# Best way to help prevent fading?



## Vinny D (Jan 25, 2013)

I have about a dozen buildings that I saved from my last layout, most of them were LGB/POLA and they survived pretty well being outside 9-years in direct sunlight all day. They have faded some but are still in decent looking condition and can be easily fixed back up with a little help.
My Aristo buildings however are destroyed, there is hardly any color left to them. One was a red farm house that is now almost white!
I am thinking though of buying a few more Aristo buildings from my local dealer that has had them sitting on his shelves for years, but I want to know if there is anything that I can do to them to help them from fading away again as my new layout will also be right in the direct sunlight.
Would spraying some type of clearcoat finish on them help?

Any suggestions would be great, and if I had the time and patience (mostly patience) I would try scratch building some myself, but right now that is just not possible.
Thanks,

Vinny


----------



## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

I've used clear coat from both Rostoleum and Krylon. They have UV protection in them. I bet paint has even better UV protection. Perhaps you might paint them before putting them out. Hope this helps. 


-Kevin.


----------



## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

I never thought about this. After a year of planning I will be finally starting a garden railroad this Spring and thought that I had all my T's crossed and I's dotted. I will be putting out several Aristo structures and didn't think about what UV could do to them. Maybe I thought that if Aristo's track ties are UV protected then their buildings would be also. 
Here's my concern about Rustoleum or Krylon. Won't they "attack" or "craze" the plastic material? Has anyone actually tried these or similiar products on plastic, especially Aristo structures? I really don't want to repaint these but have no problem with a quick coat of clear sealant.

Wayne

Kackered Valley Railroad
Long Island NY


----------



## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

Sorry, Dieseldude, I missed the "I use clear coat....." in your post. No crazing of the plastic then? Maybe I will try it on a part of the bottom first.


----------



## Vinny D (Jan 25, 2013)

Posted By backyardRR on 08 Mar 2013 07:55 AM 
I never thought about this. After a year of planning I will be finally starting a garden railroad this Spring and thought that I had all my T's crossed and I's dotted. I will be putting out several Aristo structures and didn't think about what UV could do to them. Maybe I thought that if Aristo's track ties are UV protected then their buildings would be also. 
Here's my concern about Rustoleum or Krylon. Won't they "attack" or "craze" the plastic material? Has anyone actually tried these or similiar products on plastic, especially Aristo structures? I really don't want to repaint these but have no problem with a quick coat of clear sealant.

Wayne

Kackered Valley Railroad
Long Island NY


My experience with Aristo products have been mixed.. There track holds up okay, the ties still fade a bit too much IMO. Especially if you have LGB track next to them on your layout, it is a very noticeable difference.
But if you are using all Aristo track you will be fine.
The buildings while I think are decent looking (plus they are already assembled!) don't hold up well outside at all. Again I am going from my own experience on a layout that was in direct sunlight from the time the sun comes up in the morning until it goes down at night.
Probably on a shaded layout they will hold up much better, but I don't have that luxury! I am stuck in the sun, but at least I don't have leaves to rake in the fall months!
So while I am getting everything ready for my new layout this spring I am looking to see what I can do now to help make them last a bit longer in the elements.


----------



## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

Thanks Vinny. Maybe I can just paint the roof. My backyard is 50-50 shade and full sun throughout. Still so much to learn......









Wayne

Knackered Valley Railroad
Long Island NY


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Krylon makes Fusion for plastics, I use that; Clear w/UV protection 

John


----------



## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

Thanks TW. I will look for it. From what I have seen of your garden railroad pictures you seem to get quite a bit of Sun.

Wayne

Knackered Valley Railroad
Long Island NY


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Yes, but it's a dry heat! 
That's the best sugar coating I've got! 
Southern Az, Tucson.... 
Garden? Rocks and sand.... 

Fusion is a little tricky... 2nd coats either while still wet or after bone dry .... no inbetweenies ... it can crackle and then you haveta sand the mess off and start over. I know this is tough to do, but Man Up and follow the instructions on the can.... ha ha. 
I found out the hard way on my G $cale kitbash ... 

Otherwise it's easy to apply and I liked my results. 

Happy Rails 

John


----------



## Vinny D (Jan 25, 2013)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 08 Mar 2013 08:35 AM 
Yes, but it's a dry heat! 
That's the best sugar coating I've got! 
Southern Az, Tucson.... 
Garden? Rocks and sand.... 

