In the wood carving finishing guide, I discussed numerous compelling reasons for finishing your wood carvings. Beyond enhancing their aesthetics, finishing serves as a crucial shield against various elements, including intense UV rays, fluctuations in temperature and humidity, and more. When placing your wood carvings in an outdoor setting, it's imperative to take specific measures to ensure their longevity. This is essential for maintaining their color and preventing deterioration and cracks over time. Below, we'll explore techniques for safeguarding wood carvings in an outdoor environment and the steps to follow.
1. Administer Wood Preservative
A wood preservative can significantly prolong the lifespan of your carved wood by preventing deterioration caused by various factors like moisture, algae, fungi, and wood-boring insects. When your wood carving is exposed to the outdoors, it's exposed to these elements, making a wood preserver especially effective in warding off algae, fungi, and wood-boring insects.
The Rust-Oleum Woodlife classic preservative is an excellent product I use to safeguard my chainsaw wood carvings from natural elements. While it offers some protection against water damage by repelling water, it's more advisable to apply a wood sealer top coat for superior water protection. Keep in mind that wood preservatives primarily shield your wood carvings from biological threats, whereas wood sealers are the ideal choice for safeguarding your carving against moisture and rainwater.
2. Administer a Sealant
After applying the wood preservative, the next step is to add a protective top coat sealant. This sealant acts as a barrier against external factors like rain, variations in humidity, and the intense UV radiation from the sun. Given that outdoor wood items are often susceptible to sun damage, most wood sealers incorporate UV inhibitors, which either repel or absorb sunlight and convert it into heat.
Various types of wood sealers are available, ranging from waxes and oils to urethanes. Wax and oil-based sealers are suitable for indoor wood carvings but may not withstand the more severe outdoor conditions. For outdoor wood carvings, a urethane sealer like spar varnish or water-based polyurethane is the recommended choice.
Spar varnish stands out as an excellent option for outdoor applications. It not only shields your wood carving but also offers flexibility and UV protection. This dual action guards against the elements, preventing damage, cracking, or splitting. Unlike regular varnish, spar varnish contains more oils, superior resins for outdoor use, and UV additives to block the harmful effects of UV rays..
3. Prevent the Carving from Making Contact with the Ground.
To enhance the longevity of your outdoor wood carvings, it's advisable to refrain from placing them directly on the ground. This practice is straightforward because ground contact exposes the carving to a variety of factors that accelerate its deterioration. Whether it's the risk of termite damage, water-related harm, or exposure to mold and other fungi, minimizing ground contact is crucial for the preservation of wood carvings.
Instead of positioning your wood carving on the ground, consider creating a stable concrete pad where the carving can rest securely. Alternatively, any surface with proper drainage and airflow underneath will suffice.
In cases where your wood carving must be in contact with or even buried in the ground, opting for a more robust wood preservative becomes essential. The Rust-Oleum Woodlife Coppercoat is a suitable preservative for wood below ground, although it may impart a green tint to your wood carvings, which could take some time to fade, depending on exposure.
4. Consistently Apply Treatment and Sealant
After placing your outdoor wood carving, it's essential to prioritize consistent maintenance to extend its lifespan. Over time, preservatives and sealants can deteriorate due to exposure to various outdoor elements like rain, intense UV rays, temperature fluctuations, and more. As the wood is exposed, you may begin to observe signs of cracking and surface discoloration caused by the effects of these elements.
To maintain the wood's condition, regular upkeep becomes crucial. This routine maintenance will help to keep the preservative effective and the sealant intact, preventing the infiltration of water, moisture, or harmful UV rays into the wood.
5. Address Repairs Promptly
Once positioned in an outdoor environment, the wood's composition is subject to alterations due to fluctuations in humidity and temperature. These changes can result in the development of cracks or splits in the wood, which pose significant issues, particularly in an outdoor setting.
In the event that you observe any cracks or splits, it's essential to promptly address them to prevent further damage. For a more convenient and quicker solution, consider using an outdoor wood filler like the Abatron WoodEpox Kit. In cases of severe wood carving cracks, you may need to employ liquid epoxy or utilize Dutchmen and wooden plugs.
Post a Comment