The Old City Jail in Charleston is undergoing restoration work, with student plasterers bringing new life to this historic Charleston Building. Using traditional methods of plastering with the organic mix of lime and sand means the new plaster will have the same durability of the older plaster. When renovating an historic building in Charleston and elsewhere it is important to see how the old building was constructed which ensures the new work fits well with the existing building.

With many important and historic buildings in Charleston you can see why using traditional methods of construction, renovation and craftsperson ship is essential to maintaining both the look and the feel of historic charleston.

Fixing walls, helping their college - The Post and Courier

Three female plaster students from the American College of the Building Arts are repairing several walls inside Charleston's Old City Jail, with as much of the historic plaster as possible kept intact.

A plaster wall can last up to 500 years, compared with 50 at best for drywall. It also provides better sound insulation and is more able to resist mold. And it holds and releases moisture better, which can keep houses cooler in the heat and warmer in the cold.

"I think people will soon realize that modern building methods aren't an improvement," Costilow says. "People will look back and see that they had it right, and we've kind of strayed from the path."