Thank you for your report!

We have received your report and it is currently under investigation by a forum moderator.

Exterior Sculpture Varnishing

Welcome to the forum.

Here you can discuss all things art with like-minded artists, join regular painting challenges, ask questions, buy and sell art materials and much more.

Make sure you sign in or register to join the discussions.

Hang on Studio Wall

Author

Message

ANTHONY BOOTH

New Member
Last active: 4 years ago
Posts: 1

Posted 4 Years Ago

I create and produce garden art using concrete and/or hardened cement. Some are accent painted using either acrylic or oil paints. To protect them against weather damage I have tried a multitude of different lacquers and varnishes. Acrylic varnishes are good, but trying to achieve a high gloss finish has proved nigh impossible despite repeated coats. Oil varnishes such as yacht varnish achieve a great gloss, but start yellowing and peeling/bubbling over time. Has anyone any ideas to resolve this issue?

Alan Bickley

Prestige User
Reputation: 11904
Last active: 2 hours ago
Posts: 4496

Posted 4 Years Ago

It’s not our field of expertise Anthony, you seem to have tried most of the varnishes. It’s probably sinking into the stone I suspect, you could perhaps find a product that would seal the surface prior to painting, if you haven’t done that already of course . Robert may have some suggestions to offer up, I’m sure he’ll be logging in at some point today!

Alan Morris

Forum Expert
Last active: 12 hours ago
Posts: 203

Posted 4 Years Ago

I’m probably not much help Anthony, but when we had our patio laid with stone from the local Quarry, we were offered a choice of different finish sealing treatments to maintain the freshly cut stone look. In the end we just left it natural and let it weather. It does indicate there are treatments available though.

Edited
4 Years Ago by Alan Morris

Sylvia Evans

Prestige User
Reputation: 16928
Last active: one month ago
Posts: 4788

Posted 4 Years Ago

Try a local concrete firm. I doubt if there is such a product but if there is they will help..Also look at finishes for stone . Nother suggestion. Welsh slate quarries might be able to give you a heads up.. happy hunting.

Edited
4 Years Ago by Sylvia Evans

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

Prestige User
Reputation: 24851
Last active: an hour ago
Posts: 8659

Posted 4 Years Ago

I admire Alan's confidence that I might have an idea about this - if only I shared it.... I like the ideas about sealing the stone first - all stone is porous to greater or lesser degrees - and I would, if I did this, paint with high gloss acrylic, protected by as impermeable a varnish as I could find - but that takes us right back to square one: yacht varnish is good, but yellows in time - an answer in terms of maintenance would be to remove the varnish, if that's possible of course, and re-apply on a continual basis. Frankly, if I were to do this sort of work, I'd investigate enamel rather than paint, because it weathers much better than any varnish is likely to do: rain, wind, and dirt are all highly corrosive - and you may be looking for a product that does not yet exist, if only because demand for it is likely to be somewhat niche. Still - builders, building supply companies, B & Q, architects, local councils and government departments with public art to protect, are the destinations to which I should be heading. Department of the Environment, which should still have a public works department? All worth trying.