Help? Think I just ruined my project for Creatin' Contest

[Tesla12]

My daughter and I made cardboard rocks, pasted them in place, dry brushed and sealed them with Mod Podge.  Tinted spackle and smeared it in the mortar lines....and it has ruined the stones. Won't come off the rocks. Started to remove it from rocks before it dried but still stuck tight. Where I got it wet enough to remove part of the spackle, then spackle came out of mortor lines as well. I guess I can remake this one piece, although it's a complicated piece and was a lot a work. Started with it because it was the smallest piece.  But, I certainly don't want this to happen to the remainder of the rocked pieces.  What went wrong?  I'd welcome any thoughts on how to fix the ruined piece as well....before I chuck it in the trash.  I'm so discouraged.  We got a late start due to the kit being backordered and then school started and now this....   Sigh

[rbytsdy]

Hi Kathy, I assume you're doing egg-carton stones, and the spackle is the grout? For my egg-carton bricks on my country house (Laurel bash), I sealed the bricks with matte sealer, then wiped on a spackle-paint mixture with a damp cloth, enabling me to fill the gaps and keep the brick faces clean. Perhaps the Mod Podge is too porous and retains the spackle?

[stickyfingers]

My guess is that the Mod Podge and the spackle are both water based. Adding the spackle softened the Mod Podge enough to make the spackle stick. I would try some kind of non-water based sealer (Krylon clear, polyurethane, shellac) to seal the stones.    

[Tesla12]

Makes perfect sense.  Think I can just spray sealer over what is already been Mod Podged and go from there?  What kind of matte sealer did you use?  I've got some matte spray fixative.... Not sure if that would be the same thing?  I've got a piece we decided to change.  Should have practiced with that.  Another lesson learned

[rbytsdy]

It was either Krylon or Patricia Nimock's Plaid. Fixative sounds like it'll work.

[Sable]

I wouldn't use fixative. I'm all for the Krylon though.

[Selkie]

I'd vote against the fixative as well. It's designed to set things temporarily but keep a project open for further work on it. It won't be waterproof.

I agree with Sable on the Krylon. Any poly based product will seal it.

If you paint your background, the color of the grout that you plan on having, before gluing on the "stones", it helps to hide areas that don't get covered as well.

I've found ModPodge to stay slightly tacky for eons after using it. I'm a bit shy of using it. I think it's because it's basically watered down water-base glue.

[Tesla12]

Krylon it is.  The mod podge matte dries well for me.... But, I tried the fabric on time on a project.  It never dried....Didn't work out so well for my kid's shoes.

Thank you; will let you know how it works out.  

 

[Tesla12]

I cannot find Krylon Matte Sealer anywhere.... Satin but not Matte.  Does Satin = Matte in this product line?  Clerks have stated Satin equivalent to Semi-gloss, which will look very odd.  Thanks, Kathy

[Sable]

Walmart has it online. Not sure if in stores. 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Krylon-Clear-Matte-Finish/17211027?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=432&adid=22222222228017094273&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=40941008312&wl4=pla-78877974152&wl5=9011891&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=111839860&wl11=online&wl12=17211027&wl13=&veh=sem

[Sable]

A matte polyurethane will work also.

[Sable]

Semi/gloss will have a slight sheen. Matte will not.

[shannonc60]

On 6 September 2016 at 8:45:12 AM, Selkie said:

I've found ModPodge to stay slightly tacky for eons after using it. I'm a bit shy of using it. I think it's because it's basically watered down water-base glue

I have had this problem too, and threw my bottles out. I had dust and lint stick to all my handpainted metal mini accessories - grrrr. I have sealed paper bricks with a water based matte varnish then grouted with spackle and had no problems at all. It's just that awful Modpodge....

And Kathy, no you want matte, not satin. There should be plenty of different brands of clear spray sealers at your hardware store that will do the job.

[Tesla12]

Found clear matte spray enamel.  Not optimistic about it working tho'.  Still feels like cardboard after several coats.  I'm going to let it dry some more and maybe try grouting the test piece tomorrow night.  Couldn't find Matte Krylon Sealer where I live at Hobby Lobby, WalMart, Lowe's or Home Depot.  

Sigh

I'll let you know.  

 

[havanaholly]

Sealers give a protective coating, but won't change the material.

[Tesla12]

The enamel is a huge bust.  Left little white fussy strings on everything.  It is "crystal clear" per labeling.  Looks like someone sprayed the stones with miniature silly string.  And, spackle sticks to it like glue.  

 

[Sable]

Silly question, did you shake it really well?

[KathieB]

Ooooh, I feel your pain! I hope you can figure out how to fix the mess.

[Tesla12]

Yes,  I shook it for over 3 minutes each time.----thought my arm was going to fall off (I'm such a wimp)  :-p  After the first coat, I thought it was a quirk---well, it's a quirk alright although not in a good way.  But, I finally found the Krylon matte sealer, without having to go "to the big city".  And the silly string stuff is just on a piece I had put together but then decided to change so it was left over...a test piece...and it's now in the trash with the originally ruined piece.  I've put together another little test board and I'm going to test the Krylon on that before using it on my newly built but yet to be rocked replacement piece.  These set backs are KILLING my time management.  I sure hope I finish this thing on time.  I'd hate for all this stuff to have happened and then miss the deadline.