I would recommend going with Krylon (K-mart, Michaels, etc) Preserve It!. For $3-$6 per can, you really can't beat it. This is probably going to be the cheapest route without sacrificing too much durability of the protective barrier.

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Product Description:

  • Guards against moisture and UV fading
  • Ideal for protecting digital photos, address labels, greeting cards, scrapbook materials, artwork and more
  • Acid-free/Archival-safe
Dry to Touch
10 minutes
Dry to Handle
2 hours
For use with:
Wood, Metal, Wicker, Plastic, Glass, Plaster, Ceramic, Paper, Paper Mache, Dried Silk Flowers.

Color Offerings
Clear Gloss
  • Clear Gloss - Available in 11 oz. - 7026

  • Clear Matte - Available in 11 oz. - 7027

Some Krylon safety tips:
  1. Stay out of the heat and away from fire.
    Keep away from heat, sparks and open flame. Don't smoke. Extinguish all flames, pilot lights and heaters. Turn off stoves, electric tools and appliances, and any other sources of ignition.
  2. Keep aerosol cans away from heat sources, too.
    Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight or heat from radiators, stoves, hot water and other hot items that may cause bursting.
  3. Leave the can whole.
    Don't puncture, incinerate or burn aerosol cans. Don't discard cans in a trash compactor. But do recycle them when empty.
  4. Ventilate, ventilate, ventilate.
    Vapors are harmful, so avoid continuous breathing of spray mist. Spray outside whenever possible. When spraying inside, open windows and doors or use other means to ensure fresh air entry during application and drying. Wearing respiratory protection is also helpful - most hardware stores sell a variety of painting masks.
  5. Keep paint on your project, not on you.
    Avoid contact with your eyes and skin. Wear gloves or wash your hands after using.

Note: There are certainly cheaper Krylon varnishes and sealers, and I have used them before, but Preserve It! has been my favorite of them for a while now. I use it on almost all of my HA projects. On the other hand, there are plenty more manufacturers of sealers out there that probably sell them for cheaper. I have used quite a few of them, but I wouldn't recommend them. I would recommend, however, that if you could afford it, to go ahead and use the Testors gloss/matte method...but if you're anything like me, you'd like to save a buck or two if you can.

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