Coating a Bird Bath Tutorial

[@ScharfeSalami]

Can you please make an little video with the "clear" transparency color? thank you!

[@hmh3808]

I found my answer in comments below. …It’s very nice of you to answer so many peoples questions. ! Most DIY posters don’t bother -Thanks for taking the time.

[@kismyc0untryazz-491]

I tried to read all the comment questions, please forgive me if my question was asked previously. Also, this is a little long as I want you to have all the details. I purchase a case of "Pond Shield Non-Toxic Epoxy Liner Clear" in the box are two small sized paint cans. My bird bath used to have a pipe that went through the center for water to fill it then flow over the sides. Years ago the center was patched up and it held water fine. 6 months ago it stopped holding water. I brought it in the garage, gave it a GOOD cleaning, used a strong patch to cover the hole and sealed it with concrete. I figured while I have it in I would fill all cracks and chips. The whole thing has been resurfaced. Then I used an acrylic paint and painted the whole bath to look like a sunflower. Now I want to use the clear pond shield to "cover the paint in the bowl so I know the birds will be safe to drink from it. My concern is the direction are telling me to either acid etch be auae its concrete or use 60 grit sandpaper because its painted. I do not want to ruin what I painted. Please inform, how to properly apply the pond shield. Thank you in advance.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Well you'll just have to move forward as it is, IF you want to. You have a few issues that I need to point out so that you are fully aware of what you have right now. 1. The acrylic paint is likely to lift at some point because those types of paints do not stick very well to concrete and stone. So you may have future issues whether you coat with Pond Shield or not. 2. The surface you apply Pond Shield to needs to be prepped properly. Acid etching is always the first step, but you are beyond that now. Next is that any remaining painted surface be sanded or roughed up prior to coating IF the coating has been on the surface more than about a day. If you had used an acrylic base coat for a two stage paint system (like an automotive acrylic), then that paint would stay "open" longer allowing you to apply Pond Shield without sanding. 3. Usually, surfaces like this are completed by first prepping the surface, then applying a thin coat of Pond Shield. Wait 24 hours, then sand the Pond Shield and apply an automotive acrylic (as specified above), then top coat with Pond Shield clear to seal everything in place. You're in a different spot now, which is not entirely bad, but does merit a little more babysitting over the life of what you have coated. You could apply Pond Shield over the top of what you have, but you may experience delaminating issues later that will have to be fixed. You'll just have to watch for it.

[@kismyc0untryazz-491]

​@PondArmorEpoxy I appreciate your reply. I feel more confident about applying the pond shield now. I will keep an eye on it like you suggested. My next birdbath I will take the steps you laid out above. Thank you for your help.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

@@kismyc0untryazz-491Yeah, no problem. You can always call me as well at 800-716-1545. I'll be happy to help.

[@equip2survive]

I'm super interested in your product to seal off the insides of a few concrete planters that I just got to use as a protective barrier for my carnivorous plant bogs (CPs are very sensitive to leaching of minerals and such from concrete, terracotta, etc. type planters thus the need for that protective layer). Just out of curiosity... why didn't you use clear on this bird bath so you can still see the aged concrete? I personally think that would have looked better, but regardless... Pond Armor looks like a great product that won't harm my plants! Thanks for making it available!! 😃

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Simple. Our hardener has a slight yellow hue to it. When you apply the coating at the minimum recommended thickness or even twice as thick as that, you do not see it. But the thicker it gets, the more it becomes visible. In this fountain's case, the damage was so deep that trying to lay the coating down thin like that was near impossible.

[@johnmitchell2741]

I have the same birds bath that leaks but I got a bag of ready mix cement

[@notyourblonde]

Wondering why the whole surface was not coated to look uniform !?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Pond Shield is an underwater coating. We coated what we expected to be under water during normal use.

[@ArnoldZiffle-jw2mv]

Doesn’t look too good needed to do the edges, wait til his wife sees this.

[@robinclemmons7712]

Jw2mv, ever consider they wanted as much of the birdbath as possible to retain its aged, antique look?

[@silvershadow4965]

@@PondArmorEpoxyIf one were to use Pond Shield on the surface all the way to the edge including parts not under water, would the pond shield continue to be effective or would it break down and deteriorate? Also, how much is needed for a bird bath if that size?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

@@silvershadow4965 Pond Shield is meant to be under water. It will age at a different rate outside of the water. You could top coat anything outside of the water with a UV rated polyurethane as well.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

I must apologize for some of the later responses we made here. We try and get back to all comments as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the notification system for comments was not getting back to us and with all that happens during a water feature season, we simply missed some. We hope you were able to reach us via phone to assist at that time.

[@tonyajackson0960]

Would you be able to list the type epoxy resin you used and the brand? I’ve never seen a milky resin. Also the brand of the wash you used, please.

