[Nhcoll-l] [EXT] Rocks in a geological trail

[Valerie Tomlinson]

Hi Gali
There is no such thing as a coating that prevents vandalism, weathering, and wear in an outdoor environment. Some coatings can reduce certain kinds of damage to certain kinds of materials, but for the situation you describe I think coatings would only risk enhancing certain kinds of damage.
Since it is rocks you are talking about, I would recommend no coating, and choose only sacrificial specimens. Don’t display anything of high value, or display some sort of replica of the more high value-high interest items if that is possible (e.g. moulds of fossils). In a matter of years you will get a build up of finger grime and shiny areas of wear. I’ve seen even granite and basalt worn down by public interaction over a span of about 10 years.
That’s my 2 cents.
Valerie Tomlinson

From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Gali Beiner
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2022 7:59 AM
To: NHCOLL-new <Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [EXT][Nhcoll-l] Rocks in a geological trail

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Dear NHCOLL-listers,

I've been asked about how to enhance the preservation chances of rocks intended for display along an outdoor educational geological trail. The specimens will represent different geological time periods and the trail itself will be within a nature reserve in the desert (very hot summers, cold nights, strong exposure to elements and visitors). I'm told that the chosen specimens will be fixed within the trail, cemented there, but there are worries concerning the long term preservation considering the vagrancies of the weather plus handling (and being stepped upon?) by visitors.

Under such circumstances, not that much can be done against outright vandalism, but I was asked if there was some kind of coating that could be applied to sandstones, limestones and shales to help their preservation. Most of the materials I work with are intended for indoor use. Would the outdoor conservators on the list like to make suggestions - yes/no to coatings, which kind of coating if any?

Thanks,

Gali

--
[https://docs.google.com/a/mail.huji.ac.il/uc?id=0B5B3I3QnN7dsSzNkbGlLNDNGWG8&export=download]Gali Beiner (ACR)
Conservator, Palaeontology Lab
National Natural History Collections
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Berman Building, Edmond J. Safra campus, Givat Ram
Jerusalem 91904, Israel
Fax. 972-2-6585785
gali.beiner at mail.huji.ac.il<mailto:gali.beiner at mail.huji.ac.il>
https://nnhc.huji.ac.il/?lang=en

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