Greetings folks
I got thrown a bit of a curveball today – the fellow in the sign shop next door came in to ask what I know about crackle finishing.
The short answer is very little…..I’ve never crackled, except maybe once or twice a long time ago when I got a little extra crispy…… 😉
I’ve read casually about it in the past, but never particularly liking the look, I’ve never paid it much mind. I’m sure I can find references to the process, but what I want to know is whether this is a viable finish for exterior signage.
The substrate would probably be 5/4 common pine (knotty)
Any feedback would be appreciated.
Replies
Look up crackling medium...
IT has probably been done but it is an inherently unstable finish in areas that are stressed heavily. I would reccommend against it for outdoor use. The crackling is created by putting a coat of faster drying finish over a slower drying and partially cured coat. This results in a stressed bond between the two layers. This stressed bond is less strong (therefore less stable) than it would otherwise be. This can be overcome to some extent by topcoating with strong clearcoat layers... still in an outdoor environment it is a less than ideal choice of finish.
Quite a few years ago, I bought some "wrinkle-finish" paint in a rattle can to restore the dashboard on an old MG. Didn't work too well, as I recall, maybe it's been improved. Looking for "Wrinkle Finish" products may be a start.
I'm having trouble grasping your neighbor's objectives. Crackle finish, sign, and exterior use don't seem compatible. Is he trying to make an old-looking sign, perhaps?
I think the guy wants a sign to be a crackle finish. Shouldn't be too bad--but I would put a good coat of external varnish as the finish coat to waterproof it if it is going to be outside.Gretchen
That's my guess, too, but most people hiring a sign painter want new-looking signs that will stay new-looking. I could, however, envision an antique store, or a similar business, wanting a sign that already looks old.Artists, oil painters in particular, use a technique that creates a crackle finish for things like old wooden fence posts. I don't know the specifics of the technique, though. I'd agree that a good, probably sprayed-on, clear coat or two would be desirable for durability outdoors.
You might try Zolatone paint.
Hi everyone. Thanks for the replies.
Yes, my "neighbor" 's client wants an old looking sign. Specifically, a MASH sign. You know (or maybe you don't): a single post with multiple destinations "arrowing" in all different directions..... I'm assuming, at this point, that it will only be the "arrows" that would be crackled.
My gut was also warning me about the exterior durability of such a finish, hence my inquiry. Should this route be chosen, I will definately recommend a clear topcoat. Thanks to those who pointed this out.
Dusty: I will google the paint you recommended, (can't pull up the name of it until I've finished this post) but perhaps you would expand further here?
Any other recommendations on a way to achieve the "instant age" objective?
If you google for faux finishes you will get a lot of different ways to do it. There are degrees of crackle from some looking like it will fall off if you look at it to some very very fine crackle that looks quite authentic. Jim Kull on Wood Mag's site once said this latter effect could be done by brushing with egg white, if I recall correctly.
Another good source for the faux finishes is HGTV.com . I'll see if I can find some, but there are definitely "degrees" of crackle that can be nice. Also, painting the base coat one color and then the coat that crackles another color is effective.
Gretchen
Here is a google page of crackle stuff. I mentioned the egg white for a finer crackle, but I think the same thing can be done by diluting the hide glue that is used. Samples will tell the tale, and fortunately, it is easy and quick to do.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=crackle+finish&aq=f&oq=
Edited 12/11/2008 9:12 am ET by Gretchen
Gretchen -
Thanks loads for the link. Should be easy sailing from there, should the need arise - I was back at work today, and my "neighbor" - the sign shop guy across the hall from my shop didn't mention it. Maybe it will go away.....like the Dan Reeder song says: "I got all the ####ing work I need"
There are several automotive paints available in wrinkle finish.
Sherwin Williams made it, among others, and still might. Most of them are hard to get due to the high levels of VOC. You can do it yourself by spraying enamel base coats, with out letting them dry, (about twnety minutes between coats), and then overspraying with laquer.
You can get a high heat enamel in spray cans at most auto parts stores. But it is typically available only in black and red.
I would expect that it would hold up reasonably well outside. But, I think that you would want a more stable substrate than knotty pine though.
Hi,
It is possible that the sign guy was thinking about a product, a crackle finish, that is used in conjunction with milk paint finishes. I have purchased some from the Old Fashioned Milk Paint company to try on some Windsor chairs that I'm making. Unfortunately, I can't speak about the performance of the product. However, I have seen something like it used by others to get an distinctive antique look where mulitple colors of milk paint were applied. As long as you sealed the treated milk paint afterwards with a polyurethane coating it should work on signs.
Regards,
Jim
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