Pavement mosaics

We are working on a project involving pavement mosaics (limestone)
where the surface has roughened over time and resulted in a loss of
color brilliance. The maintenance crew currently tosses a bucket of
water over the surface to enhance the colors; this, of course, is
adding to the normal deterioration mechanisms of the mosaic.  As an
alternative solution, we are considering applying a coating with an
appropriate refractive index, which would then conceivably smooth
the surface enough to reduce the reflectance and allow the colors to
appear darker.

We are wondering if anybody has come across a similar problem (in
any material) and/or attempted a similar treatment.

Karen J. Fix
Graduate Intern
Getty Conservation Institute

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:62
                 Distributed: Friday, January 29, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-12-62-007
                                  ***