Clear coat for acrylic?

[Marc Myer]

I'm making some acrylic pieces that will be used outside, and want to protect them. Can anyone recommend a clear coat that works well?
There are so many to choose from...

[Mark Winlund]

Acrylic itself is one of the most weather resistant materials you can find. Why do you need to further protect it?

Mark

[Stephen Beckham]

Mark - thanks!

I was worried I was fixing to have to go back and put some clear coat all over the county.... I too thought it was very weather friendly according to the company I buy from here locally...

[Joe Pelonio]

I'll 2nd Mark's comment, the clearcoat would fail before the acrylic itself would.

[Marc Myer]

Two reasons: the items are multi-piece, and even though they are fused with weld-on, there are still small cracks in the joints: I was hoping to keep gook out of the cracks (Unless there's a thicker glue?). Second, I was hoping to keep the surface as glossy as possible. I love how acrylic holds up, but it's still pretty soft.

[Joe Pelonio]

There are thicker glues, even silicone would work, but with weldon the bond is from the two pieces melting together so it can't be beat.

[Angus Hines]

Try Weld-ON # 16 its about the consistency of contact cement and will fill your cracks.

[Paul Perkinson]

Filling the cracks is just what I'm looking for but does it wipe cleanly off the surface and allow the natural shine of the acrylic to remain? Are there tricks to make that happen? Does it look good from both sides (I've got a customer that wants a hanging sign - visible from both sides)? Also, we're just talking about filling the "kerf" from the laser so there's not much adhesive area to be seen, but does the glue area that IS viewable appear nice and clear? Thanks for the suggestion!

[Joe Hayes]

What about using epoxy doming on it? I have not tried it on acrylic but if it would work it could solve both of the things you were looking for.

[Frank Corker]

Usually for all acrylic stuff that is going outside, I just use a polymer car polish, seems to do the job just fine.

[Rodne Gold]

I woudnt worry about filling cracks , I cant see the acrylic scratching as a hanging sign - as to gloss , whatever you put on it will get dulled by rainmarks , dust etc - you would still have to physically clean it to maintain its as new shine.

[Paul Perkinson]

Frank - That sounds like a good plan and since I never seem to have time to wax the car anymore, why not put the stuff to good use? Thanks!

Rodne – I see what you mean and that makes sense. The only intarsia I’ve dealt with before has been stone lying flat and we used liquid akemi to seal it all up and then polished it. As you say, with this hanging vertically it really won’t need it at all. I might worry about it a bit if this were for a climate where you had lots of freezing, blowing rain for fear the moisture might get into the joints and freeze. Fortunately, I moved away from such a climate many years ago ;-)

Joe - I don't have doming equipment so can't try that, but I think Rodne talked me out of worrying about it anyway. Thanks.

[Bill Cunningham]

Like Frank, I use a good polymer car polish on just about everything made of plastic, Romark etc. Alumamark, enameled metals etc.. It not only protects the finish, it puts a nice shine on the surface.. Most pieces you make, will never get half the abuse, or UV exposure that a car gets, and it's supposed to last a year on your car...

[David Fairfield]

Future Floor Polish, its acrylic, its tough, it goes on glass smooth, its cheap, it cannot be beat!

Dave

[Doug Griffith]

One way to minimize kerf issues is to mirror (cut from behind) the piece that is inserted. With enough practice, you'll be able to offset the cut enough to almost make a press fit. Think "//"

Cheers,
Doug