Need a alternative to coating for burlapped decoys

S

Steve Sutton

Well-known member
Need a recommendation for an alternative to mastic, (if you have an answer you don't need to be told what it is). I have two really neat blue foam Scaup that Mark Schupp gave me long ago that are showing some heavy wear and some "bald spots".

I want to repair them without completely re coating the birds and don't need a quart of the stuff. Anyone here have any ideas as to what else will work?

Steve
 
When i was making foamers a few years ago it didnt take me long to find an alternative method to burlap. I started using titebond 3 and fine sawdust (restle coat). Gives decoy a hard shell and excellent paint bonding. You can put it right over the burlap in as many or as few coats as you see fit. I made a box with screen to filter out the big stuff i didnt want
 
Can I do it in spots? I really want to preserve as much in original condition and paint as I can. They're important to me as birds from a good friend and a. Imports re-coating and re-paint would pretty much ruin that
 
oh ok i misunderstood and thought you were totally recoating the whole bird. I have heard of fiberglass type stuff being used but no experience with it. HOw big are the areas needing touch up? If it were me i would just go ahead and get small amount of mastic/burlap and try to repair close to original as possible since they are sentimental
 
Steve,

I have not done this so take it for what it's worth; I would think the glue/sawdust combination could be used as a spot repair. Obviously the sawdust is only going to stick to the areas where the glue has been brushed on. You should be able to control this to as much or as little an area as is required. Several coats would give you a good durability factor. I'm not sure how well the surface texture of the repair would blend in with the original burlap texture. It may stand out like a sore thumb or after paint touch up, it may not be too noticeable.

As I say, haven't done this, just speculation.
 
Hi Steve
Just a thought, how about fiberglass drywall tape.
It may blend well wiith burlap and could be cut to fit small areas.
Not sure what glue would work best with it.
Pat
 
I've used contact cement to burlap entire decoys--a Herters and a bunch of two part foamers. It works and they're going strong after probably 8+ years. I think I used spar varnish after that to seal the burlap.

All in all I prefer mastic but this might suit your needs for spot repairs.

Mike
 
I've repaired them before. I took a small amount of mastic, you can buy it in quart sized containers, cut a small patch of burlap to match the area, and carefully work the burlap into the mastic. With a little care, then paint and you'll hardly notice.

Jon
 
Steve,
I agree with Jon. Burlap and 2 coats of mastic, let the first coat dry sand it lightly if you wish. Apply second coat and blend it in with a wet [water] one inch brush. Don't forget to seal it before painting.
 
Oh yeah, I forgot. Like Bill says, blend it in with a brush, then add a second coat of mastic and seal. If you're careful and cut the burlap to fit exactly, after the second coat of mastic, it will be hard to tell it was ever repaired.

I repaired several old dekes a few years ago. They had big gouges out of them. I carefully cut, fit, then glued in replacement "Dutchman" patches of similar foam, formed and shaped, then patched with the burlap.

It's really not that hard to do. The materials are very forgiving. If you don't like the way it looks, start over.

Jon
 
Appreciate all the suggestions.....to be more specific there are no missing pieces...no chunks...no cuts...etc...just places where the original coating has worn off and the burlap is exposed which means water is getting between the layer of burlap and the foam....not "critical" or decoy threatening those areas just need to be re-sealed and then to preserve as much of the original decoy look as possible painted to match the original paint...


I just hate buying a quart of something that I know I won't use more than a very small amount of and then throw it out years from now when its a solid cube....these are the only two of three burlaped decoys I own and are likely to be the only three I'll ever own...got em in 1996 and they weren't new then and another 20 plus years from now I'll most likely not care.....(or can then send them back to Mark with a nastygram complaining about his free stuff not being worth a damn)......the third one I don't think you could wear out with a grenade.....


Dani reminded me today that the guy coming to set the tile in the shower I've been rebuilding for the last week will most likely use mastic, or an equivelant, to set the tile....DOHHHHHHH...WHO KNEW that's what the real use of mastic was?....so hopefully while he's setting tile I can sneak a couple o brush loads of the stuff for my Scaup....


Thanks again for all the most excellent suggestions....




Steve
 
Steve,
The last bunch I did, I sealed the Mastic with spar varnish. They are holding up a ton better than any of them I ever sealed with primer or Kilz. I did a thinner/varnish 1:1 coat, and then a full strength coat.The paint is holding VERY well after several years, and they are niticeably harder than the previous decoys I did. If you have any epoxy around, I imagine that would seal them well also. Just be sure they cure for a couple weeks before sealing.
 
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