Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Point me in the right direction, please!

I'm not as much of a sign freak as I am a gas pump freak but I have a few porcelain signs that I want to restore one day down the road. Can anyone point me to any info on "how to restore porcelain signs?" Any help is sincerely appreciated! THANKS, Neal Dunn gpf

Neal, It has always been my opinion that porcelain signs should not be restored. Remember....MY opinion...since the history of the sign is in the chips and wear. Now having said that...let me say that I have seen Mike Salama's work on several signs at an auction and they were perfect. You might speak with him on the subject. It has been difficult, at auction, to determine what to pay for a restored porcelain sign....because the real value in porcelain is in it's originality. It is sort of like doing a repro porcelain sign and selling it like an original....MY OPINION ONLY...

Neal - Go to my 12-15-03 Posting of sign restoring by American Garage in showcase. Maybe this'll help. I treat any
chips and deep dents in porcelain like it was a car finish. you can use red spot glazing putty on the shallow spots and
bondo on deeper spots (I used a product that came in a aerosol can and dispensed like an ice-cream machine...only thinner then sets up in direct sunlight in about 20-30-mins). finish that off with sanding and layers of spot putty again then match
as close the color of paint to finish. This worked well on the Socony sign I did.
CHECK IT OUT IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!!!!!


HAPPY COLLECTING IN YEAR 2004
----DOC Of The American Garages-------

[This message has been edited by THE AMERICAN GARAGE (edited 12-30-2003).]

Hi Neal, well....I bought one of Mike Slama's Texaco Dbl sided flanged signs at Freds this year and could't be happier with it. I don't have to, but I tell anyone that looks at it that it was repaired..... then the fun starts as they try to find out where...... no one yet has found it. I wouldn't do it on every sign, but if it adds to the life and dosen't look like a repair like some you see have goobs of an off color that pulls your eye right to it, then NO, leave it as is. Hats off to Mike Slama!

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Elden