Outdoor Collections

What you can do—general do's and don'ts

Maintenance

Regular maintenance is important if an item and its surroundings are kept clean and tidy and appear cared for, the item is less likely to be vandalised.

This also helps to raise public interest in the piece, which means that any vandalism that does take place is more likely to be reported and can be dealt with swiftly.

If maintenance is done regularly, you are more likely to notice problems as they occur, and can deal with damage earlier.

Maintenance includes:

• washing surfaces regularly with water and sponges. This prevents a build-up of dirt on the surface, which not only looks unattractive but can lead to staining, particularly in the case of porous stone items. Make sure that water is not left pooling on the object; dry it with rags if necessary;

• removal of bird droppings—the sooner the better. Bird droppings become acidic over time and can etch into surfaces. The longer they are left, the more damage they can cause. Bird droppings can remove patinas on metal objects; and

• clearing drainage outlets and weep holes. Many sculptures are designed with water outlets, to prevent water building up in unwanted areas. These holes are generally quite small, and easily clog up with leaves and debris. Clearing them regularly helps to ensure the longevity of the object.

Ground barrier

Display items with wheels—like carts—in such a way that the wheels are lifted up off the ground. This alleviates stress on the small areas of the wheels which are touching the ground, and prevents contact between the wheel and the ground.

This is important, because every time it rains the ground becomes wet and acts like a sponge around the wheel, creating conditions that will contribute to corrosion if the wheel is metal, and to rot and insect attack if the wheel is made of wood.

There should always be a barrier between a sculpture and the ground, unless the artist specifically wants the work directly in contact with the ground.

Grass and plants

If contact between an outdoor object and the ground is considered necessary, it is important to keep grass trimmed around the piece, because long grass will also hold moisture close to the surface of the object.

When you are mowing around outdoor heritage items, take care that small stones and sticks are not thrown up, because they can damage the item's surface. This is especially important with painted metal items, where a break in the paint layer can cause corrosion problems.

It is best not to whipper snipper close to outdoor heritage items because the whipper snipper action can cause damage.

Consider the positioning of plants around outdoor objects. Remember that overgrown bushes make it difficult to see the objects clearly. Plants can also cause damage, for example, by scratching the surface; by branches dropping onto the object; a faster build-up of leaves in drainage holes; damage to foundations from root growth; and by attracting insects which will attack the object.

Naturally, it is important to consider the heritage value of the planting as well. It is also important to note that well positioned planting can act as a windbreak on sites where dust and pollutants are problems for the objects.

Water

Look for areas where rain can become trapped and held against a surface. Where possible, alter the display technique to prevent this happening. If you are unable to make any alterations, it is important to set up a program of regular monitoring, so that you can identify damage early on and act to treat it.

Avoid watering the object when you are watering surrounding gardens. The garden may need water to survive, but outdoor objects do better without additional water.

Sprinklers often spread water horizontally, so that the water can enter areas of the sculpture protected from normal rainfall.

Coatings

Microcrystalline wax is often applied to bronze sculptures to protect them from damage—from both the environment and graffiti. Like all coating systems, it offers protection only if it is complete.

A coating system which has broken down can be more damaging to a sculpture than no coating system at all. So it is important to monitor the condition of the coating and renew it annually.

Graffiti

Graffiti can be a major problem. If the object has an anti-graffiti coating, then it is this coating which is damaged, not the object. If an appropriate system is used, it is far easier to remove a coating system than graffiti.

If graffiti needs to be removed from the surface of a heritage item, it is best to contact a conservator for advice before taking any action. The successful removal of graffiti is very much dependent upon the media used to apply the graffiti and the nature of the object which has been graffitied.

When consulting a conservator about graffiti removal, try to be specific about the amount of graffiti and what it looks like. Systems used to remove graffiti can be quite specific and the conservator needs specific information; this is particularly important if a range of graffiti media has been used, for example, spray can, pen or crayon.

It is best to remove graffiti as soon as possible. Graffiti invites more graffiti, and it is far easier to remove when it is fresh than when it has had several months to set.

If you are using solvents to remove graffiti from stone, you run the risk of driving the stain further into the object rather than drawing it out, as stone is extremely porous. It is best to use a poultice system such as Safest Stripper by 3M or Quick Strip when removing graffiti from stone.

Consult a conservator if you are considering using an air-abrasive cleaning system, such as sand-blasting to remove graffiti. Abrasive cleaning removes graffiti, but often removes a layer from the surface of the object as well.