Do-it-yourself icon restoration at home

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Restoration of the icon is simply necessary if it is very old and has lost its original appearance over time. This is especially true of family heirlooms that are passed from one generation to another.

Images become more fragile over time and can deteriorate from sudden changes in temperature, from high humidity or dry air. Old icons, the restoration of which can be carried out independently or entrusted to a specialist, should be stored carefully even after this procedure so that these problems do not arise so quickly in the future.

Common problems

Restoration of an icon is a very serious and responsible step. If you are not confident in your abilities, it is better to give it to professionals. It is also very important to recognize this or that problem in time and correctly.

The most common is:

• board shrinks under the influence of dry air;
• cracks appear;
• deformation;
• paint starts to chip;
• under the influence of humidity, the image becomes covered with mold or fungus.

It is required to correctly identify the degreedamage, and then timely restoration of the icon is required, so as not to lose it at all later. Often there are problems with the salary of the image, which eventually oxidizes and turns green, which significantly spoils the appearance of the icon. In this case, you can not remove it yourself, because awkward actions can do even more harm.

Many experts believe that the restoration of an icon at home by unprepared people cannot be done qualitatively, therefore, if you do not have such experience, it is better to give the shrine to professionals. If you have done at least a little of this before, you can try to put it in order yourself.

Working solutions

Do-it-yourself icons restoration is carried out through the use of special emulsions. Each of them has its own purpose:

• fish glue is used when fixing the paint layer, restoring wooden parts of icons and for preventive gluing;
• beeswax dissolved in gasoline helps to finish the ends of the wooden part of the structure;
• wax mastics of different content are used for peeling paint and when soil lags behind. With their help, they restore the wooden part and close up the cracks;
• alcohol solution is used to strengthen images that have been lying in a damp room for a long time;
• DDT solution helps when the icon is affected by insects;
• Emulsion based on water and yolk strengthens the paint when peeling in the form of blisters;
• Aqueous surfactant solution is used to clean dirt onsurface icons.

Features of processing an image affected by microbes

Most often, the defeat focuses on the surface. The restoration of the icon in such a case consists in disinfection and conservation. That is, in surface treatment, followed by the introduction of toxic substances inside, in order to destroy microorganisms.

It should be remembered that when working it is very important to observe safety measures. Be sure to cover cuts or wounds on exposed skin with a band-aid, don't forget to put on a gown and wash your hands after the procedure.

Features of preventive sealing

Restoration of ancient icons also includes such a stage, which is a temporary solution for the preservation of certain deformations in order to prevent their subsequent development.

So, the seal is applied for a period of one month to 3 years, it all depends on the degree of damage to the product and the conditions of its storage. It is impossible to exceed the term, otherwise the icon may undergo additional destruction. If there is a need to extend it, the seal must be changed.

This process is carried out by means of special working solutions of alcohol and tissue paper. Any of its other types can give a strong shrinkage and disrupt the already weak soil. The work is carried out with a wide bristle brush, roller and wet swab.

If there is mold on the surface, then the adhesive should be applied only after alcohol treatment. The paper must be cut into small sheets, the size of which depends on the degree of destruction.icons and their appearance. Glue is applied to the surface with a brush so that it is all covered evenly, while a lot of glue is not needed. The main thing is that after drying, a film does not appear, which can cause peeling of the paint.

Progress of work

Next, put the leaf on the surface, straighten it with a roller, without pressing. Pierce it with a surgical probe so that the adhesive is fully pressed.

In the future, you need to remove it either by steaming or with a wet swab. If it was initially applied correctly, it will move away without problems. If not, you need to use a special spatula, but here you should be careful not to spoil the icon. It is strictly forbidden to allow glue to remain on its surface.

How to strengthen primer and paint

Restoration of an icon may include strengthening measures. After all, its parts are subject to cracking, lagging of the soil and its damage, scratches, mold, cracks, burns and much more.

To fix the paint in case of peeling or swelling, you need to treat the surface of the icon with alcohol using a soft brush. The movements should be smooth, while making sure that there is a lot of mortar, otherwise the fragments of the paint layer of the artistic part may move with each other and you will damage the image.

Impregnation must be repeated if alcohol is absorbed strongly. After about half an hour, soak the places of strengthening with fish glue using a brush. Remove the remaining alcohol from the peripheral part.wet swab.

Saturate the surface with glue so that it is evenly saturated with it. Depending on the speed of absorption, the work will take up to 20 minutes.

After a couple of hours, apply a prophylactic patch with fish glue and press it with a wrung out swab. If there are long hard blisters of paint, then they should be laid with a fluoroplastic spatula.

Another half hour after gluing, iron the surface with a warm iron through filtered paper and fluoroplastic. It must be removed after 10 days. To do this, moisten the area with a warm swab based on cotton and gauze so that everything warms up a little.

How to remove surface dirt

Restoration of home icons rarely involves professional and painstaking work, because not everyone will be able to prepare a special cleaning solution and make a quality seal when necessary.

But even a person who does not have special skills can remove dirt from the surface of the image. After all, icons, unfortunately, eventually collect dust and other pollution.

How to remove dirt?

But cleaning the icon with a regular rag and water is also impossible. For work, prepare the following:

• water surfactant solution (for example, "Progress");
• anti-pollution emulsion;
• turpentine or gasoline;
• special solvents;
• soft brush (squirrel recommended);
• scalpel;
• dry cotton swabs;
• tampons moistened with alcohol.

Susing the listed tools and means, gently wipe the icon. There are different methods for cleaning it, depending on the type and intensity of contamination, as well as on its location and the general condition of the product.

For example, it is best to remove dust, soot, wax or soot with an aqueous solution. In it or emulsion, moisten the brush and treat the surface with rotational movements. Then wipe it with a dry swab. If even after this compacted dirt remains, remove it mechanically, but so as not to damage the image.

So, first we remove the wax with a scalpel, and then we dissolve its remnants with gasoline, colorful splashes are removed with special solvents, and litter or lime must be cleaned with a scalpel, while being as careful as possible.

Restoration of the icon is not for everyone. It is one thing to remove small impurities, and quite another to cope with cracks and deformation. So, if you are not sure that you can handle it and want to keep a family heirloom for another century, then it is better to contact a restoration specialist.