[@deankramer2199]

Hello! I just purchased the clear pond shield for a large clay planter pot that I am turning into a water garden. I have a couple questions... I used 100% silicone to plug the drainage hole, will the pond shield have a negative reaction if applied to the silicone? If so, what do you recommend using to plug the hole? and my other question is... Do i need to treat the inside of the pot before applying the pond shield? Do i need to use a concrete acid etching solution or something else? Thank you so much in advanced!

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Silicone is fine but the stacking order is wrong. It should be Pond Shield first then silicone on top of that.

[@Carnwath42]

Apologies if you've already mentioned this. How did you adhere the paper along the top edge of the bath (to create a straight edge for the epoxy)? Thank you for your help.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

It's just masking tape. Make sure to peel it off before the coating cures out.

[@Zibutegerard]

would this product be appropriate for a metal bird bath?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Yes, but you'd have to follow the instructions on the stock tank tutorial video located at www.pondarmor.com/instructions The metal prep work and priming would be the same except for the vinegar step.

[@stopwars8642]

omg I finaly found you haaaaaa , been trying to find a way to keep alge from growing in my birdbath and making it easier to clean def will try this and good to know their i s clear coating

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

LOL Glad we could help!

[@loverlyme]

It looks a bit funny/odd with the two-tone colour in the dish of the bath. Might have been better had you applied the sealant right up to the top of the inside, so it was all the same. The water also looks like it's a mix of the sealant and water. Or perhaps this is just how it turned out on camera?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Good eye, but we went with how the person who owned the bird bath requested and yes, the water does look funny in the video.

[@kmmara41]

So… what epoxy did ya use? I was thinking of trying some JBWeld I have lying around. Advice?

[@irishgirl7of980]

Wondering the same thing

[@vivianegherman7256]

I guess we keep wondering until he answer 😅

[@SS-jw4tc]

I think l phoned that company last year to ask them and they either said they didn't know or yes...sorry can't remember but do know l had a hell of a time trying to find something non toxic to birds and animals. Seem to remember l ended up sealing it with silicone on the outside and nothing on the inside since no one could tell me a non toxic sealer...interested to know too!!

[@Audio512]

It says in the name of the video...Pond Armour

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Our Pond Shield non toxic epoxy

[@alanhumphrey4198]

How about a good can of Flex Seal??

[@f4fake22]

Been there done that, failed miserably

[@dljensen9882]

Looks great! We have an old fountain that was painted. Can Pond Shield be applied over paint? Also, does algae grow on PondShield?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Algae will grow on anything. The finished surface is smooth enough to wipe off easily.

[@DebbieTomkoSUNSHINE]

Royal blue very fine glitter would have looked nice...;-) Im going to try it on my small fountain. I bought a small epoxy test kit....;-) Thanks for sharing!

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Yes that would. Just make sure to sprinkle it on top of the last wet coat. If you just mix it in, it may very well disappear into the coating.

[@juliatanoukhi5824]

Thank you fir the video. Easy to follow. I will do this on my birdbath this week. I have a large three tier fountain that needs restoring. It was painted. How do I restore it. Do I sand it? …Use the same solution you did…? …what’s the best product to use to paint? I want to do this project soon. We moved in a new house and this is the focal point in our entrance.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Every water feature brings new challenges. As we have not seen or heard of the details of your project, we suggest you give us a call to talk about it. Generally prep and application are roughly the same, but there may be other details about your fountain project that require adjustments.

[@debradoucet8847]

Just the video I needed to see. Thank you.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

You are welcome.

[@user-yo6sj2td5n]

After applying all the epoxy ..just an idea..paint it like blue or green or whatever color you want..would look more appealing I believe. Just my opinion.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

We do have a bunch of other colors to choose from as well.

[@acrescircleacrescircle2177]

Is epoxy toxic to birds?

[@elsagrace3893]

Did someone dropyou on your head as a baby?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

No as long as it is mixed and applied properly and allowed to cure properly.

[@4richcarter]

I have the same question… Any chemical eventually where is down and I would suspect over the long haul it would not be good for the birds… Would you like that stuff in a cup and drink water out of it?

[@bbarror]

My dad used to use a netting/gauze like material under the epoxy. Any idea what that would have been? We had a fish hatchery. My bird bath is fiberglass I think. Ty

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

No idea. You'd have to ask your Dad and ask him why he did that as well. I am not sure what it would have been.

[@marshamanuel9781]

Maybe it was fiberglass?

[@kismyc0untryazz-491]

Sounds like fiberglass to me. He may have used it to strengthen the project, or used it to add in shaping the project.

[@Happydays147]

I'm thinking I'm going to make my own concrete bird bath, do I need to treat the new concrete with anything

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Acid etch it after it has cured the appropriate amount of time. You can use our new user friendly Surface Prep seen on pondarmor.com

[@hmh3808]

Thanks for the demo. Can this product be tinted?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Unfortunately, no. We do have a variety of colors to choose from though.

