shipped back to D.C. to be rein- stalled on the Dome. Among the Capitol Domes cast
iron features are 288 balusters in the boiler plate balcony, 72 80-lb. deco- rative acorns, and 36 grape clusters. Structurally, the Dome features 36 hollow cast iron columns set 10 degrees apart around the 360-degree circle and 12 iron columns in the “Tolos” section. Fourteen overlapping cast-iron plates make up one section of the curved cupola of the Dome. For the cracked cast iron plates,
workers are using “Dutchman” and “lock-and-stitch” techniques to re- pair on-site. More than 12,800 in. of cracked iron will be repaired. In the lock-and-stitch technique, workers drill the cracks and install special pins and a locking mechanism. As the pins are tightened, the cast iron plates are pulled—or stitched—to- gether. In the Dutchman technique, damaged areas are removed and filled in with new material. Before any repairs were made, workers removed up to 14 layers of
Up to 14 layers of paint, some of which was lead-based, covered the U.S. Capitol Dome and hid detailed features of the ornamentation. After removing the paint, workers will re-apply three new layers to the architecture.
paint—some of which was lead- based. After the repairs are com- plete, 1,215 gallons of paint will be used to repaint the Dome. The final top coat color is “Dome White.”
Restoration of the Dome’s exte-
rior is scheduled to be completed this winter and should provide another 50 years of protection from the elements. ■
Some of the basket-ball sized decorative acorns needed to be recast. Thirty-six of these acorns face-up on the Dome, 36 face down. Jul/Aug 2015 | METAL CASTING DESIGN & PURCHASING | 25
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