Waxing Bronze Instructions.pdf

NATIONAL CEMETERY ADMINISTRATION

GUIDELINES FOR APPLYING MAINTENANCE WAX COATING

TO BRONZE MONUMENTS/MEMORIALS

Adapted from National Park Service, Conserve O Gram, 10/4 “Caring for Outdoor Bronze Plaques, Part I:

Documentation and Inspection,” September, 2005. http://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/10- 04.pdf and 10/5, “Caring for Outdoor Bronze Plaques, Part II: Cleaning and Waxing,” September, 2005.

http://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/10-05.pdf.

Consult the Monument Summary sheet in the Maintenance Notebook to verify:

• That the monument contains bronze; if it does not, do not use these instructions.

• That the monument was created before 1970; if it was not, do not use these instructions.

More recent bronze has a different finish and conservation treatments are different.

Bronze elements (typically sculpture or plaques) of historic monuments that have received recent conservation treatment have been coated with a layer of cold wax to protect a more permanent base coat of wax or lacquer. This top coat of wax (often called a “sacrificial layer”) will wear away in time, especially in warm or humid climates. By reapplying this top coat of wax annually, you can help extend the length of time between treatments by a conservator. An application of wax may make the bronze appear darker and/or less green in color, and it may still have an imperfect appearance. The goal of waxing it to apply a protective barrier against moisture, soiling, and/or graffiti—not to make it appear new. Only follow these instructions for monuments that have undergone conservation treatment (these monuments will have customized inspection forms in the Maintenance Manual). DO NOT APPLY WAX TO ANY OTHER

TYPE OF METAL OR TO STONE.

Before waxing, carefully inspect the monument. Do not wax the monument if:

• The metal has a white or orange corrosion and/or is magnetic. These indicate that the metal is not bronze and these instructions should not be used.

• The bronze elements cannot be accessed safely with the lift equipment you have on site.

• The bronze appears to be peeling or flaking, has powdery green corrosion, or another condition that concerns you. However, it is not unusual for the wax on the bronze to give it a slightly cloudy or hazy appearance.

• Bronze elements are loose or unstable.

If any of these conditions are present, photograph the areas of concern and contact the History Program, National Cemetery Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, sara.leach@va.gov, or 202-632-5894, jennifer.perunko@va.gov or 202-632-5441 for further guidance.

Applying wax to the monument should be carried out on a bright, dry, warm day (hot days with full sun are ideal) so that solvents will evaporate quickly and wax will go on smoothly. Do not apply wax if outdoor air temperature is less than 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Supplies Unless otherwise noted, the supplies needed for this task will be available at any hardware or home improvement store.

Protective Gear

Protective clothing including gloves Plastic sheeting, such as 4-mil clear polyethylene Blue painters tape Safety glasses http://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/10-04.pdf http://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/10-04.pdf http://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/10-05.pdf mailto:sara.leach@va.gov mailto:jennifer.perunko@va.gov

National Cemetery Administration Guidelines for Applying Maintenance Wax Coating to Bronze Monuments/Memorials 2

Brushes Small natural-bristle stencil brushes available at craft or hardware stores (unlike regular painting brushes, they have a flat tip rather than a pointed one). These brushes should be labeled “wax” by cemetery staff, reserved for waxing or buffing only, and not used for other purposes. If the brush has a metal band, wrap it in painters, masking, or duct tape so there are no rough edges that could scratch the bronze.

Wax, one of the following:

Trewax® Paste Wax (clear) available from Home Depot http://www.homedepot.com/ Johnsons® Paste Wax (clear) available from Lowes http://www.lowes.com/ Butchers® White Diamond Bowling Alley Wax (clear) available from the BWC Company http://www.bwccompany.com/index.html

NOTE: These waxes might also be available at smaller/local/independent hardware and home improvement stores.

Lift equipment/ladders Only use equipment that can rest securely on the ground without damaging the lawn. If necessary, you may need to lay plywood sheets down.

Do not allow equipment/ladders to touch the monument itself.

