific observations. All paint samples were viewed in cross-section. Once the stratigraphies for the samples were deciphered, significant paint layers were identified and samples were manipulated in order to expose these layers for color matching purposes using chemical and mechanical methods. Earliest extant finish colors were matched to the Benjamin Moore paint system.

1 Specific information related to the earliest extant finish on the ribs is pending and will be added as soon as possible.

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BUILDING CONSERVATION ASSOCIATES INC March 2020

Investigation

Samples were taken from elements at the ceiling that were accessible with the ladder provided (Table 1).

Table 1: Sample Locations

SAMPLE # LOCATION ELEMENT

WP-606-01 Southeast Corner Rib WP-606-02 Southeast Corner Rib WP-606-03 Southeast Corner Vault field WP-606-04 Northwest Corner Rib WP-606-05 Northwest Corner Vault field WP-606-06 Southeast Corner Rib

The current paint layer is also the earliest extant layer and does not appear to be original, suggesting that finish effects were achieved with a stained or unfinished cementitious coating. Further mechanical micro-exposures conducted in the laboratory confirmed the presence of an applied finish. Based on the paint stratigraphies, the collected samples, particularly at the vault field areas, show evidence of one paint campaign on a hard, cementitious substrate. The current exposed paint campaign features tan colored ribs and a white vault field.

During exposures, it was observed that the finishes on the ribs were more difficult to remove than those of the vault field, likely due to the presence of a skim coat on the ribs.

This skim coat is evident in the cross sections, photographed as the thick white layer above the tan layer with the large aggregate (Figure 8). The tan layer is consistent with the substrate layer of the vault field, suggesting it is the original substrate and the earliest extant finish on the rib as well as the vault field, although as previously stated, this could not be confirmed through section analysis.

Further comparing the samples remove from the vault field and the ribs under ultraviolet light, the surface of the tan substrate layer on the vault field sample autofluoresces a bright blue color, confirming the presence of an applied finish (Figure 8). This fluorescence is also partially visible at the interface between the tan substrate and white skim coat in a sample of the rib (Figure 10) suggesting the potential presence of an applied finish such as a stain, similar to the vault field.

The appearance of the earliest presentation layer of the vault field was matched to Benjamin Moore 996, Ashen Tan (Figure 2). The available evidence suggests that a similar stained finish was potentially present on the ribs. Given the similarity of the tan substrate and partial physical evidence of the autoflourescence in the rib sample, it is possible that the appearance of the ceiling was monochromatic.2

2 Specific information related to the earliest extant finish on the ribs is pending and will be added as soon as possible.

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BUILDING CONSERVATION ASSOCIATES INC March 2020

Table 2: Chemical Strippers, dwell time for all tested products was four hours

Brand Product Active ingredient Result

CitriStrip Paint & Varnish Stripping Gel Benzyl Alcohol Excellent

Blue Bear SOY-Gel Paint& Urethane Stripper N-Methyl Pyrrolidone Good

Prosoco Heavy Duty Paint Stripper Potassium hydroxide Good

FIGURES

Figure 1: Detail of 1921 Plan of 1st Floor, red boxes show areas of sampling

Figure 2: Digital approximation of Benjamin Moore 996, Ashen Tan

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Figure 3: Sample 606-01 from the rib at the Southeast Corner at 40X magnification under visible light. White substrate visible in image is the plaster skim coat, the tan substrate below detached and was not included in the cross-section.

Figure 4: Sample 606-1 from the rib at the Southeast Corner at 40X magnifications under ultraviolet light.

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Figure 5: Sample 606-02 from the rib at the Southeast Corner at 40X magnification under visible light. White substrate visible in image is the plaster skim coat, the tan substrate below detached and was not included in the cross-section.

Figure 6: Sample 606-02 from the rib at the Southeast Corner at 40X magnification under ultraviolet light.

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Figure 7: Sample 606-03 from the vault field at the Southeast corner at 40X magnification under visible light. The tan substrate with large grained aggregate is visible in this sample.

Figure 8: Sample 606-03 from the vault field at the Southeast corner at 40X magnification under ultraviolet light. Red arrow points to area of fluorescence, suggesting presence of a stain on the substrate.

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Figure 9: Sample 606-04 from rib at the Northwest corner at 40X magnification under visible light.

Both the tan substrate and plaster skim coat are visible in this sample.

Figure 10: Sample 606-04 from the rib at Northwest corner at 40X magnification under ultraviolet light. Red arrow points at area of autofluorescence at interface of two layers, suggesting presence of a stain.

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Figure 11: Sample 606-05 from vault field at Northwest corner at 40X magnification under visible light. The tan substrate with large grained aggregate is visible in this sample.

Figure 12: Sample 606-05 from vault field at Northwest corner at 40X magnification under ultraviolet light. Red arrow points at area of autofluorescence at interface of two layers, suggesting presence of a stain.

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Figure 13: Sample 606-06 from rib at Southeast corner at 40X magnification under visible light.

White substrate visible in image is the plaster skim coat, the tan substrate below detached and was not included in the cross-section.

Figure 14: Sample 606-06 from rib at Southeast corner at 40X magnification under ultraviolet light.