Sculpture & Art: FAQ

How do I protect my cast stone outdoor objects in winter?
Cast stone products are best harbored inside in the winter--especially if they have basins, crevices or other concave areas that could fill up with moisture, freeze, and then crack. Cast stone products, if left outside, are best raised up off the ground so that they will not freeze to the ground surface. Set them on wood strips or gravel. You can also cover cast stone products with tarps. You may also find a fountain cover, birdbath cover, barbecue cover, or furniture cover in a suitable shape or size to cover your cast stone product for the winter.

How do I protect my fiber-glass based or other synthetic outdoor objects in winter?
Fiberglass-based and other synthetic products should be stored inside. They tend to get brittle in cold temperatures and an accidental bump may cause the material to crack.

How do I protect my iron and steel outdoor objects from rusting?
All iron and steel products will rust over time. Some customers like that look, it can be prevented with care. Haitian wall art, sculpture, as well as trellises and furniture can be sprayed with polyurethane once a year to inhibit rust. Using a good car wax, such as Turtle Wax, can also prevent rusting. Rust preventative primer and paint, such as Rust-O-Leum, can also be applied to protect exterior metal. Storing metal objects indoors during the winter also helps.

How do I protect my natural stone outdoor objects in winter?
Natural stone sculptures and other objects made from granite, basalt, or hard limestone require little or no care require little or no care. Ice will not bother them.

All of our soft limestone sculptures are 100% solid stone and each object is sealed with a water sealer to protect the beauty of the stone so it can be used indoors or outdoors. If placed outdoors, we do suggest using Thompson's Water Sealer once a year if you do not want it to age. In Colorado’s climate, we suggest covering the sculpture in the winter months to protect from freezing and thawing. A large plastic bag or one of our fountain/sculpture covers will work very effectively. These sculptures placed should be placed on wood, concrete, or gravel rather than in direct contact with the soil.

Is it okay to leave ceramic items outside in the winter?
No. Although, most of our ceramic items are very highly fired for a long duration to make them very durable, the freeze-thaw cycle here in Colorado can damage any ceramic item. We recommend that you bring ceramic items indoors, if possible. If items are too heavy to bring indoors, raise them off the ground and cover them to prevent water from accumulating, freezing and thawing in any concave areas.

How do I care for my Zimbabwean stone sculpture?
The Zimbabwean stone sculptures, reminiscent of the Chapunga sculptures shown at the Denver Botanic Gardens, are made from a very hard serpentine stone with high iron content and a fine texture. It has no cleavages, is hard and firm and offers a good resistance to the sculptor. Other Zimbabwean sculptures are made of springstone. Springstone has a rich outer "blanket" of reddish brown oxidized rock. The rocks themselves emerge from the quarry like sculptures formed by nature over millions of years and are often a source of inspiration to the artist.

In the winter, it is advisable to bring your sculpture indoors or protect it with some insulating material (such as an old blanket) covered in polythene. To give the sculptures their highly polished appearance, the artists heat the stone with a blowtorch or other heat source and apply wax (Briwax, available at hardware stores) until the stone absorbs it. A similar process may be necessary if your own sculpture becomes a little dull after a few years on display. If the sculpture is small enough, it is safe to put in a hot oven for between 3 and 10 minutes, depending upon size, before applying wax as before. The stone has to be hot enough to melt the wax but not so hot that it cracks the stone. It is best to take it out of the oven frequently to check. Bigger sculptures can be warmed by using a gas or electrical paint stripping tool but care needs to be taken that the heat is evenly applied and not concentrated on any one spot.

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