Essential Steps For Protecting Your Wall Art From The Environment

After putting a lot of work or money into elegant wall art, the last thing you would likely want to do is watch humidity and temperature ruin your artwork. A sealant and varnish can be just what is needed to keep your elegant artwork safe.

Sealers

The artwork needs to be sealed against humidity. This will not only protect the artwork, but also the frame. Fortunately, your artwork can be protected with deck sealer. The deck sealer is best applied using a multi-purpose sprayer that can store one gallon. 

Lay a drop cloth underneath the artwork to catch any deck sealer that lands. The sprayer will drip somewhat before spraying, so be prepared. Spray enough to where there is a nice coat of mist over the artwork, but you do not have to soak it. Allow the artwork to soak for a minute and then wrap the artwork in a paper towel in order to soak up much of the excess deck sealer. 

Make sure to use a sealer that is waterproof, but not vapor proof. This will allow the artwork to breathe. Ideally, the artwork should be hung indoors where it will not be exposed to as much sunlight. UV rays will fade the beautiful colors. However, with a varnish applied, your painting will be protected from some fading. Still, your artwork will be much more likely to become dirty when hung outside.

Varnish

The actual painting needs to be varnished. If you do not varnish the painting, dust and dirt will be attracted to it, especially with acrylics. Make sure to use a varnish that can be removed because the varnish might become discolored in the future and you will need to remove it in order to save the painting. Then, the old varnish layer will need to be replaced with a fresh coat. When the varnish is applied, the painting will appear glossy. The artwork will have a much more consistent look overall. It is also possible to improve the appearance of the painting with a matting agent. This will give the varnish a frosted look. Make sure that the matting agent is applied after all of the coats of varnish have been applied.

Wall Protection

To protect both the painting and the wall, it might make sense to use bumpers. These are self-stick adhesives that quickly attach to the wall. They create space between the wooden or metal frame and the wall.