[@Aphrodite987]

how would you finish it to look new and no old concrete showing. make it look more like marble or ceramic

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

You might have to visit a concrete store to purchase a rendering material to go over the top of the surface to ultimately smooth it out and make it look like new concrete. This birdbath was very old and the concrete was deteriorated quite a bit.

[@loverlyme]

@@PondArmorEpoxy I kind of think that, with all that damage, it might have been easier to use the old bath as a mould, and cast a new concrete piece from it.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

@@loverlyme Sure if one has the skills.

[@hmh3808]

You can skim coat with a new smooth thin, thin layer of cement, allow each coat to dry in between and build up, If you want to refinish your old cement birdbath- it worked for me . (Lasting well year 9) you do have to use the surface prep and make sure it is spotlessly clean, so that the new skim coat doesn’t flake off eventually and don’t be impatient. !! Let it cure completely in between VERY thin layers -(I applied w one inch putty knife,)Scuffing each layer for the next to grip onto. You can also use a super adhesive primer if you’re worried about the first skim coat adhering properly….sand down any high points or ridges before completely dry and vacuum clean before clear coating or applying another skim coat. The last skim coat can be the thinnest and painted on just to fill any divots… I spent a week refurbishing an old birdbath dish - doing two thin coats a day each with half a day drying time - so if you want to use the same material as the bath you need patience but I think it’s well worth it in the end! Many thin coats better than a few thick ones when patching cement!

[@catherinerehula527]

I want to add color to my birdbath during fixing the concrete, it is extremely bad and your video has helped me understand the process. Can I add color?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

The only color you could add would be mica powders. Bear in mind that anything you do add to the Pond Shield could quite possibly negate any non toxic attributes and depending on how much you add, could also damage the chemical ability of the coating to cure properly quite possibly causing an issue where toxins leech from the finished product.

[@martinmercerjr8615]

Will this work for Ceramic statues, that has a bucket where water is pouring into it? I use everything to try to stop it from leaking. I waterproof Gorillas seal and Flex seal waterproofing. But it still leaks

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Ceramic is too smooth. You'd have to really rough it up by sanding in order to get a coating to stick properly.

[@lindapeiker5786]

Flex seal does work but spray it on the outside of birdbatg. I did and it works.also this bird bath is sold at lowes. This is not an old or vintage birdbath

[@rayray877]

It looks white, apparently, when sealed this way. The bird bath We have that leaks is made with little stones all over it. Is there a thick CLEAR sealant I can apply?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Yes we have Pond Shield clear.

[@barrythechopper]

I have an old cement birdbath but I cant work with muriatic acid. Is there some other method to clean it before adding the pond armor?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

You can use Surface Prep www.pondarmor.com/shop/pond-armor-surface-prep/

[@rogerzindler8144]

@@PondArmorEpoxy how about using a power washer to prep/clean it first?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

@@rogerzindler8144 That's a good start, but always acid etch concrete as the last prep step. It's cheap insurance to ensure all mineral deposits and calcium are removed from the surface pores. You can use an eco/user friendly material to prep with here: www.pondarmor.com/shop/pond-armor-surface-prep/

[@victordgarcia425]

Need to paint the exterior of our bird bath. It is a 3 tier bird bath. What product should I use to beautify and seal? Victor G

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Use Pond Shield non toxic epoxy for the interior. www.pondarmor.com/shop/pond-shield-non-toxic-epoxy-coating-quart-kit-1-5-qt/ and then use an exterior paint of some sort for the outside if needed.

[@loverlyme]

For the painting, I use a mix of concrete (or just cement if you have it) and paint. Mix the paint into the concrete and only add water if you need a thinner consistency. I have some plastic, metal and brass items I am using to make a bird bath. With the concrete added, they'll hopefully all appear consistent. I can't remember the name of it but there's a Rustoleum sealer that is especially for concrete. Hope this helps.

[@mollypitcher9380]

Pond shield

[@RavenPoe-bz7qx]

Is it possible to paint over this pond shield coating?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Sure, but most paint products usually do not last very long under water.

[@fludrbywest3886]

What’s the epoxies name ?​@@PondArmorEpoxy

[@yorkshirekoi2246]

need your help if possible I have created a filter box using your pond shield got a pack sent to me in the uk a grey color . But need to touch up a few areas with about 200mls at most any chance a and b art packs epoxy would do the job they say none toxic. Cant afford a another pack as its expensive to get it posted to the uk. ill be uploading a video on the project soon.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

I am not sure what you're asking me here. Please clarify.

