Fading Lustre: Investigation and

Remediation of the Golden Roof and Lantern

atop the NY Life Headquarters in New

York CityPresented by Michael Kramer, President, The Gilders’

Studio, Inc.

APTI Meeting in Montreal, October 15, 2008

Designed by Cass Gilbert

Opened in 1928 the building featured 35 occupied floors with a crenellated masonry roof. On top of the roof was a 65’ tall gilded bronze lantern.

Another view of the roof.

Leaks were always a problem.

Roof was re-designed in 1967

35th floor was removed.

22,000 enameled gold tiles were installed.

Lantern was made watertight and re-gilded

After 30 years the finish on the tiles began to fail and were replaced with all new tiles in 1996.

Roof in 2004

After four years the gold glaze on the new tiles showed signs of

failure.

While the tiles are initially fired at over 2,000° F, the gold enamel glaze is only fired at @ 1,200 °F.

Changes in the glaze formula from 1967 to 1995 may have also played a factor.

An investigation and testing program was initiated in 2001.

Observations in situ

Note the relationship between the areas of least gold and the wash patterns of the rain.

Potential Avenues of Failure

Note crazing in gold glaze.

Uneven application of the glaze.

Investigation and Testing

Various approaches were explored 1. New gold tiles – Manufacturer no longer offered them.

2. Replace tiles with copper shingles and then gild - $$$$!!!!

3. Apply gilding system to the existing tiles- Testing of various abrasive and priming/gilding systems was approved.

Tile blasted with two different abrasives

Accelerated Weathering to ASTM standards and more

QUV Ultraviolet and Freeze Thaw.

Salt Fog

Acid Deposition

“Quenching” i.e. raising the samples to high temperatures and quenching with water to stress the system beyond conventional freeze thaw.

Testing was completed in 2003 - Six systems were tested and one in particular outperformed the others.

Notice to Proceed – late 2006

Completion slated for October 2007.

Scaffold the roof , lantern and tourelles

Remove failing gold glaze layer

Strip lantern and make repairs

Prime and re-gild all elements

23 levels of scaffolding

January 1, 2007, New VOC regulations– priming system from 2003 became illegal.

Rush Testing – 3 additional priming systems

Accelerated weathering of the systems while the scaffold was being designed and built.

Hydraulic adhesion tests after weathering provided quantifiable results.

New VOC Compliant system performed better than the one originally chosen.

Paint manufacturer supplied a 5 year warrantee based on the test results.

Enclosed with mesh

Tiles blasted with Sponge Jet system

Removed the gold glaze layer without damaging the fired tiles.

Recyclable - Collect and re-use up to 8 times

Virtually no dust

Blasted tiles

Application of epoxy primertwo coats - brushed and rolled

The Lantern

65 feet tall – originally gilded

Top 40’ is cast bronze

Lower portions are copper from 1928 and lead coated copper from 1967

Different coatings on the lantern

Lantern DetailsBandaids from 1996

and 1967

Inappropriate repairs

Unexpected Conditions Bituminous tar layer from 1967, covered with powdered lead then lead paint, size and gold leaf.

In 1996 repainted over the gilding, then new gilding atop

140x

Stripping options for the Lantern

Original Gilding from 1928

AlternativesHeatguns Advantages

Controlled release of lead

Worked in one pass

After Sponge Jet blasting

Lead coated copper chemically stripped

Deterioration due to previous interventions

Repairs to the bronze

Primed Bronze

The Gilding Process

Sizing

Slow oil size tinted with oil color

Gilding

Using 195mm ribbon leaf

Sized Finial

Gilding the Finials

Completed Finial

Scaffold Dismantle

Tile touch up and replacement

Summary of the Priming and Gilding Process

Tiles – 1.Blasted with Sponge Jet system2.Primed with 2 coats of epoxy3.Sized with slow oil size

Lantern –1.Heat stripped and blasted with Sponge Jet system.2.Bronze- primed with zinc chromate3.Lead coated copper- primed with epoxy.

All surfaces had a slow oil size applied followed by 23.75KT gold leaf in a extra heavy weight.

Expected service life – 35 years

Challenges of the Project

Determining the avenues of failure and proper remediation

Working in Manhattan

Adapting to new VOC standards “on the fly”

Dealing with the lantern nightmare