How to Repair A Broken Garden Statuary

Put on rubber gloves and use paint remover made for concrete, such as a gel paint remover, to remove all paint from your statuary. Spread a thick layer of gel on your statue using an inexpensive paint brush and let the gel sit, checking every 30 minutes to see if the paint has lifted. When the paint has lifted, scrape the gel and paint off with a scraper.

Remove all loose rocks, soil and foreign material from any holes or cracks in your statue and clean the statue before starting repairs. If you have a concrete or cast stone statuary, wash it using ordinary household cleaner, water, and a scrub brush. Allow your statuary to dry completely.

Mix enough of the 15-minute epoxy you think you can use in a few minutes--you can always mix more if necessary. The 15-minute epoxy activates after you mix the two ingredients together, according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Apply the epoxy mixture to each of the broken statuary pieces. Fit the pieces together and hold the pieces tightly for 15 minutes until the epoxy resin sets.

Wipe off excess epoxy immediately from your statuary using a clean rag. The epoxy hardens quickly; if you cannot wipe it all off in time, use a plastic scraper. Let the epoxy dry for 24 hours.

Mix a batch of anchoring cement with one part drinking water to three-and-a-half parts anchoring cement powder. Use only drinking water--large amounts of soluble salts in non-drinking water can affect the cement powder negatively. Measure the ingredients exactly, adding the water a little at a time until you have a paste-like, pourable mixture. Mix the anchoring cement powder and water quickly for about 2 to 5 minutes.

Fill up cracks or holes in your statuary using the mixed anchoring cement on the clean, dry surface. Use only the amount you need for the job; anchoring cement dries quickly in about 15 minutes. Work the cement into the holes or cracks using your rubber-gloved fingers.

Allow the anchoring cement to set and harden for an hour.

Repaint your statuary if you had to remove the paint before cleaning it, or leave it unpainted. Some prefer the unpainted, weathered look of garden statuaries.