Care and Maintenance
All of our tours are designed to be as easy to maintain as possible. There are, however, a few guidelines that we ask you to follow.
If in any doubt - please just ask.
LEGO Models
Our models are fairly easy to maintain! You should not need to do anything to the models during our run. If something does happen, we have some standard procedures
If the model is uncovered (only the largest models are uncovered) and you notice something amis - please contact us with photographs. We can then advise. We will take photos of the model as it is installed, so we can refer back to these at any time.
You do NOT need to dust any of the models. We will dust them during install and unless the whole model is evenly dusted, any dust remaining will be very obvious.
If the worst happens and a visitor manages to damage one of the models (for example, a plinth may be pushed over) - please immediately take photos of the results. These will help us immensely. Any glued models will likely survive unharmed, or with some small scuffs or dents. Any unglued model may shatter - but photos of the results will help us re-assemble these.
After taking photos, please collect all the pieces into a box, contact us, and we will arrange to visit to repair the model or replace it.
Electrics and Lighting
Per NICEIC guidance, we will always recommend that plinths are put on your PAT test register instead of ours due to the length of time they are on display. We obviously cannot control what happens to them during a run. We can PAT test the plinths on install though, and pass these results onto you, but please note these will be numerical only. We do not provide a general PAT testing service or any certificates etc.
You should NOT need to adjust, rewire or alter any of the electrical items.
Perspex Hoods
The vast majority of our models come with hoods, to keep wandering fingers away. The clear hood supplied is made from Perspex or similar material The MSDS of which can be found here:
The Perspex hood provides a level of protection to your model, but is primarily designed to allow the model to be displayed in public without breakages due to the public interacting with the model. It is NOT designed to give the model additional structural integrity. Hoods may become smudged or dirty from visitors touching them. To clean;
NEVER use an abrasive cleaner, or ‘glass cleaners’. These will scratch and dull the perspex over time.
NEVER use any solvents such as methylated spirits, turpentine, white spirit or proprietary window cleaning products is neither necessary nor recommended.
NEVER scrape the sheet with squeegees, razor blades or other sharp instruments.
DO NOT place items on top of a hood - or encourage visitors to so the same.
CLEAN with water only and a micro-fibre cloth or chamois.
If a plinth does become scratched by visitors, it is likely that we can polish it out. Any scratches that cannot be polished out may be charged for. Even if the scratch does say ‘AWESOME’ (yes, that was a real scratch!).
Plinths
We have two types of plinths in use. Gloss and Matt.
Matt plinths can be found in Brick City and Brick Wonders for all the smaller plinths
Gloss plinths will be all other plinths. These are much harder wearing.
Matt plinths may be touched up using brilliant white emulsion if necessary. We may work with you to do this during the install. Gloss plinths should NOT be touched up as they us a sprayed finish which cannot be replicated without a spray booth. The paint on these plinths is far more resistant to marks though, so they are not likely to need to be cleaned.
If you do need to clean a plinth, we recommend;
‘Magic Eraser’ type products can remove many marks. These are abrasive, so try to clean softly at first. DO NOT use these on the gloss plinths.
‘100% Water’ baby wipes are great for removing most dirt. These can be used on both types of plinths.
Please DO NOT move any plinths without contacting us first. They are likely to be wired in place or require special handling.
Water, UV and other environmental factors
A few points to note about the exhibition;
WATER - with the few listed above exceptions - none of our plinths should come into contact with water. Although the LEGO will not be affected, MDF plinths and graphics will be.
UV - LEGO does fade over time due to UV, but this process takes about 10 years. We aim to replace all models before any UV damage is noticable.
Temperature fluctuations - if the temperature in your venue fluctuates by a large amount overnight (such as in a greenhouse / orangery etc), then this may have an effect on the LEGO models. They will expand in the heat, but do not contract well in the evening. This may mean that after a period of months - some of our unglued models will separate slightly. If this is the case - please contact us to see if the model does need attention or not.
SMOKE - our exhibitions should not be displayed in any area that allows smoking or vaping.
Fabrics - walling, skirts and graphics
The vast majority of our graphics are of the ‘Silicon Edged Graphic’ type. They are made from a printed fabric that is stretched over a frame. This makes them easy to transport and erect.
You should not need to clean any of our fabrics, but if they do become dirty or need cleaning, this can be done in a normal domestic washing machine. Clean at 40 degrees C, with a light detergent (such as you would use for woollen garments). This applies to out anti-viral wall graphics too. Washing them will not affect the anti-viral properties.
If you need to clean a skirt from one of our larger models, please note that they made from IFR fabric (inherent Fire Retardant) which will also not be affected.
Most graphics will dry within 24 hours.
