CLEAR SHIELD experience

[skyhigh]

Has anyone used clearshield on bare wood for an outdoor application???

How does it hold up over time? Any cracking or peeling?

What other products would you recommend that wouldn't maintain the natural look of the wood?

 

[Baz]

I have a friend who does hand carved signs and gold leaf and he started using Clear Shield a few years ago after i started bringing him prints that were clear coated with the stuff. He said it worked beautifull and i remember seeing one sign he did with mahogany that was clearcoated with Clear Shield and it looked great! Haven't heard him mentioning anything about any problems with it so it sounds like it would work just fine. Allways do a test sample first though

 

[skyhigh]

I thought it would work well, but I had someone tell me it would crack with the expansion & contraction of the wood.

 

[Baz]

When it dries it's like a plastic ... I would "assume" it would also expand and contract with the wood quite well. I have used it lots on large prints and i have never seen it crack.

 

[Gino]

ClearShield is a water-based clear... primarily for the use of coating vinyls and other media printed surfaces and most known for its UV inhibitors. It's only good for about two years and then its basically just a glob on your vinyl.

As for putting it down on raw wood, I wouldn't think it to be a great product.

Sky.... what kind of wood are you using..... and is this the carved out part or the virgin areas ??

ClearShield is not a very deep penetrating type product and therefore isn't going to do much good for what you're describing so far. Whoever told you it won't hold up.... is most probably correct. I've been involved with sandblasted signs for a little over 30 years and I wouldn't use that product for your application.

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

I had someone tell me it would crack with the expansion & contraction of the wood.

For indoor projects the stuff is fine on wood - exterior no. In our area we saw some stuff dry/crack within a year. Probably a little longer up there but would not trust it.

 

[Baz]

Gotta disagree with you guys. I have signs outside that have been coated with Clearshield and its been around 6-7 years now and the prints still look pretty good. And the only reason they are starting to look old is the ink is fading away ... Nothing has hapened to the surface texture that would indicate that something hapened to the clear along the way as well. The finish is still nice and smooth. Clearshield on banners also is just the best ... The stuff looks like it is part of the banner material and you can roll it up and use it over and over and the clear will not crack.

I think it would work just fine :ROFLMAO:

 

[Pro Signs & Graphix]

prints still look pretty good

Understood BUT panels covered with prints, even banners, are not the same scenario. Based on the original post he is speaking of bare wood (guessing probably carved). That will expand and contract at a much greater and different rate than any type of panel.

We too use the Clearshield - and it is fine for exterior banners but we consider those to be temporary. Our heat can wreak all sorts of havoc on things and the Clearshield does not work well on exterior wood products.

 

[skyhigh]

It's only good for about two years and then its basically just a glob on your vinyl.

It sounded like a good idea (being that I have a couple gallons here) :ROFLMAO:

Not arguing with you Gino, but even a water tight glob is all bare wood needs for protection....right? The 2 things you are trying to protect against are, 1) Rot & 2) staining. Would UV protection even matter if there wasn't any water penetration or dirt to discolor the wood? I don't know, just asking.

I called clearstar to ask their opinion. Their reply was as follows....
HI,
Thank you for your interest in Clearstar products. I spoke with our technical manager and he said he thought that the ClearShield would work with your wood sculpture. The basic resin is the same. I hope this info helps.

 

[Gino]

I totally understand, but on the label itself…. no where does it state that it is for the application you’re intending to do.

If it’s bare wood, you should have something that penetrates the wood grain and gets deep into it for protection. Not something that is gonna go on and dry within a few minutes and doesn’t even have enough time to penetrate let alone protect bare wood and just lay on top of the substrate. UV will go through anything, so no matter what clear you use…it will eventually stain. As for rot… all that has to happen is… one joint to split open and water get in there and your rot will begin soon after… especially according to which direction the sign is facing. The expansion and contraction deal plays the biggest part here and not many things breath… especially clearcoats the way wood does, so my bet would be going with something deep penetrating.

In your response from ClearShield….. remember one major item… they want to sell product. With this statement….
HI,
Thank you for your interest in Clearstar products. I spoke with our technical manager and he said he thought that the ClearShield would work with your wood sculpture. The basic resin is the same. I hope this info helps. I’d be afraid of this one in particular. He has nothing to lose. The guy probably never put it on wood in his life. Do you think it was ever tested as a wood product ??

Its only purpose is to protect digital prints and it might deter some action on wood, but I highly would doubt it would do any good. I’ve seen it on wood around here at the shop and on the floor where we’ve spilled it and it comes basically right up with some rubbing…. after dried.

Now, if you were talking of their product ClearJet in liquid form…. I’d be talking to you differently.

 

[artbot]

you go to lowes or home depot. you will see an entire isle of products developed by chemical engineers with decades of research behind each product specifically designed to protect wood. better yet and go to woodcraft and tap the brains of the experts on the subject.

i'm a fabricator and i must have 12 different clears that i use for specific chemical bonding multiple substrate sealing uv solvent resistant .... etc properties.

 

[skyhigh]

Now, if you were talking of their product ClearJet in liquid form…. I’d be talking to you differently.

Feel free to continue. Are you saying clearJet is the answer?
(insert dentist smiley face) :Big Laugh

Glad you chimed in Gino. I know you have worked with wood since the prehistoric times, when you used a t-rex to "skid" your cedar logs.
:U Rock:
After reading this article....
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,230015,00.html
I've come to the conclusion there is no product that is maintenance free. The end of the article recommends a spar varnish, with the understanding its best to coat once a year.

 

[skyhigh]

i must have 12 different clears that i use for specific chemical bonding multiple substrate sealing uv solvent resistant .... etc properties.

can you throw out a couple examples of projects where you would use one product over another & why? Interesting.

 

[petrosgraphics]

i have carved many a sign over the years... here on cape cod we have water all around
us.. temp. swings all over the place.... winter and summer.... i have always treated a carved wooden sign as a marina would treat a wooden boat... many coats of varnish
starting with several thinned coats to penetrate the wood, followed by 3 coats of finish
giving the sign plenty of drying time between coats....
i make it a point to talk with the customer about turning the sign once a year to allow
it to weather more evenly, giving it more life..... for a minimal cost you can usualy talk
them into doing this....... also gloss finish will last a little longer that satin.....

this is all from my own experiance with carved gold leaf signs.....

good luck