All Cracked Up:
Fixing a Bloom that's Met with Trouble

Blooms are made of concrete, so they can't be damaged, right? Wrong! Concrete - whether a sidewalk or a sculpture - is susceptible to damage. Fortunately, sculptures are easier than sidewalks to protect and repair.

Isabel Bloom's customer repair artisan, Maggie Krueger (shown above with a newly-repaired Sunshine, who had her head knocked off in an unfortunate incident), took some time out of a busy day recently to share some information and tips with us!
 
Q. Maggie, you've been repairing sculptures for 12 years now. Typically, how do they get damaged?
 
 

A. We get lots of pieces that have been dropped. They are heavier than you think, and if your hands are damp, they can slip right out. Large indoor sculptures also get hit and damaged by vacuums. Small sculptures are sometimes victims of dogs who think it's fun to chomp on them. And grandchildren sometimes like to draw on them!
 
Q. What's the repair process like?
 
A. It involves nearly every process that a new sculpture goes through. Let me give you an example. This Birdwatcher came in with broken toes and gashes in his tummy, head and elbow. I assume he was dropped.
 
Luckily, his broken toes were sent in with him, so I was able to reattach them. If they hadn't been available, I wouldn't have been able to repair his foot because the connection wouldn't have held. The toes would have broken off again.
 
After I glued his toes back on I took him to the Coating department to wipe off his finish with acetone. Then I gave him a bath! Sculptures have to be wet or new cement won't adhere to them.
 
While the Birdwatcher was submerged, I mixed the repair color to match his color.

Q. Aren't Bloom colors standard?

A. Because we make each sculpture by hand - and because the aging process fades color - they all end up being unique. That means I can't just grab an existing color off the shelf. The mixing process takes a little while to get right. After I filled in the holes in Birdwatcher's tummy, head and elbow, and filled in the little nicks in his toes, I let him cure overnight and repeated that part of the process the next day.
 
Q. How long does the repair process take?
 
A. Each application of cement requires curing time, so it takes 5 to 7 days to complete the repair process!
 
Q. What did you do next to the Birdwatcher?

 

A. On the 3rd and 4th days, I mixed and applied the right shade of finish, followed by white. Again, since each Bloom is unique, the finish shades will be unique. The age and 'fadedness' of the piece will need to be matched, too. I almost always have to add a little gray or even yellow to the white cement to match it perfectly. Finally, I let it cure over the weekend before I covered it with a protective coating called Glazon.
 
Q. Would you call him good as new?
 
A. I would call him better than new! I love how our sculptures weather outdoors. They just get better and better with age.


Caring For Your Blooms

     

* Bring your sculptures in for the winter, or watch them crack from the inside out, like Hilda - who cannot be repaired because she has been cracked from within - above. The freeze-thaw cycle will cause any concrete to swell and crack. Store your sculptures in your house or in the garage, but be sure to raise them off the concrete floor.
 
* Never use furniture polish or soap. And don't put them in the dishwasher! If you must clean your sculptures, use a soft brush or damp cloth.
 
* If your sculptures are really dirty from outdoor use, try the following solution: Mix equal parts of water and vinegar. Using a soft, old toothbrush, GENTLY scrub the areas that need cleaning. Rinse the entire sculpture with clean water and air dry for 24 hours in an area with temperatures above 60 degrees. When dry, seal sculpture with a non-oil based concrete sealer (available at most hardware stores). Note: Garden Moss Rose sculptures do not require sealing (the paint used in finishing seals the sculpture).

* If your sculpture suffers from crayon or scuff marks, try using nail polish remover with acetone! Then allow it to dry and reseal as directed above.

If you would like Maggie to take a look at your broken piece and provide a cost estimate for repair, take it to any Bloom store. For more information, email us at sales@ibloom.com!