Sculptors employ multiple strategies to protect their works from extreme temperature fluctuations, ensuring longevity and structural integrity. Material selection plays a crucial role, with artists often choosing bronze, stainless steel, or specially formulated stone composites known for their low thermal expansion coefficients. Many contemporary sculptors incorporate expansion joints or flexible connectors that allow materials to naturally contract and expand without cracking.

Advanced techniques include applying microcrystalline wax coatings that create moisture barriers while permitting breathability, or using patinas that stabilize metal surfaces against thermal stress. For outdoor installations, sculptors frequently design concealed drainage systems to prevent freeze-thaw damage in colder climates. Some artists even engineer hollow cores in large stone pieces to equalize internal and external temperatures gradually.

Modern sculptors increasingly collaborate with materials scientists to develop custom composites incorporating fibers or aggregates that improve thermal stability. Many also conduct accelerated aging tests using climate chambers to simulate decades of temperature cycles before final installation. These combined approaches allow sculptures to maintain their artistic vision while enduring environmental challenges across generations.