# US 5,348,766 A · Method for marbleizing an object by dipping the object into paint floating on borax-conditioned water > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,348,766 A - Document ID: US5348766A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/000,615 - Filed: 1993-01-05 - Granted: 1994-09-20 - Earliest claimed: 1993-01-05 - Inventors: Elaine Latham - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5348766A ## CPC - B44F 9/04: of stone surfaces, e.g. marble - B05D 1/20: substances to be applied floating on a fluid - B44F: SPECIAL DESIGNS OR PICTURES - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) ## Abstract A method of using compositions and kits for preparing a flexible and permanent marbleizing coating on the surface of an object involves conditioning water with borax and testing the water, floating multiple color paints on the surface of the conditioned water, and dipping the object directly into this two phase liquid system. The color coating forms its own design on the water surface and does not need to be moved around. Small articles such as glitter, powders, beads, flakes, and fibers may be applied to the coated object before the paint dries or to the paint floating on the water. The coating may be transferred from the object to a second object by contacting these objects immediately after the dipping. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for coating a surface of an object with a design, comprising, floating a first oil-based paint containing at least one diluent on a surface of water which has been conditioned with borax sufficiently that a first drop of the paint placed on the water surface spreads in a layer over the surface sufficiently thin that the drop appears to disappear, floating at least one additional oil-based paint of a color different from said first oil-based paint on the surface of said borax-conditioned water, dipping an object into the water so that the surface of the object contacts the floating paint on the water surface, and removing the object from the water and drying the object to form a coated object which maintains the design. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising sealing the surface of the object before it is dipped into the water. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the oil-based paints are lead-free. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein the oil-based paints are applied sequentially to the water surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4 wherein after said paints are applied, the paints are moved over the water surface to form a pattern. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 wherein said object is a sheet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising contacting the coated object to a second object before the paint dries thereby transferring said coating to said second object. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1 further comprising adding an article, smaller than said object, to said coated object before the paint dries or to the paint floated on the water, wherein said article adheres to said coating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8 wherein said article is substantially much smaller than the object being coated and is selected from the group consisting of glitter, powder, beads, flakes and fibers. ### Claim 10 A method for coating a surface of an object with a design, comprising conditioning a quantity of water by adding borax thereto to form a borax solution, and permitting said borax solution to age for a minimum time of about thirty minutes, providing said borax solution in a container so as to define an upper surface of said borax solution, floating a first colored thinned paint on the surface of said borax solution so that a first drop of the thinned paint spreads in a layer with an outer peripheral edge over said surface sufficiently thin so that said first drop appears to disappear, floating at least one differently colored thinned paint on said upper surface of said borax solution within said outer peripheral edge of said first color to form at least a second color over said upper surface, dipping an object into said borax solution through said paints so that the surface of the object contacts the floating paints on the borax solution surface, and removing the object from the borax solution and drying the object. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10 wherein said object is substantially non-porous. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10 comprising permitting said floating paint on said borax solution surface to partially dry before dipping said object. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10 comprising creating a clean area on said borax solution upper surface after dipping said object and before removal of said object therefrom. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) A method according to claim 10 wherein said thinned paint comprises an oil-based paint thinned with a water-insoluble petroleum distillate diluent. ### Claim 15 A method for coating a surface of an object with a design, comprising conditioning water with borax so that paint will spread on a surface of said water and be acceptable for transferring to an article dipped into the water, adding a drop of paint to the surface of the so-conditioned water, determining whether the paint spreads on the water surface, adding additional borax to the water if needed until a drop of paint spreads on the water surface in a layer sufficiently thin so that said drop of paint appears to disappear, then floating a plurality of different colored paints on the surface of the conditioned water so that the paint spreads over the surface, dipping an object into the water so that the surface of the object contacts the layer of floating paint on the water surface, and removing the object from the water and drying the object. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15 wherein the paints are oil-based paints thinned with a diluent.