[@firemedic10353]

They’re asking if they can use a non toxic epoxy to do 200 mls of touch up on their filter box they created utilizing your pond shield product. Advising the cost of shipping a new order of the “pond shield” to the UK is cost prohibitive. Basically will any Non Toxic epoxy work for their application. Hope that was of some help

[@yorkshirekoi2246]

​@@firemedic10353 Hi I would of thought this was simple. if they wanted to go the extra mile they could send me another pack free of charge as the video promotes the brand. Any way it would seem epoxy is sold by many companys the question is non toxic art epoxy the same as their product. I get the feeling pond shield is a overpriced product with a fancy name. Thanks for making your comment firemedic... epoxy in 2 parts is available world wide by many companys. sadly not every one has a good brain. many thanks regards.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

@@firemedic10353 Thanks.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Not just any non toxic epoxy will do. It really needs to be an underwater service type of coating like Pond Shield is. Very few types of coatings can be installed in a submerged environment.

[@sheilabousson5117]

Can you color the epoxy to make it match the grey better?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

The ONLY thing you can add and it does have its risks, is mica powder. A small amount usually works fine in the coating but a lot can cause issues with making the coating not watertight in the end. Use sparingly and at your own risk.

[@saby8765]

I have one of these sitting in my gard n, no idea what to do with it

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

We coated this one simply because water would drain right through it within the day.

[@luzberenguer9217]

I really do not like the the natural concrete is covered, I like the raw concrete

[@kathleenchael3756]

Is the product? How do I buy it?

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

Pond Shield. Purchase it here: www.pondarmor.com

[@BirdBath1]

⭐👍

[@Evolutionistz]

🐦💫

[@BirdBath1]

⭐🦅

[@susanszczebak9532]

I did not see any bird go into the water.

[@johanna6050]

The birdbath is a little too deep so birds don't feel safe. Also, the sides are rather high so even if the depth of the water is lowered, it's difficult to watch out for predators.

[@yorkshirekoi2246]

your pond shield is total rubbish.. I have a few points first of all when I asked for some to finish a small job you could have sent me some as good will. Instead I had to spend more bloody money on this stuff. I asked you if Art none toxic resin could do the job and your response was a joke...1st point its inconsistent it sets very past in a small tub or one of the tins supplied and yet takes hours to set when applied onto a planter box. ( box made of plywood) I ruined a total full load because the tin had gone rock solid tin was red hot. 2nd point after having bought another pack. I thought maybe I had a bad batch... So bought my 3rd pack. I applied it again to cover an area that was soft and gooey it never dried as such the coating had to be ripped up. I started again on that area after sanding it down which was a job in itself . Applied another coat 50% part A and part B. The coating after 1 hour was still not dry.. In the mean time I made another batch this being batch 2.. batch 1 was still not dried. Left batch 2 to sit in a plastic mixing container for about 5 minutes. I came back checked batch 1 on the wood still wet batch 2 was rock hard total solid what the hell is going on this stuff is inconsistent Ive spend £150 on this stuff its useless and a waste of time I would be better off using fibreglass resin instead... I am not happy and your attitude when I asked for some advise on if art resin could be used as an alternative was very rude. regards.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

I am sorry you had a bad experience. I am curious as to who you received your tech support from. I will say that in your description it seems some of the instructions that come with the kits were not followed or may have been altered. You cannot skip instructions or alter them and expect a positive outcome. If you'd like to talk more about this, you can email me at [e-mail]. I'll be happy to help.

[@yorkshirekoi2246]

your pond shield is total rubbish.. I have a few points first of all when I asked for some to finish a small job you could have sent me some as good will. Instead I had to spend more bloody money on this stuff. I asked you if Art none toxic resin could do the job and your response was a joke...1st point its inconsistent it sets very past in a small tub or one of the tins supplied and yet takes hours to set when applied onto a planter box. ( box made of plywood) I ruined a total full load because the tin had gone rock solid tin was red hot. 2nd point after having bought another pack. I thought maybe I had a bad batch... So bought my 3rd pack. I applied it again to cover an area that was soft and gooey it never dried as such the coating had to be ripped up. I started again on that area after sanding it down which was a job in itself . Applied another coat 50% part A and part B. The coating after 1 hour was still not dry.. In the mean time I made another batch this being batch 2.. batch 1 was still not dried. Left batch 2 to sit in a plastic mixing container for about 5 minutes. I came back checked batch 1 on the wood still wet batch 2 was rock hard total solid what the hell is going on this stuff is inconsistent Ive spend £150 on this stuff its useless and a waste of time I would be better off using fibreglass resin instead... I am not happy and your attitude when I asked for some advise on if art resin could be used as an alternative was very rude. regards.

[@PondArmorEpoxy]

I am sorry you had a bad experience. I am curious as to who you received your tech support from. I will say that in your description it seems some of the instructions that come with the kits were not followed or may have been altered. You cannot skip instructions or alter them and expect a positive outcome. If you'd like to talk more about this, you can email me at [e-mail]. I'll be happy to help.