Marine varnish or something else?

[highland145]

Sis in law makes these concrete leaves, using elephant ear leaves for the imprint, for bird bath/water features. Then paints them earth tones with an acrylic paint. They look pretty cool. The one she gave to the in laws is ~2'x3'. I'm getting 3 from her to make/replace our old water feature. They'll be in the sun most of the day. I am looking for a good sealer solution. The acrylic sealer she has used hasn't held up.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Here ya go.

 

[highland145]

Here ya go.

Protective top-coat for painted,

Might do the trick. Would the varnish be better?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Might do the trick. Would the varnish be better?

It's more the look you want. Varnish is glossier but, will need to be redone more often. Any solution out there WILL have to be redone at some point depending on exposure to ultraviolet.

 

[iRONic]

Sis in law makes these concrete leaves, using elephant ear leaves for the imprint, for bird bath/water features. Then paints them earth tones with an acrylic paint. They look pretty cool. The one she gave to the in laws is ~2'x3'. I'm getting 3 from her to make/replace our old water feature. They'll be in the sun most of the day. I am looking for a good sealer solution. The acrylic sealer she has used hasn't held up.

Dip 'em in this.

I put my grandson's initial in seashells he collected on a stump seat at our fire pit.

I'll go outside & get a pic...

 

[highland145]

It's more the look you want. Varnish is glossier but, will need to be redone more often. Any solution out there WILL have to be redone at some point depending on exposure to ultraviolet.

I'd like as little maintenance as possible. Now you've got me wondering if there will be a peeling issue. That would be a pita to clean up and redo.

 

[highland145]

I'm thinking that she shouldn't use paint for the color. A oil stain would be better but I don't know if it would have a similar look.

 

[iRONic]

This stuff is thick and glossy. (those are reflections of trees in the top) Think a bar top with coins or beer caps embedded into it.

 

[highland145]

That looks cool. Thanks. I have indeed seen plenty of bar tops.....:sneaky:



Sis in law spoke with a Sherwin Williams rep. He said they can make the concrete stain just about any color she would want and, if she'd come by, he'd sell her some returned/mis-mixed stain for cheap. That way she can see if it'll do what she wants. He also said that he thought the concrete sealer might peel in standing water. Thought that was strange.