Sealing Burlapped Decoys
- Thread starter Michael B
- Start date
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Mike~
I'm a big fan of sealing cork and wood with Spar Varnish prior to priming, but I would not bother with burlaped birds. Instead, I would prime with flat oils. I typically do this in approximations of the final tones. I use Flat White, Flat Black and Flat Brown from Rustoleum. I can mix the approximate tones with these 3. Then, I topcoat with latex house paint.
What species are you doing?
All the best,
SJS
I'm a big fan of sealing cork and wood with Spar Varnish prior to priming, but I would not bother with burlaped birds. Instead, I would prime with flat oils. I typically do this in approximations of the final tones. I use Flat White, Flat Black and Flat Brown from Rustoleum. I can mix the approximate tones with these 3. Then, I topcoat with latex house paint.
What species are you doing?
All the best,
SJS
Jon Yenulonis
Well-known member
I use 1 coat of water based SPAR varnish, then 1 coat of flat Kilz, tinted gray as others have suggested. Never had a problem...
Jon
Jon
Michael B
Active member
Thanks everyone for the replies. Steve, I am making some very oversized redhead sleepers from foam board insulation. If all goes well and I decide to make a bunch I?ll throw in some bluebills and a few canvasbacks. I?m starting with one prototype and I?ll get some pictures up soon in the workbench thread.
Thanks again.
Mike
Thanks again.
Mike
Michael B
Active member
Attempting to add a photo. Hopefully it works. The bluebill next to it is a standard sized EPS foam bird from a Decoys Unlimited mold. It needs a rehab and I am going to try Tite Bond III and crushed walnut shells instead of burlap. I?m hoping to get this bird burlapped one night this week and I will post an update. I left this decoy pretty rough thinking that once the mastic and burlap is applied, the rasp marks and little imperfections won?t matter. We will see...
Mike
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Mike
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Michael B
Active member
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Mike~
FYI: Several years back, I made some foamers with pink insulation board (wooden heads and plywood bottom boards + plastic tail inserts). I coated with epoxy + sawdust. The coating is not tough enough for such low-density foam. I can push into the bodies with my thumb - and so they get dented in use. Burlap + mastic is heavier - and lots messier - but it does give the toughest skin.
The epoxy + sawdust/walnut shells has been sufficient on Herter's, Homers, and certainly E. Allens in my experience.
View attachment Oldsquaw Foamers - 7 Feb 2013 - small.jpg
So, I'm thinking your EPS Broadie-Beak will need a thick skin.
All the best,
SJS
FYI: Several years back, I made some foamers with pink insulation board (wooden heads and plywood bottom boards + plastic tail inserts). I coated with epoxy + sawdust. The coating is not tough enough for such low-density foam. I can push into the bodies with my thumb - and so they get dented in use. Burlap + mastic is heavier - and lots messier - but it does give the toughest skin.
The epoxy + sawdust/walnut shells has been sufficient on Herter's, Homers, and certainly E. Allens in my experience.
View attachment Oldsquaw Foamers - 7 Feb 2013 - small.jpg
So, I'm thinking your EPS Broadie-Beak will need a thick skin.
All the best,
SJS
Jon Yenulonis
Well-known member
Whatever you do, just be sure to keep them out of the prop. (Not mine, but a friend's. His very first, too)
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Last edited:
Kristan
Well-known member
Michael,
I made about 4 dozen full bodies in a mix of Teal and Pintails about 6 years ago to hunt Lissie, Tx rice fields. They were all full foam decoys including the heads. I stuck several skewers in each bill all the way through the back of the head. All decoys were covered in the burlap and two layers of mastic. The last layer I wet brushed to give some texture. After all of this about 1 dozen of these birds I decided to try with epoxy. I covered several teal and the rest Pintails with the epoxy after the layer of burlap and mastic. And then painted with matte house hold oil paints. I hunted about 30 days a year in Texas for 5 years with these decoys. Thrown in the bottom of a sled and death marched across many acres of Texas Rice gumbo. The decoys that I did not epoxy are hard still to this date but can be pressed in with your hand and a few missing bills. They have kind of a pliable feel with enough pressure. The epoxied birds you can pick up and hit with a bat and even stand on the bills with breaking.
Regards,
Kristan
I made about 4 dozen full bodies in a mix of Teal and Pintails about 6 years ago to hunt Lissie, Tx rice fields. They were all full foam decoys including the heads. I stuck several skewers in each bill all the way through the back of the head. All decoys were covered in the burlap and two layers of mastic. The last layer I wet brushed to give some texture. After all of this about 1 dozen of these birds I decided to try with epoxy. I covered several teal and the rest Pintails with the epoxy after the layer of burlap and mastic. And then painted with matte house hold oil paints. I hunted about 30 days a year in Texas for 5 years with these decoys. Thrown in the bottom of a sled and death marched across many acres of Texas Rice gumbo. The decoys that I did not epoxy are hard still to this date but can be pressed in with your hand and a few missing bills. They have kind of a pliable feel with enough pressure. The epoxied birds you can pick up and hit with a bat and even stand on the bills with breaking.
Regards,
Kristan