Installing
a bronze sculpture from The
Large Art Company is a
fairly simple and
straightforward task.
In fact, one of the most
compelling reasons to buy
from us (besides great
prices, quality sculptures,
excellent customer service
and guarantee) is that we
offer a method for securing
your investment and are here
to guide you through the
process.
To begin, it
is important to point out
that not all statues require
permanent installation.
Bronze sculptures are not
high theft items. They
are usually very big and
heavy, so stealing one would
require several people and a
truck. Furthermore,
most people steal things
because they can sell them
quickly and get cash. Well, bronze statues are not
the kind of thing you're
likely to be able to
liquidate quickly compared
to a TV or stereo.
However, there are very good
reasons to permanently
install a sculpture
particularly if you have
safety concerns or if
vandalism could be a problem
in your area. Also,
some sculptures are more top
heavy and could fall over in
severe storms, etc.
When you place your order we
can talk about these issues
as it relates to your
particular sculpture.
For
a modest welding fee of $50
we can install mounting nuts
under the sculpture.
If you think of a nut and a
bolt, mounting nuts look
much like a nut except that
are usually longer (see picture
right).
The mounting
nuts we install accommodated
a 3/8" machine threaded
bolt. Don't let that
sound complicated because
almost any 3/8" bolt you
will see in the hardware
store is machine threaded.
link to 3/8”- 16 x 3’
threaded rod on Marsh
Fasteners.com
A convenient
piece of hardware that is
frequently used for
sculpture installation is
called "All-Thread."
This is basically a threaded
rod with no head at either
end. These allow you
to cut off (hacksaw) exactly
what you need. They
come in various lengths and
sizes (you want 3/8").
The length you need will
depend on your particular
situation. Other
type of hardware include lag
bolts and "J" bolts that are
also available in 3/8" size.
The first
thing you will need to do is
pick a location. I
highly recommend waiting
until the sculpture is
on-site before finalizing
this decision or initiating
installation. Once the
sculpture is in its
surroundings you may want it
facing a certain way or even
change your mind completely
about where it would look
best.
Once you have
selected the best location
for your new sculpture you
will need a foundation.
Most installations are done
using concrete, but these
same procedures apply for
granite or other stone
foundation as well.
The size of
the foundation you build for
your sculpture will depend
on the size of the
piece, how you wish it to be
displayed and weather
conditions in your area.
The most common installation
is ground level.
However, depending on the
situation you may also want
to consider a raised
installation to give your
sculpture more prominence in
its surroundings.
The
surface area should allow
for at least 2-3" border
around the base of the
sculpture. You don't
want to insert mounting
bolts at the very edge of
the foundation.
The depth of
the foundation will depend
on the size and weight of
your sculpture and the
weather conditions in your
area. If you are
working with a very large
sculpture, or you plan a
raised installation, it is
advised that you hire a
concrete professional as it
may be advisable to
reinforce the foundation
with steel rods (also known
as rebar). The minimum
thickness for a concrete
foundation is 4", however,
8-12" is common and some
areas of the country might
require even thicker
foundations. If
in doubt, seek professional
advice from a contractor in
your area. You don't
want to have to do this more
than once.
Many
sculpture installations are
meant to complement a
landscape. A concrete
foundation can often detract
from the overall look you
are trying to achieve.
If you are looking for a
very natural installation,
here is a tip. When building
the foundation, have the
surface be 2-3" below the
surface of the ground
surrounding the foundation.
This will allow you to fill
in the area with mulch or
top soil for a very natural
look (see picture left). You can even
plant ground cover in thin
topsoil for a dramatic
effect.
Once the
foundation is ready (new or
pre-existing), you will need
to drill holes into the
concrete. We are
frequently asked if there is
a template for drilling the
holes. Unfortunately,
since all of our sculptures
are made by hand, the
precise location of the
mounting nuts will be
slightly different with each
sculpture. As a
result, it is absolutely
imperative that you wait
until the sculpture is
on-site before drilling.
The first
thing you will need to do is
install the mounting bolts
(all-thread, lag or "J"
bolts) into the bottom of
the sculpture. For
small to medium sized
sculptures this can be
achieved by carefully laying
the sculpture on the ground
near the installation site
and screwing the mounting
bolts into the mounting
nuts. Depending on the
size of the sculpture this
process may require several
people . Then being
careful not to bend the
mounting bolts, lift the
sculpture and carry it to
the foundation and mark the
concrete where you will need
to drill your holes.
Then again lay the sculpture
to the side. (Very large
sculpture may require a
fork-lift or crane for
moving and positioning)
Drill holes
at least 5/8" in diameter
into the marked locations on
the foundation. You
can use a regular drill with
a concrete bit, but a
hammer drill is an excellent
tool for this job and you
can rent these at a tool
rental store. Keep in
mind that the precise size
of the holes will depend on
what type of mounting bolts
you are using.
Obviously a bolt with a head
on the end will require a
bigger hole. Also,
although the hole only needs
to be slightly larger that
the mounting bolts, the
tighter it is the more
accurate your drilling needs
to be. You may want to
bring the statue back over
and make sure the holes are
drilled properly by doing a
dry run before
moving to the next step.
Once you have
drilled the holes, fill the
holes approximately 75% with
an anchoring adhesive.
Epoxy is recommended as it
is actually stronger than
concrete and grips better.
There is an excellent
product I have found at Home
Depot called Anchor Fix by
Sika.
Anchor Fix on AceHardwareOutlet.com
It is a two-part (part A &
part B) in one chalk tube
with separate chambers
inside that mix on the way
out. The amount of epoxy or
concrete necessary will
depend on the diameter and
depth of the holes.
But keep in mind that the
mounting bolts are going to
force the epoxy
out of the holes so do not
overfill. Then
position the sculpture over
the holes and slowly lower
the mounting bolts into the
holes. Some of the
anchoring adhesive will
likely come out of the hole,
just wipe it away with a
disposable rag.
Acetone is an excellent
solvent for epoxy.
That's it!
Your sculpture is now
installed! We realize
this installation may be
daunting for some. If
you have any questions at
all please feel free to call
us. We are happy to
answer any questions you may
have about installation
(another reason to buy from
us) and even speak with your
installers while they are on
site even on weekends and
holidays because we know
that's often when these get
done.
Good Luck!
Supply
List (available at most
hardware stores)
- 3/8"
anchor bolts
link
to 3/8”- 16 x 3’ threaded
rod on Marsh Fasteners.com)
- Anchoring
Adhesive -
link to Anchor Fix on
AceHardwareOutlet.com)
Tools
- Drill (Hammer
Drill recommended) -
5/8" concrete/stone
drill bit
More installation pictures
(click picture for a
much larger
view)


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