How to repair fibre clay bird bath?

[kh17]

I have this bird bath and I’ve just discovered some holes in it. Apparently it’s made from fibre clay but I can’t find anywhere to buy this to repair it? Is there an alternative I can use that is bird safe and waterproof or can be waterproofed/sealed? 

I don’t want to get rid of it, so if it can’t be repaired any ideas for repurposing? It’s quite shallow but maybe could be used as a planter, if there’s something I can grow that doesn’t require much soil depth?Anything that would still attract birds?

 

 

[EricL]

Hello @kh17 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your bird bath.

It appears that your bird bath has been out of action for a while, but it looks like it can still be repaired. I suggest washing the surface of the bird bath with detergent and water in combination with a soft bristle brush to remove the moss and mould buildup on the surface. Once the surface is totally dry and clean, I recommend using PC-11 56g White Epoxy Paste. It cures underwater and dries off-white but is tintable and can be sanded. PC-11 is marine grade when cured and therefore, is safe to come into contact with drinking water.

I recommend patching all the weak spots of the bird bath and making sure to give the putty enough time to cure before you fill it with water. 

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[kh17]

Thank you, I’ll give this a go.

The bath has actually been used up until fairly recently (along with other water sources around the garden)- Willie wagtail liked to bath in it. I regularly scrubbed off the slimy stuff with a sponge or brush but after being away for a couple of weeks, when I went to clean it I saw the holes and didn’t want to scrub too hard to get into the grooves in case I made it worse.

Hopefully I can restore it and if I can make it smoother it will also be easier to keep clean!