Restoration of 1639 ceiling with Preservation of Monuments

The renovation of the monumental buildings on the Koestraat in Zwolle is in full swing. Stukadoorsbedrijf Huernink and Stucadoorsbedrijf Luschen laid the crafts hand on a centuries-old ceiling. Wesley van Elburg, co-owner of Huernink, talks about this special project.

A special restoration

A monumental ceiling dating from 1639 with an unusual structure. So special that there are only three of them in the Netherlands. For the restoration you have come to the right place at Stukadoorsbedrijf Huernink. In fact, this family business has over 100 years of experience! Co-owner Van Elburg tells enthusiastically about this beautiful project: "The 17th-century clay stucco ceiling in one of the rooms is part of the centuries-old houses on the Koestraat in Zwolle. With this restoration we made it as it was again. Furthermore, we also worked on the exterior facade."

The property in question at Koestraat 10 is among impressive medieval town houses in Zwolle. Several parties are currently working together to restore the houses to their honor. The properties will house elderly people who require 24-hour care. The properties have an extensive history dating back more than 700 years. 

Proceed with caution

That rich history makes Van Elburg happy when Salverda Bouw approached the artisan plastering company. "In October 2022, we started working on this project. Together with Monumentenzorg, we examined the construction of the ceiling. This went very professionally. It was built up with clay and given an oak look. We even found remnants of lead and beeswax!" 

Genuine craftsmanship

The Apeldoorn-based plastering company deals with restoration, new private construction, sauce work and sometimes even insulation. So the Koestraat was a challenge it did not shy away from, says Van Elburg: "The ceiling is composed of laths 2 cm apart. We had to steam, fill and sand the ceiling. The center piece had sunk down with all the moldings and ornaments. The building once belonged to a banking family and we noticed it. While working we even smelled the smell of thick cigars from that era, really quite special!"