I received an email yesterday from Jan asking me:

I have a couple of questions.

1. I want to seal a resin decorative bird bath & protect the colors from the sun exposure. I need a sealer that is safe and non toxic for birds and would prefer a spray. Do you have any recommendations that come to mind?

2. I have several outdoor decorative pieces, such as and old reel mower, wood chair with birdhouse, old wooden wagon, etc, and I want to protect the wood from exposure to the outdoors. What is a good sealer for wood & metal? I agree with one of your previous answers about sealing things and that Thompson’s is not a very good sealer.

Thank you, Jan

My reply:

Hi Jan:
Thank you for contacting me and I hope I can help steer you towards the right products.

Whether the bird bath (or any other garden art or outdoor item) is made from resin or concrete; and whether the colors are inherent in the resin, or painted onto the surface of the resin or concrete, my recommendations for a product remain the same.

#1) To be honest, I don’t *think* (notice I say “think” – I’m NOT 100% sure) the toxicity level of a clear coat sealant such as Krylon spray clear coat paint is going to be toxic enough to kill any birds that stop by to bathe or take a drink in your bird bath.

I mean … if your experience is like mine with my bird bath, the water in the basin is normally almost completely splashed out by mid-afternoon or early evening. Plus it’s almost always kind of yucky with a few bird droppings, and other little pieces of vegetation, thusly I’ve got to swish it out and completely refresh the water on a daily basis (or sometimes even twice a day in hot weather). So it’s not like the water is in contact for a terribly long period, soaking up toxic ingredients from the sealer.

So, how much toxic build-up could there be? I’ve no clue, but I really don’t think I’d be jeopardizing the health of my feathered friends by using Krylon, or a polyurethane or clear acrylic brush-on product. Weed killers used on lawns are probably WAAAAAAY more toxic to our little bird friends.

On a side note … I lost a whole brood of newly hatched baby Bluebirds a few years back. I found their poor tiny dead bodies scattered on my lawn in different spots, but all rather close to the bird house. I couldn’t understand why (no blow flies in the nest, etc.) and then the went on … a neighbor a few doors up from my house had sprayed his yard and whatever he used, man! We could smell it all the way to our house.

Momma and Daddy Bluebird had been very busy all morning and afternoon bringing little grubs and bugs back to feed the babies. And I will bet the babies were fed bugs from the neighbor’s lawn. I am convinced the chemical that neighbor used was deadly to those babies. Just my own “motherly” hunch. However I digress here … back to sealants and toxicity.

I have read that DecoArt Patio Paints makes a non-toxic brush-on clear coat that does work for sealing items to be used outdoors. I will *assume* (again I’m not 100% sure) that it can hold up to exposure to water 24/7, as will happen in a birdbath basin. This product will however be more expensive to use versus a product like Krylon.

But of course it’s your call! And if you can educate me otherwise as to the toxicity level in Krylon or a polyurethane clear coat as it concerns birdbaths, please do tell me.

#2) As far as what is a good sealant for wood or metal – I’d go and ask the sales reps in the paint department at your local paint store or big-box store. (Though I do understand “sometimes” the sales reps do NOT have a clue about any of the products that are in their department … been there and experienced that personally too often! Maybe ask a couple different people at the paint counter just to be safe!  )

However, I know Krylon spray will do a good job on metal. As far as wooden items – I’ve never personally sealed any wooden outdoor furniture, so can’t recommend a product that worked really well for me, but I do know you want to buy a product that is considered a “water sealant”. And yes, do not use the Thompson’s product!

But whether your item is metal or wood, make sure to clean/wash off any dirt or grime, and then lightly sand it before you apply your clear coats. I’d apply at least 2, if not 3 good coats, allowing each coat to dry well before you apply the next one.

As far as the bird bath is concerned, make sure to let your clear coats dry really well (a day or two at least – depends upon temperature and humidity level) before you add water to the basin.

Best of luck with all your projects and do not hesitate to contact me again if the need arises.

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