Conservation and Restoration of Clear Coatings on Furniture and ...

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At this time solutions to many issues pertaining to the treatment <strong>of</strong> many modern clear coatings are not yet readily
available. Further research needs to be complied <strong>and</strong> in order to complete this, there needs to be co-operation <strong>and</strong>
collaboration on several levels. The departments who manage building <strong>and</strong> collection maintenance need to open up
to new ideas on the long-term treatment <strong>of</strong> their timber interiors <strong>and</strong> furniture. Conservators can <strong>of</strong>ten identify
problem areas <strong>and</strong> potential solutions to on going problems, though co-operation from management to view longterm
treatment processes as good investment is a difficult negotiation point, especially when most financial decisions
are made with a short term economical approach.
4.4 Action Plan
I hope be instrumental in encouraging industry <strong>and</strong> conservation associations to work together to tackle the issues
surrounding clear coating technology <strong>and</strong> its subsequent conservation/maintenance/removal <strong>and</strong> replacement.
Informing industry <strong>of</strong> conservation requirements <strong>and</strong> involving the surface coating industry in research <strong>and</strong> problem
solving for clear coatings has not been a priority in conservation previously as most <strong>of</strong> the surface coatings have
been older technology than what industry has been producing. Today this is not the case, the coatings in question
today are less than 20 years old <strong>and</strong> are still commonly used in the coating <strong>of</strong> interior timbers. The scientists <strong>and</strong>
chemists employed by industry today will be very familiar with these products <strong>and</strong> associated problems.
Compromise will have to come from all sides, but I am confident that if the ambitions <strong>of</strong> the conservation field can be
manipulated into an economic gain for both industry selling conservation grade products, <strong>and</strong> for institutional/building
management to save on maintenance, then the chances <strong>and</strong> speed <strong>of</strong> achieving an outcome in the not too distant
future will be increased
Educating <strong>and</strong> informing people <strong>of</strong> the issues at h<strong>and</strong>, particularly <strong>of</strong> the limited resources available right now to deal
with modern clear coatings may help put the situation in perspective. The relevant <strong>and</strong> target audiences are those
from different fields who all share a common goal <strong>of</strong> caring for our important furniture collections <strong>and</strong> timber interiors.
Curators, architects, maintenance personal, conservators in other mediums, paint chemists, material scientists,
woodworkers <strong>and</strong> artists. The larger the pool <strong>of</strong> people the more cross-fertilisation <strong>of</strong> knowledge <strong>and</strong> experience.
This year I am presenting lectures to explain <strong>and</strong> contextualise the situation <strong>of</strong> conserving clear coatings with
pr<strong>of</strong>essional bodies <strong>and</strong> organisations such as;
■ The Australian Institute for the <strong>Conservation</strong> <strong>of</strong> Cultural Materials (AICCM)
■ The Furniture History Society <strong>of</strong> Australasia (FHSA)
■ The Surface <strong>Coatings</strong> Association <strong>of</strong> Australia (SCAA)
■ Historic Houses Trust (HHT) <strong>of</strong> NSW
■ Antique Dealers Association <strong>of</strong> Australia (ADAA)