Fusion is a little tricky... 2nd coats either while still wet or after bone dry .... no inbetweenies ... it can crackle and then you haveta sand the mess off and start over. I know this is tough to do, but Man Up and follow the instructions on the can.... ha ha. 
I found out the hard way on my G $cale kitbash ... 

Otherwise it's easy to apply and I liked my results. 

Happy Rails 

John 
Thanks for the info!
Enjoy your dry heat, we have soaking wet sticky heat here!

I will see if my local DIY centers here have that product on the shelf.


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

You're welcome.. 
I know the east coast... Norfolk, Teaneck, Portsmouth NH / Kittery Me ... (1960 - 67) The Humid years.... 

John


----------



## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

I could get used to that "dry heat". We have our moments here on Long Island. The really bad humidity is usually in the Summer. About 8 miles from the ocean and about 5 miles from the bays. Far enough from the flooding from Sandy. Not even close. At least the only "critters" I have to worry about are the 2 legged kind and the occasional cat, opossum and racoon. No snakes, etc. Not a rock to be found bigger than 2 inches. Most of the area was farmland until after WWII. It was actually called the Hempstead Plains. The only geological prairie east of the Mississippi.

Wayne


----------



## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

John 
you weren't a bubble head were you? 
Dick


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Dick, 
Not familar with the term, but Navy brat describes my condition. 

John


----------



## Vinny D (Jan 25, 2013)

Well just got back from the train store while on my lunch break from work, good thing today was pay day! 
Ended up picking up (all aristo) the Victorian train station, water tower (my old one had a giant bee hive in it so it got destroyed), Station platform, Deck bridge, over/under trestle set, (2) tall section trestle sets, Signal bridge. 

I am going to modify the trestle sets by adding some wood cross braces, they should work out well seeing how my yard has a big hump right where the railway will be going. So I can do some interesting landscaping in some areas. 
I will figure a way to work the deck bridge in somewhere along with the other pieces, I don't have anything set in stone on what I am exactly going to do with this layout. I have a general idea that I had drawn out on paper but how it will actually end up once outside will have to be a wait and see experiment. 

Should be fun, I havent even looked at my train stuff for the past 5-6 years so I am a bit excited for spring to arrive so I can get going!


----------



## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

I'm a black shoe navy, bubble heads were subs. 
dick


----------



## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

My Aristo barn sounded like yours. Faith Clarkson offered to repaint it for me at no charge. She uses the same paint that they use on signs and I believe that it has a metallic base. The barn came out looking better than new and the paint is very opaque and will last a long time.

Thanks Faith!


----------



## Vinny D (Jan 25, 2013)

Posted By toddalin on 08 Mar 2013 12:25 PM 
My Aristo barn sounded like yours. Faith Clarkson offered to repaint it for me at no charge. She uses the same paint that they use on signs and I believe that it has a metallic base. The barn came out looking better than new and the paint is very opaque and will last a long time.

Thanks Faith!








http://www.largescaleonline.com/eim...-3_003.jpg />




Coo, I have the same barn....accept mine isn't red anymore, almost a pink! I may just spray that one myself as a experiment and see how it comes out.


----------



## DennisB (Jan 2, 2008)

Red is a color that fades quickly in the sun. I would change the color and use any UV protector. Regards, Dennis


----------



## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I haven't used any of the commercially available structures. But if I did, my approach would be to paint it, followed by a coat of Krylon UV-resistent matte clear. The paint alone will provide some protection, especially if you use exterior grade latex paint. The UV clear coat helps a lot too.


----------



## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Might I suggest painting that poor diesel with the same paint used on the barn??? 

My outdoor buildings get painted with the same exterior latex paint I use on the house. The sun takes its toll on the darker colors quicker than the lighter ones, but even those hold up for 5 years before even beginning to show signs of fading. Mostly, they just get dull and lose their shine, which is pretty much what you want to have happen anyway. I've used Val-Spar spray paint on a few with good results as well. Anything that's designed for outdoor exposure should hold up well. 

I don't know how the sprays do on the Pola buildings. I've only used the latex on them. Not because I don't think the sprays would cause any issues, but because I don't want to have to mask everything to spray it. I have used the sprays on the roof (Krylon grey primer) without any issue. 

Later, 

K


----------



## Jim in MO (Feb 28, 2010)

Everything gets 1 or 2 coats of Krylon "UV Resistant Clear" stock number 1309 It has made all the difference. Last summer a couple of people figures slipped by somehow and by the end of summer almost all the color was gone. Everything that was coated with Krylon still looks like new. Make sure your buying the 1309 and not their plain clear matte finish. It doesn't have anywhere near the UV protection.


----------

