Anyone use UV protectant on their PLA?

[DBFIU]

For long term exposure to the sun and elements, has anyone used this krylon stuff, seems like it would really help long term survivability.

https://www.krylonindustrial.com/pro...c_clear_finish

[richardphat]

Is it worth the trouble ? I have yet to read complaints about PLA getting nuked by UV light...Yet, you will need to torture it by leaving on the sun every day, every week for a while.

You don't need to worry if you print your items and leave them indoors.

[DBFIU]

The parts im printing will be mounted outside and sit in daylight, I need them to last a long time. What do you think about the krylon?

[richardphat]

I am no expert about spray can, but I used krylon several times in the past. The closest thing I used that claims to protect against UV, was that krylon clear varnish. I can only tell you the product is quite straightforward to use.

[ssayer]

For what it is it looks ok. The problem (to me) is not so much the sun light as it is the sun heat. Anything PLA out in direct sunlight all day is going to need some help. I've seen too many cheap (sorry China) Chinese plastic yard ornaments droop in a day's time. I've got a couple of deck post owls that I made with PLA. I printed them hollow and will be filling them with quickrete and then just giving them a quick spray with a clear outdoor polyurethane spray. I'm thinking they'll stick around that way.

[DBFIU]

I just bought krylon FUSION in clear, and I sprayed some PLA parts. It made the parts look terrible. PLA is generally a very fine looking material because of its high gloss, this fusion stuff made it pale and discolored!!

Anything out there better then this that wont ruin a print??

[richardphat]

Now, I recall spray paint contrains acetone which discolored PLA.

Maybe XT epoxy?