Laser cleaning applied in the restoration of a medieval wooden panel chamber at Pirna

Abstract

A medieval wooden panel chamber was rediscovered during reconstruction of the Tetzelhouse in the Saxon town of Pirna. Ceiling and walls are made from 600-year-old fire wood panels fitted together. The complete removal of layers (limewash, plaster, glue and dirt) from the wall panels was the precondition for conservation of the wood panels and for the restoration of the wooden panel chamber. The cleaning was carried out with a pulsed Nd:YAG laser after basic investigation of ablation mechanisms of the layers on the old wood. All layers of the different materials were removed both from the normal surface and out of depressions and woodworm holes with a special range of laser parameters, without damaging the wood. Within this range of parameters the laser cleaning is a self-limiting process. The health hazard from emitted waste products were determined and checked with work place measurements. The laser cleaning of the wooden wall panels was completed in March 1999. A uniform visual impression of all panels was obtained with a warm wooden colour tone.