Sealant or coating for marble

David Turnbull <dturnbull [at] edmontonarts__ab__ca> writes

>We have an upcoming large scale artwork that will be carved from
>Vermont Mountain White Marble and Vermont Danby Marble with a honed
>finish. It will be permanently displayed indoors in a heavily
>trafficked public space. The artist has recommended using a water-
>based penetrating sealant to protect and facilitate easier cleaning
>from water and oil-based staining. I am concerned about its
>irreversibility. Anyone with experience with successes or failures
>of penetrating sealants or opinions on coatings that could be
>applied before it is installed would be appreciated. ...

As a conservator, I would not advise applying a penetrating sealant
as the removal of such could be a cause of concern for the future.
Have you thought about using a microcrystalline wax? It is odourless
and ph neutral, melting point of between 178-184 deg F, very high
resistance to moisture, alcohol, acids and most importantly,
fingerprints!

Ben Hodgetts
Conservator.
South Fitzroy Antiques
Melbourne
Australia


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 24:39
                Distributed: Saturday, February 19, 2011
                       Message Id: cdl-24-39-006
                                  ***