Directions for care of carvings

In order to ensure that your carving will last, you will need to put a finish on your carving. Your carving has a coat of linseed oil on it for temporary protection. I recommend a marine outdoor varnish or spar varnish be applied to your carving (except the bottom) after a couple of days of purchase, when the linseed oil is dry to the touch. This varnish is available at your local Wal-Mart or hardware store. Apply 2-3 coats to help protect your carving. Shading or protecting your carving from the direct sunlight will help in the process. Varnish the bottom of the carving 6 months after the initial coats. Do not place your carving on carpet until the carving is completely varnished. Some carvings may have already received coats of varnish if so please follow the advice listed above regarding shading and later protective coats.