Aging Sheet Metal

To make a piece of galvanized metal look old and rusty and chippy and have a wonderful patina takes years of outdoor wear.

Aging sheet metal.

The best part is you probably already have all. In this post i ll show you step by step how to age galvanized metal the super easy way. It can be the lichen on old buildings and bridges unchanged for centuries or the look of a well loved piece of antique furniture. Have you ever wondered how to age metal.

Galvanized metal is usually zink or iron with a coating of steal sealed over it to prevent it from rusting. I ve read about aging metal using chemicals but i didn t have those materials on hand. Be sure to follow all safety warning on product labels protect your skin and eyes. Work in a well ventilated space preferably outdoors and keep all chemicals away from children and pets.

The aging process helped take the shine off of the entire surface as well as etching into the metal to give a nice patina. Here is a side by side comparison of the brand new metal and the aged metal. Once removed by renovation the patina will never be the same. But if for some reason your metal still looks too new for you liking just repeat the process.

Stonegable s aging galvanized diy. Do not mix the lysol with the home made patina solution. Bleach and ammonia in combination are dangerous. Then put the metal on a plastic sheet in an open or well ventilated area and put on safety glasses gloves and a long sleeved shirt to protect yourself from the chemicals.

To age the metal i decided to hand paint the aged metal patina. We can get that look at home and it doesn t require much time at all. You ll be amazed at how beautifully this turns out. To age galvanized metal start by sanding it with 80 grit sandpaper until it no longer looks shiny and slick.

Here s a way to speed the natural process of the steal coating wearing off. While many metals may have their properties altered through heating and quenching or work hardening some metal alloys are specifically formulated to be aged aging can alter the physical and aesthetic properties of an alloy to give it characteristics quite different than its unaged form. Here is the stock image from amazon. You should be left with beautifully aged metal.

The planter is a little too shiny for my liking so i thought i d try my hand at aging it to give it a more rustic farmhouse look.