Care For Your Wood

It is best to plan to place your sculpture in a covered environment that will not be exposed to excessive sunlight or moisture. If you plan to display your sculpture inside (in a controlled environment), then the only major concern is excessive heat (ex: placing it too close to a wood stove or fireplace). However, it is understood that some clients will want to display their sculpture outside in the elements, for various reasons.
Sculptures that will be displayed outside in the elements will require extra treatment. The artist will treat your piece using the following steps. Wood will first be treated with a wood preservative to prevent insect damage. They then will be painted with a base coat of oil or acrylic paint. Details will then be added using airbrush paint or stain. Finally, two coats of spar-urethane will be added as a triple layer of protection. In some instances, due to wood type or low insect concern, a treatment of Australian timber oil will be applied, then paint for details. An outdoor sculpture will require that spar-urethane be applied at least once a year. 

Checking or Cracking: 

Every effort is made to try and stabilize the moisture content of the wood prior to the customer taking it home. However, wood will still retain and lose moisture during each year. So, small checks or cracks are normal and part of the beauty of wood. If a large crack forms, then RJ Torres Artistry will repair the piece for free, however, it will be the client’s responsibility to deliver it back to the artist’s shop for repair (unless they are local, DE).