Taking care of your woodcarvings

There are three basic wood finishes on the woodcarvings. 

1. For outdoor pieces I use a deck and siding protector with a waterproofing, ultraviolet light protection and a mold inhibitor to protect against mildew, mold and rot . I recommend that you use something equivalent once a year.

2. On the indoor pieces that are not painted I use a product called Miniwax. It is a sealer stain that is top finished with either a paste wax, a finishing oil or a varnish. You can use a spray wax to keep it nice looking.

3. The Painted pieces are painted with a product called "ONESHOT" sign paint. It is a high quality oil base sign paint that has a ten year guarantee. 

If you put your woodcarving outside;

1. Don't put it on the dirt. ( Dirt has termites and other critters in it.) Dirt is also wet and that can cause rot.

2. Do set your woodcarving on a cement pad or rock.

3. Do spray WD.40  or some kind of deadly poison  between the woodcarving and pad so the creepy crawlies don't take up their abode there. 

4. Your woodcarving will be better off if you keep it in as sheltered a place as possible.

5. If white wood develops (cracks) spray some kind of stain on the  white part so the eye does not go to it. and stand back farther.  One woodcarver that I know ( A.J.) tells his customers when asked about cracks "If your woodcarving doesn't crack bring it back and I'll hit it with a hammer"