September 28, 2007, Newsletter Issue #260: Waterproofing

Tip of the Week

- Tung Oil (available in hardware or woodworking stores - Thompson´s Water Seal (available in hardware stores, used for sealing wood and concrete) - Acrylic Floor Polish (ie Futura.) (available in the grocery store.) Note that I would not use any of these for dinnerware. Just for vases, flowerpots, etc. And some people use them over glazes just to get a nice subtle shine. And I have been known to use them on the bottom of pots to make them less likely to scratch furniture. Another reason potters want sealers is to protect painted work. For example, people that use acrylic paints on bisque and want to protect the paint. We do sell Duncan spray and brush-on sealers in flat and gloss, which will protect the paint from chipping and smudging, and give it a shine if you wish. They are good for decorative pieces. But these are not waterproof. So if you want your piece to be waterproof, try one of the above products. But since those items work by penetrating the clay, and they probably won't penetrate through the acrylic paint, I would put it on the inside of the piece, then protect the painted outside with an acrylic spray sealer like the Duncan products (or similar items available in the hardware store.) So for example, if you want to waterproof a flowerpot, put the tung oil, Thompson's water seal, or acrylic floor polish on the inside of the pot. Paint and seal the outside.

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