Using Woodland Scenics Realistic Water

[rynd2it]

I am experimenting with Woodland Scenics Realistic Water and getting some mixed results.

My latest has been to start building up the depth in a canal basin, I made sure all was sealed by lining the joints (previously sealed and painted) with Water Waves - this worked. I poured the first 1/8" layer of Realistic and after 30 odd hours its still very soft - and the temperature in my workroom is over 24 degrees. This does not gel (sorry) with the WS manuals. Any idea why it's taking so long?

[mike morley]

A bit late to this, and I'm afraid to say your experience is typical.

 

WS's Realistic Water is notorious for many things, not least of which is the considerable time it can take to set.   I believe they claim it sets in two hours, but I found it would go off in two days if you were very lucky, but two weeks was more like it and two months far from unknown.  It also shrinks considerably when drying, resulting in a pronounced meniscus around the edge, and it wicks badly, too if it gets within sniffing distance of any ground cover.  

 

I realised it was a bad buy the first time I used it but because it was expensive I persevered with it rather than taking the sensible course of action and throwing it away.  I've since bought a tub of Mig's equivalent but have not yet used it to find out how it compares.  It cannot possibly be any worse.

[rynd2it]

I finally solved most of my issues buy layering a very thin coating of Deep Pour water to bring back the level, unmarked surface and when it was dry, gave a coat of clear hard gloss varnish. The result is not perfect but it does work.

 

Woodland  Scenics support was very responsive but not very helpful as they could not answer the questions of why it happened

[mike morley]

Almost forgot.

I noticed that for some months after it had eventually gone off, a hot, humid day could make it go cloudy.  That phase does eventually pass.

[swisspeat]

Storage of water products is pretty crucial. Do you have any idea how old the fluid was before you used it? Where was it stored before use? If it was in an old shed it might have “gone off” and sadly might be not very useful. I have scrapped off inset gels before, repainted the base with acrylic paint and started again. The second time it worked ok oddly. 
 

peter

[mike morley]

12 hours ago, swisspeat said:

 Do you have any idea how old the fluid was before you used it? 

 

The first time I used it was within days of buying it.  Subsequent uses were spread over a few years but without any significant difference in the way it performed.

[swisspeat]

Interesting. I have worked with most water fluids and at one time or another had problems with almost all of them!

 

One aspect of making a water feature that makes me nervous is the dried water going cloudy. This can happen when using any of the water fluids because adhesives such as PVA and some paints can react with the water fluid. I poured on what looked to be a lovely clear layer of water only to find the next morning the entire water feature had turned cloudy. There are several  steps that can prevent the water going cloudy.

 

Once you have shaped the base of the water feature I have found that covering it with a thin layer of plaster such as Woodland Scenics Hydrocal plaster and leaving it to dry thoroughly is a good way to seal the base and to prevent leaks.  Apply the plaster up the banks of the water feature as far as you intend to pour the water. Once the plaster has dried paint the base and sides of the water feature with acrylic paint such as Woodland Scenics Water Undercoat which in my experience are ideal for task. Various colours are retailed enabling different colours to be painted on to give the impression of different depths. Then leave this paint to fully dry overnight before pouring on any water fluid.

 

When making any water feature patience is essential. The time of year that you are making the feature and the location in which you are working need to be considered. Layers of water fluid will dry a lot slower in a damp garage than a warm living room. I recall one layer of water I poured took 10 days to dry fully in my garage in a damp December compared to 3 hours a few months earlier when I made another water feature in a sunny garden in July.