Restoring a church just in time for the holidays
Mexico, Missouri
Brick City Painting & Drywall
Christmas is the biggest day of the year for a church.
The holy day brings in a whole crop of people who don’t show up any other Sunday of the year.
When Brick City got the assignment, Christmas was just weeks away. A crew ranging from three to seven craftsmen put in over 1,380 hours to complete this immaculate restoration.
“The job had certain deadlines that we had to meet,” the company said. “We did quick, detailed work.”
Led by project foreman Devin Helwig and owner Chad Jeffries, the team worked on four-tier scaffolding surrounding the interior of the church, starting at the top and working their way down.
The project began with a thorough inspection of the church interior, identifying all the areas of drywall and plaster that needed repair. Inside the dome at the front of the church, the team carefully painted trim and planned the placement of a set of newly restored 120-year-old canvas murals. In the dome’s tight 90-degree corners, pre-made stencils were essential to maintain accuracy.
Once the ceiling work was complete, the team moved on to the crown molding and then the walls. After applying the base color to the walls, the crew returned to add layers of finer work—more pinstripes, stencils, and ornamental accents—requiring steady hands and an eye for detail.
As the final weeks approached, attention shifted to the columns, where three-color pinstripes were applied down the sides, followed by finishing the lower paneling near the floor.
With the painting phase complete, the crew ran through a detailed punch list, followed by another walkthrough with the general contractor and interior designer to ensure every element met the project’s standards.
Despite the scale and complexity, the team wrapped up the project just in time.
“The best part of this project was the completion,” Jefferies recalls, “We finished in time for the church to have service on Christmas.”
Materials Used:
- Sherwin Williams Superpaint Roman Column
- PRO-555 Wallpaper Adhesive
- Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane
- Sherwin Williams ProMar 200 Primer
