Sealing Cork Decoys
- Thread starter CJ Tort
- Start date
Pretty much no, and it's probably kinda late in the year to try and fix them now. I believe one of our guru's described leaving them outside in the sun all day to evaporate the moisture out of them and bringing them inside at night, for around a week, perhaps even weighing them twice a day on a postal scale until they no longer lose weight, then you'll know they are dry. Then you seal with several coats of thinned spar urathane, or several coats of GAC or Jansen's cork sealer, and repaint. Maybe if he has a sunny bay window in his house it can make it work. Will just take some time to make sure all of the moisture is out.
TimConner
Member
I am not sure LL Beans are "sealed" to begin with? Just some fast airbrushing using a water based paint? I think there were various makers of the decoys, so it does indeed vary.
With that said, I don't think you could reseal them without repainting. Dark cork really doesn't wick water like tan, but if it is not sealed and no bottom board as many LL Bean Decoys, the chines crumble out and pretty soon they don't look so good.
If he doesn't own many of them, I myself would hunt them out, shelve them, and look fondly at them remembering past hunts.
If he owns many and would like to continue to hunt over them, he would need to sand them first, then seal up with whatever sealer he prefers (heavily), and repaint.
With that said, I don't think you could reseal them without repainting. Dark cork really doesn't wick water like tan, but if it is not sealed and no bottom board as many LL Bean Decoys, the chines crumble out and pretty soon they don't look so good.
If he doesn't own many of them, I myself would hunt them out, shelve them, and look fondly at them remembering past hunts.
If he owns many and would like to continue to hunt over them, he would need to sand them first, then seal up with whatever sealer he prefers (heavily), and repaint.
