Varnishing outdoor sculpture

Michelle Gallagher <mgallagher [at] psmuseum__org> writes

>My museum recently acquired a large outdoor steel sculpture.  At the
>time the artist recommended a varnish (Valspar's Clear Val Oil) to
>treat the sculpture regularly with. However within a few short
>months the varnish started to peel and the sculpture to rust.  The
>sculpture is not protected from the weather in anyway and as we are
>in the desert temperatures can be extreme (120 degrees F in summer).
>For another outdoor steel sculpture, the artist recommended that we
>use Tectyl 151A.  Should we be using that on steel sculptures or is
>there another more appropriate varnish we should be using?

I suggest you contact

    Cortec Corporation
    St, Paul MN
    612-429-1100
    Fax: 612-429-1122
    Toll free (800) 4-CORTEC.
    info [at] cortecvci__com
    <URL:http://www.cortecvci.com>

They have a wide range of products to prevent corrosion on metals
painted or unpainted surfaces. They  may be able to suggest the best
product and send you samples for you to conduct tests.

Isabel M.P. Coryat


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 16:52
                 Distributed: Wednesday, March 12, 2003
                       Message Id: cdl-16-52-005
                                  ***