Biltmore Chandelier Repair, Asheville NC
Job: The Biltmore Chandelier
Location: Asheville, NC
Building: The Historic Biltmore Estate
Equipment Used: Systems scaffold
Need for Equipment: Gain access to a chandelier for repair.
Case Study: Biltmore Chandelier Repair
The Biltmore Estate boasts the nation’s largest home, surrounded by 8,000 acres of beautiful grounds that include trails, gardens, and the nation’s most popular winery.
While it served as home to the famed Vanderbilt family in the first half of the 20th century, in more recent years the newer generations have transformed it into a public space. Visitors can stop in at the Biltmore winery, enjoy dinner at one of the on-site restaurants, stay at one of the three hotels on the estate, and tour the french-chateau style home itself.
Within its 175,000 square feet, guests find 250 rooms, including 35 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms. The French chateau-style of the home is accentuated by George Vanderbilt’s vast collection of rare furnishings, paintings, sculptures, and more.
One of these is the famous Biltmore chandelier, a 100-year-old, 50-foot-tall, 1700-pound fixture poised above the mansion’s grand staircase. When the chandelier needed repair, we were called to the job.
The Challenge:
To conduct repairs on this massive antique chandelier, several considerations had to be made. The size and height of the fixture needed to be factored in as well as its location right above a high-traffic area in the home. The staircase needed to be accessible throughout the repair, especially in the event of an emergency.
The Solution:
To allow the crew to make the repairs quickly without disrupting the bustling crowds of visitors, or risking the integrity of the chandelier, we recommended and supplied our systems scaffolding for the job.
This temporary scaffolding, also known as cup-in-lock, ring lock, or modular scaffolding, allows for complete customization. These structures are made up of horizontal and vertical steel supports that can be joined together in nearly any configuration to fit any space. They can be quickly constructed and dismantled and can be placed strategically to provide full support for those on the platforms without risk to passersby below.
The Biltmore chandelier temporary scaffolding was positioned four feet below the bottom of the ceiling dome but above the chandelier. This platform was 16 feet by 16 feet.
The scaffold also had vertical legs that were placed on the uppermost landing and traversed down a spiral staircase to the next lower landing. There was a minimum walkway clearance for tourists to maneuver around the vertical legs. This scaffold was fully decked and guard-railed. We also included 2′ tall toeboards around the platform.
Systems Scaffold
Associated Scaffolding has provided systems scaffolding to hundreds of clients to complete countless projects. To learn more about renting or purchasing systems scaffolding, start here.
Contact Associated Scaffolding for Reliable Systems Scaffolding
If you’re looking for temporary scaffolding solutions in Virginia and North Carolina, as well as in neighboring states, Associated Scaffolding has a variety of options to choose from, all at affordable rates and with expert service. To learn more about our scaffolding services, call us at 1-800-768-2655 or fill out our contact form to request a quote.
