Name in Limestone

[davrow]

Kind of like painting brick on a house.

Eddie, ya learn something new every day!

I thought the house had to be made of brick, I didn't know you could just paint them on afterwards!

(sorry, couldn't resist)

 

[Egon]

Interesting thread......I found a 'little' hunk of sandstone rock on my place that is about 8' wide and 10' tall, and about 2' thick. I managed to shove it down to my gate area with my bulldozer, then dug a trench about 4' deep, and got it upright. I plan to seal it with something and paint the name of my farm on it so when you come in the gate, you see it.

Another ancient mystery in the making!

 

[tornadowatchranch]

Interesting thread......I found a 'little' hunk of sandstone rock on my place that is about 8' wide and 10' tall, and about 2' thick. I managed to shove it down to my gate area with my bulldozer, then dug a trench about 4' deep, and got it upright. I plan to seal it with something and paint the name of my farm on it so when you come in the gate, you see it.

Not on the painting note but the carving side, I just tried some of the harbor freight carbide router bits in the cheapest harbor freight (I think 1/4 hp) router and it cut like butter!

On the paint side I will also call some of the local places that do this professionally and see if they will share their trade secrets. I will post back with what they say.

Tornado

 

[jaotguy]

keep a spray bottle of water to cool the bits after using them for a short time ... and spray the stone you are working on .. ( keeps the dust down )

 

[Cord]

Rather than a thick coating that moisture can get under, I'd go for a thin coating like a solid stain that can penetrate.

 

[dfkrug]

I plan to seal it with something and paint the name of my farm on it so when you
come in the gate, you see it.

What an awesome rock. If that is soft sandstone, you might try chiseling (manually or with power tool) your
farm name on it. If not up to the DIY, maybe you can hire one of those carvers who do tombstones and
don't use any paint at all.

 

[two_bit_score]

Interesting thread......I found a 'little' hunk of sandstone rock on my place that is about 8' wide and 10' tall, and about 2' thick. I managed to shove it down to my gate area with my bulldozer, then dug a trench about 4' deep, and got it upright. I plan to seal it with something and paint the name of my farm on it so when you come in the gate, you see it.

That's going to be an impressive entry!

 

[hunterridgefarm]

You could also try a concrete stain and then seal.

If you have several pieces to play with you could try leaving the letters natural and stain or paint the area surrounding the carved letters to compare the look.

 

[tornadowatchranch]

I talked to a company (now retired and closed) about 10 miles from where this rock was quarried for advice. They were more than happy to share secrets. They advised to just use plain ol rustoleum paint. flat or gloss is personal preference. They said that they always seal their rocks. The stuff they used was about $300 for 5 gallons as when they sold a rock they expected it never to have maintenance. Since I am handy and doing it myself to use any masonry sealer applied with a garden sprayer. They said to not trust at all the 10 year claims on the label and expect to do it every other year. Garden hose it clean one day and two-3 hot days later reseal it. Total time every 3 years about 20 minutes work. I got the rocks finished and in the ground the other day. I will post pics once I am done with the whole area. 5 friends that have driven by have already asked me to do one for them. I may have a new side business.

The person I got the limestone from will be excited. She was born on the farm she still lives on about 70 years ago. Her dad pulled them out of service as fence posts and piled them up when she was a teenager when he switched to T-posts. She estimates these were quarried about 100 years ago. The rocks are full of fossils. Pretty cool.

Thanks for reading

 

[sparc]

Interesting thread......I found a 'little' hunk of sandstone rock on my place that is about 8' wide and 10' tall, and about 2' thick. I managed to shove it down to my gate area with my bulldozer, then dug a trench about 4' deep, and got it upright. I plan to seal it with something and paint the name of my farm on it so when you come in the gate, you see it.

You could blast a nice design on that canvas if you had a bog compressor and the other equipment needed, or you might look up someone who goes around and does that ocemeteryry markers and headstones. Many times a Husband and Wife will buy a headstone before either one passes, then later it will need updating. They don't take the monument back to the shop, it will usually be done in place. There should be someone in the phone book who does lettering on markers and headstones, or you could ask at a local monument company or cemetery, they should know.