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19 March 2026 at 19:41 • 5 mins read
Understandably, most people want to prevent their cars and power tools from rusting, but some steel objects gain character from a beautifully detailed rusty patina. With a few household chemicals, it’s easy to expedite the oxidation process. The discussion below details some of the basic steps to give your outdoor decorations a charming, weathered look.
To give your steel, iron, brass, copper, or bronze the rusty finish you’re looking for, you’ll need to use a variety of different patina products depending on which type of metal surface you are looking to convert. For safety purposes, goggles and chemical-resistant gloves should be worn at all times when handling traditional patina products.
The surface of the material you are working on should be clean
and free of any dirt or grease. When working with iron, steel, or
aluminum you may want to remove rust and fire scale. The best method
for cleaning most materials is to sandblast. Different types of
blasting material may be used to retain the integrity of the surface
structure. Wire wheels or Scotch-Brite™ pads provide another method
of cleaning.
Please note: Solvent based
cleaners including acetone, paint thinners, and solvent thinners
should not be used during the surface prep of your material. Sculpt
Nouveau’s Metal Cleaner/Degreaser is a great metal cleaner. It works
on both ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
The Sculpt Nouveau metal cleaner and degreaser product is manufactured with built-in corrosion inhibitors that protect the metal surface while cleaning.
When cleaning iron, steel, or aluminum surfaces, the materials should be dried as quickly and as thoroughly as possible so rust does not begin to form. The metal should also not be cleaned until just before the patina is ready to be applied.
Traditional patinas are mixtures of chemicals that react with the surface of metal to create different colors. The most common formulas are available here as pre-mixed solutions. The Japanese Brown and Darkening patinas work particularly well on iron and steel.
Depending on the metal that is being used there are several different patina options, each providing their own unique coloration patterns.
Brown and darkening patinas are ideal for bronze, brass, copper, or the Metal Coatings. In addition, the Japanese Brown and Darkening Patinas create a beautiful finish on iron and steel. Brown and darkening traditional patina options include:
Blue and green traditional patinas are ideal for use on bronze, brass, copper, or Metal Coatings. Blue and green traditional patina options include:
Several metal finishes can be applied to your project’s induced rust patina to provide the protection you need for years of enjoyment. Metal finishes are applied following the final cycle of the rusting process after the piece has completely dried. Some of the metal finishes that are used to protect rust oxidation finishes include:
You can also achieve a rusted patina look for your project by
imitating a patina with oxidizing paint. A specialized oxidizing paint
or surfacer is required to properly replicate the rusted patina
effect. The rusted patina finishing chemical will react with the
surface of your piece to create a rusted patinated look that is
designed to last.
Red iron oxide colored paints can also be used
to imitate a rusted oxidation look. This premium oxidation primer
takes far less preparation and application time to achieve when
compared to traditional rust acceleration processes.
Industrial Metal Supply is one of the only locations where you
will find such a robust line of patina and patina-related products
in stock. Finishes, primers, sealers, thinners and surface prep
products are everything you will need to make beautiful and vibrant
creations with all types of metal.
Industrial Metal Supply is
the Southlands largest supplier of all types
of metal and metalworking accessories. Contact us to learn more
about our high-quality metal options for your next project.