Formica

We have a laminated plastic (bright red Formica) outdoor
installation in our collection that has been hit often by graffiti
vandals and subsequently by harsh graffiti-removal chemicals.

We have recently protected the accessible areas of the piece with an
anti-graffiti coating (a sacrificial type) but the use of chemicals
to remove the graffiti have resulted in discoloration of the
Formica. Moreover, many tags and graffiti cannot be completely
removed since they pass through the protective coating and penetrate
into the Formica.

I would be interested to hear about various experiences anybody may
have had with conservation of Formica surfaces outdoors in general.

Arantza Garcia
Dpto. de Conservacion
Museo Guggenheim Bilbao
+34 9 403 91 26
Fax: +34 9 435 90 61


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 22:46
                 Distributed: Friday, February 13, 2009
                       Message Id: cdl-22-46-029
                                  ***