Name in Limestone

[tornadowatchranch]

Hey all
In true tractorbynet form I am subscribing to the "why pay someone else to do it when I can figure out how to do it myself" mantra. While hunting in western Kansas I picked up a bunch of limestone fence posts and pieces. So far I have traced the letters on them and then used a combo of (harbor freight) angle grinder with masonry bit and dremel with carbide burr to do the letters. My question is how to make it permanent. What paint to use for the letters and do I seal it? This is my "practice piece" so I just used black gloss enamel model paint since that is what I had around. As usual--it didn't happen without pictures.......

The nice thing about this format is the paint that I got on the face because the rain was coming I just ground off after the pic

 

[forgeblast]

I am thinking that an oilbased paint(rustoleum) or artists oil paint would work.

 

[dstig1]

Maybe tinted epoxy? Probably marine grade stuff would be required.

 

[jaotguy]

cement floor paint

 

[EddieWalker]

The secret to getting paint to stick is using a good quality primer. I've never done this, but I would go with Zinsser BIN, which is an oil based exterior primer that is pure misery to work with because it sticks to everything and is a real pain to clean up. It's very watery, so it drips easy, so you have to be very careful when using it. Then I would use any good quality exterior paint over it. Kind of like painting brick on a house.

Eddie

 

[jaotguy]

before Zinsser there was shellac .... soaked into anything porous and gave a base for paint (with no bleed through )


(the floor paint has additives to bond to cement ... mix in a handful of sand and you have a slip proof surface to walk on ....)

 

[SPIKER]

Lime stone being rather pours I would say about anything that is thin will penetrate it rather well. I would also have them out in sun to DRY with a good breeze so the stone drys out thru it well.

I would think a good coating of tape to draw letters on would help keep it inside the lines, perhaps a sand blaster would be faster and smoother (with less depth) once the tape is on it.

mark

 

[/pine]

I would think something like an agg seal product would work to seal it...something like what they use on unglazed terracotta and other paving etc. materials... some agg/concrete sealers come in different colors...

check the box stores...

 

[TnAndy]

Interesting thread......I found a 'little' hunk of sandstone rock on my place that is about 8' wide and 10' tall, and about 2' thick. I managed to shove it down to my gate area with my bulldozer, then dug a trench about 4' deep, and got it upright. I plan to seal it with something and paint the name of my farm on it so when you come in the gate, you see it.

 

[jaotguy]

...something like what they use on unglazed terracotta ..

they use shellac on the inside to seal the pots .... or a penetrating sealer (thin liquid wax ) on tiles ....

 

[davrow]

Kind of like painting brick on a house.

Eddie, ya learn something new every day!

I thought the house had to be made of brick, I didn't know you could just paint them on afterwards!

(sorry, couldn't resist)

 

[Egon]

Interesting thread......I found a 'little' hunk of sandstone rock on my place that is about 8' wide and 10' tall, and about 2' thick. I managed to shove it down to my gate area with my bulldozer, then dug a trench about 4' deep, and got it upright. I plan to seal it with something and paint the name of my farm on it so when you come in the gate, you see it.

Another ancient mystery in the making!

 

[tornadowatchranch]

Interesting thread......I found a 'little' hunk of sandstone rock on my place that is about 8' wide and 10' tall, and about 2' thick. I managed to shove it down to my gate area with my bulldozer, then dug a trench about 4' deep, and got it upright. I plan to seal it with something and paint the name of my farm on it so when you come in the gate, you see it.

Not on the painting note but the carving side, I just tried some of the harbor freight carbide router bits in the cheapest harbor freight (I think 1/4 hp) router and it cut like butter!

On the paint side I will also call some of the local places that do this professionally and see if they will share their trade secrets. I will post back with what they say.

Tornado

 

[jaotguy]

keep a spray bottle of water to cool the bits after using them for a short time ... and spray the stone you are working on .. ( keeps the dust down )

 

[Cord]

Rather than a thick coating that moisture can get under, I'd go for a thin coating like a solid stain that can penetrate.

 

[dfkrug]

I plan to seal it with something and paint the name of my farm on it so when you
come in the gate, you see it.

What an awesome rock. If that is soft sandstone, you might try chiseling (manually or with power tool) your
farm name on it. If not up to the DIY, maybe you can hire one of those carvers who do tombstones and
don't use any paint at all.

 

[two_bit_score]

Interesting thread......I found a 'little' hunk of sandstone rock on my place that is about 8' wide and 10' tall, and about 2' thick. I managed to shove it down to my gate area with my bulldozer, then dug a trench about 4' deep, and got it upright. I plan to seal it with something and paint the name of my farm on it so when you come in the gate, you see it.

That's going to be an impressive entry!

 

[hunterridgefarm]

You could also try a concrete stain and then seal.

If you have several pieces to play with you could try leaving the letters natural and stain or paint the area surrounding the carved letters to compare the look.

 

[tornadowatchranch]

I talked to a company (now retired and closed) about 10 miles from where this rock was quarried for advice. They were more than happy to share secrets. They advised to just use plain ol rustoleum paint. flat or gloss is personal preference. They said that they always seal their rocks. The stuff they used was about $300 for 5 gallons as when they sold a rock they expected it never to have maintenance. Since I am handy and doing it myself to use any masonry sealer applied with a garden sprayer. They said to not trust at all the 10 year claims on the label and expect to do it every other year. Garden hose it clean one day and two-3 hot days later reseal it. Total time every 3 years about 20 minutes work. I got the rocks finished and in the ground the other day. I will post pics once I am done with the whole area. 5 friends that have driven by have already asked me to do one for them. I may have a new side business.

The person I got the limestone from will be excited. She was born on the farm she still lives on about 70 years ago. Her dad pulled them out of service as fence posts and piled them up when she was a teenager when he switched to T-posts. She estimates these were quarried about 100 years ago. The rocks are full of fossils. Pretty cool.

Thanks for reading

 

[sparc]

Interesting thread......I found a 'little' hunk of sandstone rock on my place that is about 8' wide and 10' tall, and about 2' thick. I managed to shove it down to my gate area with my bulldozer, then dug a trench about 4' deep, and got it upright. I plan to seal it with something and paint the name of my farm on it so when you come in the gate, you see it.

You could blast a nice design on that canvas if you had a bog compressor and the other equipment needed, or you might look up someone who goes around and does that ocemeteryry markers and headstones. Many times a Husband and Wife will buy a headstone before either one passes, then later it will need updating. They don't take the monument back to the shop, it will usually be done in place. There should be someone in the phone book who does lettering on markers and headstones, or you could ask at a local monument company or cemetery, they should know.