Other Supplies

Aluminum foil Paint stirring stick Permanent marker to label materials Clean plastic container with lid Paper towels Clean, dry cotton rags that have not been dried with fabric softener Mineral spirits Plastic zippered bags

Cleaning Before beginning wax application, the bronze sculpture or plaque should be thoroughly cleaned.

Information about cleaning materials and techniques are provided in the Monument/Memorial Maintenance Cleaning Instructions.

Following cleaning, allow the bronze to dry thoroughly before waxing. A clean rag or sponge can be used to blot water off, if necessary. It is critical that the bronze is completely dry because the wax will trap any moisture underneath it.

Waxing Ensure that the areas around the bronze are securely protected from any wax that could come into contact with it by using blue painters tape to affix plastic sheeting to the monument to cover any stone or masonry areas that are in contact with the bronze. If taped plastic sheeting is not secure enough on vertical surfaces, such as around plaques, another method is to tuck strips of http://www.homedepot.com/ http://www.lowes.com/ http://www.bwccompany.com/index.html

National Cemetery Administration Guidelines for Applying Maintenance Wax Coating to Bronze Monuments/Memorials 3 aluminum foil between the plaque and the adjacent material, surrounding the plaque as best as possible. Take care not to get wax on surrounding surfaces especially stone and other masonry as it can be difficult or impossible to remove.

Place a small amount of wax (approximately 4 ounces) into a plastic container (with lid) and add one ounce of mineral spirits. Using the paint stirrer, mix thoroughly. After stirring for about five minutes, the wax mixture should have the consistency of heavy cream. Make sure there are no lumps. If the mixture is too thick, add more mineral spirits, one ounce at a time. Label the container.

When the bronze is completely dry from cleaning, apply the wax mixture with a clean, dry, natural-bristle, stencil brush. Apply a thin layer to the entire surface of the bronze, making sure to get the wax into all crevices and on all edges. Do not apply too much wax; it is better to err on the side of too little than too much. Again, take care not to get wax on surrounding stone and other masonry surfaces.

Allow about 20 minutes for the mineral spirits to evaporate, leaving a thin film of wax on the surface. When evaporation has occurred, the solvent odor will diminish and the surface will appear dry. Remove all excess wax with paper towels or a clean rag making sure to remove accumulated wax from crevices, otherwise, it could turn white and flake off the surface over time.

Buff the surface of the sculpture or plaque with a clean cotton rag and use plenty of pressure.

Buffing compresses the wax, making it more durable and providing a soft sheen. Use a small, dry brush to buff in crevices and highly detailed areas.

Apply a second layer of wax and buff, following the same procedure outlined above.

Clean-up Rinse out wax brushes in a small amount of mineral spirits in plastic container. Do this in an open, well-ventilated area away from the monument. Since the brushes will be used only for waxing, they do not have to be perfectly free of wax. Store brushes in zipper-lock bags to keep them clean and together. Label the bag to ensure that the brushes are only used for waxing.

If there is leftover wax in the plastic container and the lids are tight fitting, they can be saved.

Consider placing the plastic container in a plastic zippered bag to ensure that it doesn’t dry out.

Store all waxing materials together so they are not used for any other purpose. Store mineral spirits in a flammables storage cabinet.

Dispose of rags. Rags and containers that have come into contact with mineral spirits are considered hazardous waste. Make arrangements for proper disposal.

Documentation On the attached form, note the date and staff member(s) that conducted the maintenance waxing, and any issues that arose.

National Cemetery Administration Guidelines for Applying Maintenance Wax Coating to Bronze Monuments/Memorials 4

Bronze Maintenance Waxing Log

File this log in the monument’s permanent file and send one copy with any photographs you have taken to History Program, National Cemetery Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, sara.leach@va.gov, or 202-632-5894, jennifer.perunko@va.gov or 202-632-5441.

Date of Waxing

Name(s)/Title (s) of Persons Waxing

Issues Waxing Bronze, describe:

mailto:sara.leach@va.gov mailto:jennifer.perunko@va.gov

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