Polyvine Craquelure - Top

An easy to apply, two-part acrylic-based system for recreating the appearance of craquelure - the pattern of regular cracking seen on old porcelain glazes - on a wide variety of surfaces. Polyvine Craquelure is perfect for both interior decorating, for example in creating a decorative finish, or for smaller antiquing or decoupage jobs, such as decorating furniture or picture frames. Polyvine's water-based, acrylic formula results in a quick drying, low odour varnish that is easily rinsed from tools with water.

Please note that you need to buy both the base coat and the top coat to create the effect.

The crackle effect produced by craquelure can be accentuated with a crack highlighter which is available in either white or dark brown for a truly aged finish.

Coverage: 8m² per litre

Drying Time: 15 minutes to 1 hour depending on temperature. Humidity will affect drying times.

Instructions for Use

Application

Invert bottle to mix. Apply with a good quality brush. Craquelure performs very well between 16C and 21C. Performance outside this range is impaired. Seal porous surfaces with the Top Coat before starting and allow to dry. Apply a liberal coating of Base Coat to the surface, avoiding brush marks and unevenness. Allow to dry - the milky appearance turns clear but the surface remains sticky. Apply a coating of Top Coat avoiding brush marks and unevenness. As the Top Coat dries, fine cracks will appear. If the temperature is to high, play a fan or cold hair dryer over the surface.

Highlight the cracks if desired with Polyvine Crack Highlighting Medium

For Extra protection apply a coat of Top Coat.

Recommendation

Always try the technique on a test piece before embarking on the project. Walls and vertical surfaces need a lot of practice.