Taking Care of Your Outdoor Sculptures.

Sculpture Services of Colorado Firethorn Drive Loveland, Colorado Jo DeDecker David DeDecker sculptureservices@gmail.com

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www.WeCleanSculptures.com

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Examples of Before and After Cleaned and Wax Conditioned Outdoor Sculptures

Man of a Seasons BEFORE The sculpture had never been waxed conditioned.

It had a build up of white calcium deposits from irrigation/sprinkler water continuously spraying on the sculpture.

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Treatment was cleaning and hot wax conditioning.

Man of a Seasons A er Treatment was cleaning and hot wax conditioning.

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Now there is a layer of wax between the sculpture and the calcium deposit.

Because the sculpture is placed in the path of water sprinklers, the white mineral deposits will continue to lay on top of the sculpture, but now the calcium deposits will not adhere to the sculpture because of the wax.

Pony Express Before The sculpture had never been waxed conditioned.

The colors of the patina were bing compromised because they had not protection.

Green verdigris and cuprites were beginning to grow on the surface because of the natural elements of rain and sun was altering the chemicals used in the patina or beginning to etch at the bronze.

Treatment was cleaning and hot wax conditioning.

Pony Express A er Treatment was cleaning and hot wax conditioning.

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Now the patina is protected from the elements and the cuprite has been cleaned away from doing any damage to the patina or bronze.

Benjamin Franklin Before

Benjamin Franklin

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Benjamin Franklin Before The sculpture had never been waxed conditioned.

The colors of the patina were bing compromised because they had no protection. The original lacquer was gone.

Green verdigris were beginning to grow on the surface because of the natural elements of rain and sun was altering the chemicals used in the patina or beginning to etch at the bronze.

Treatment was cleaning and hot wax conditioning.

Benjamin Franklin A er Treatment was cleaning and hot wax conditioning.

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Now the patina is protected from the elements and the verdigris has been cleaned away from doing any damage to the patina or bronze.

The sculpture had never been waxed conditioned.

The colors of the patina had faded because they had no protection. The original lacquer was gone.

Treatment entailed throughly cleaning the surface, repainting the shirt and beads, and only hot wax conditioning the other parts of the sculpture.

The sculpture had never been waxed conditioned.

The colors of the patina were bing compromised because they had no protection. The original lacquer was gone.

Green verdigris are beginning to grow on the surface because of the natural elements of rain and sun was altering the chemicals used in the patina or beginning to etch into the bronze.

Treatment was cleaning and hot wax conditioning.

The sculpture has not been waxed conditioned for quite some time.

The colors of the patina were bing compromised because they had no protection. The original lacquer was gone.

Green verdigris is beginning to grow on the surface because of the natural elements of rain and sun was altering the chemicals used in the patina or beginning to etch at the bronze.

Treatment was cleaning and hot wax conditioning.

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Beeler Nightsong

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Photo showing front half of sculpture not wax conditioned The back half is wax conditioned

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Pioneer Monument Denver,CO Maintenance in process

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Example of removing the dirt from the sculpture before applying the nal protective layer of wax.

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GLOSSARY

Lacquer not adhering to rusted steel

Water trapped inside a sculpture.

Calcium deposits from minerals in the water.

Rust appearing in stainless steel

Calcium deposits from minerals in the water.

Water channeling is when water follows the same path off of the sculpture.

Freeze Crack Water is trapped inside, when it freezes, the water expands and breaks the metal

Crack in a bronze.

Sap on the surface of a bronze.

Crack in a bronze.

Bronze disease growing from the inside the sculpture, mold and cuprite

Lacquer breaking down.

At this stage the sun and outer outdoor elements are breaking down the lacquer. The shinny spots are lacquer, the dull is raw unprotected patina.

Lacquer cannot be reapplied after sculptures have aged outdoors.

Wax is now the only protection for the patina.

Work completed by Sculpture Services of Colorado 8424 Firethorn Drive Loveland, CO 970-214-5060 www.WeCleanSculptures.com sculptureservices@gmail.com