Products made of copper alloys (brass and bronze) are easy to paint dark brown. A mixture of 4 ml of ammonia, 5 g of potassium oxalate and 200 ml of vinegar essence is being prepared. It is necessary to cover the embossing with the prepared composition several times, allowing it to dry completely until it acquires the desired color.
The metallic gloss formed during such processing soon disappears, and the product acquires an even brown color.
Shades of green can also be obtained using a solution prepared from 5-10 g of copperhead yari, 10 ml of ammonia, diluted in 1 liter of water.
The product is immersed in the solution several times, after which it takes on an olive green color.
For further processing, another 1 L of water is added to the solution. The coinage is immersed in a bath for several minutes (the interval depends on the desired degree of color), then dried over a fire.
The operation is repeated several times until the metal acquires the desired color.
Products made of copper alloys are painted purple in the following way: the chasing is heated to 70–80 ° C and wiped with a piece of felt or cotton wool soaked in antimony oil.
The minting acquires a green color after surface treatment with a weak solution of copper nitrate with sodium chloride. After the product dries, it is wiped with a solution of 5 g of potassium oxalate and 10 ml of ammonia, diluted in 100 ml of vinegar essence.
In this sequence, staining should be carried out until the surface color turns dark green. To speed up the reaction, the minting is heated over a fire to a temperature of 50–60 ° C.
There is another way: the product, ready for coloring, is treated with a swab soaked in oleic acid. A layer of copper oxide is formed on the surface, which has a dark green color. After some time, it begins to fade and eventually becomes light green with a yellowish tint. To fix the color, the operation is repeated several times.
All shades of yellow can be obtained by treating the embossing with a neutral solution of acetic acid copper (yari copperhead).
In addition, the following composition is used: 20 g of sodium hydroxide and the same amount of milk sugar are thoroughly mixed in 1 liter of water and subjected to prolonged boiling. To the mixture is gradually added 20 ml of a concentrated solution of copper sulfate.
The solution is allowed to cool and the processed products are put into it for a short time, after which they acquire a golden hue. This processing method is often used for painting gold.
A more saturated color with a reddish tint is obtained after wiping the surface with a slurry of 4 parts of powdered chalk and 1 part of gold leaf, which are diluted with distilled water.
Sometimes a composition containing 15 g of ammonium sulfate, 10 ml of antimony chloride solution and 30 ml of water is used. It must be boiled and filtered several times, the sediment must be stirred in 2-3 liters of hot water. Add caustic soda for better dissolution.
The product is immersed in a bath and held until it acquires the desired color.
The embossing can be painted in a silver color with a solution of 40 g of tartar and 14 g of emetic stone in 1 liter of hot water. Then there is added 50 g of hydrochloric acid, 125 g of tin powder and 30 g of antimony. The composition is heated and the product is boiled in it until it is covered with an even bloom.
Another method of painting - mechanical - requires special equipment and skills. For this, powder paints or fine metal dust of various colors are usually used; for work, a spray gun, solvents and binders are needed, which leave a thin layer of a protective film on the surface of the product.
If all this is not there, then the powders are simply hammered into the metal with a mallet or flat embossing. It is better to repeat this process several times, in between rinsing the embossing under running water.
After this method of painting, surface treatment with varnish is required - colored or transparent, the choice depends on the desire of the master.
It must be remembered that varnishes become cracked and cloudy under poor storage conditions.
It is possible to apply metal particles to the product using special equipment under pressure. But this method is very expensive and is not always available to the master working at home.
From the book: Korshever N.G. Metal works
Usually, both pure black and gray coloration is obtained by the formation of copper oxide or copper sulfide on the surface of the thing. But both of these coloring can be achieved by the deposition on the surface of things of sulfur compounds of other metals - lead, bismuth, mercury, etc. Will the staining be completely black or light black, i.e. gray, depends both on the composition causing the color and on the time of action of the latter.
The parts must be prepared, the surface must be completely clean, free from traces of dirt and grease.
Chemical blackening
Hold the part for about five minutes in a solution in which 0.9 g of sodium hydroxide and 0.3 g of ammonium persulfate (NH 4) 2 SO 8 (it is used in photography) fall on 100 ml of water. Solution temperature 90-100 o C.
In a solution of potassium chloride, nickel sulfate NiSO 4 and copper sulfate CuSO 4 (respectively 4.5, 2 and 10.5 g per 100 ml of water) at the same temperature, copper and brass will acquire a pleasant chocolate shade.
Formation of black copper oxide on the surface of things.
For the formation of black copper oxide on the surface of things, the heated thing is immersed for a few seconds in a solution of copper in an excess of nitric acid and then held over a charcoal fire until its surface begins to turn black. To obtain a uniform and sufficiently thick black color, the operation is repeated several times, otherwise the color will not be completely black, but grayish. At the end of staining, wipe the thing with a cloth soaked in oil. This is how optical instruments are usually blackened.
Blackening of brass and bronze.
For brass and bronze, you can also use the following solution: 2 parts of arsenic (not arsenous!) Acid, 4 parts of hydrochloric acid, 1 part of sulfuric acid and 80 parts of water. Arsenic acid can be replaced with antimony oil (antimony trichloride). The thing is immersed in a solution heated to 50 ° C, and during the immersion they touch it with a zinc stick.
Metallic gray staining.
Very good staining is obtained by a solution of a double salt of sodium sulfate and lead: dissolve 45 g of lead sugar (lead acetate) in 3/4 liter of water, and 150 g of sodium sulfate (hyposulfite) in 1/2 liter of water. Mix both solutions and heat to 85-93 ° C. The surface of a thing immersed in a solution very quickly becomes covered with a layer of lead sulphide. The color of this layer changes as it thickens and finally becomes very beautiful - metallic gray.
Black staining with bismuth sulphide.
Likewise, a bismuth sulphide black coloration is obtained. To do this, a thing painted, as explained above, with a bismuth nitrate solution in brown, must be immersed while still hot in a strong solution of sulfuric liver (Hepar sulfuris) - the brown color quickly turns black.
We offer painting with metallized paints:
- Brass look;
- Under bronze;
- Copper;
- Gold;
- Aged metal;
One of the services of our workshop is painting various products with imitation of natural metals with a patina and aging effect. The technology makes it possible to apply metallized paint to almost all types of surfaces: metal, plastic, wood, plaster.
samples of painting for brass
When choosing the required painting option, you can be guided by the samples presented in our production. It is also possible to select paint according to the customer's sample.
The quality of the topcoat is provided by the varnish:
- high gloss acrylic car varnish;
- high strength polyurethane gloss varnish;
- matt polyurethane varnish with a gloss step from 5 to 50%
To create an aging effect, we use a patina on solvents. The patina is applied over the base coat of paint and, using various abrasive sponges, a sanding effect is created in different directions.
Painting the heated towel rail "under brass".
painting chrome surface 
heated towel rail for brass 
brass plating
Heating radiator painting for brass.
bimetallic radiator 
radiator painting under brass 
finishing layer - glossy varnish
Below in the photo is the painting of the bathroom fittings "in bronze" with the patina effect. Covering with glossy varnish.
painting products in bronze color 
finishing layer - acrylic varnish 
antique bronze finish
The chrome plating is removed before painting.
repainting chrome in bronze 
priming 
painting fittings in bronze
Chrome-plated handles in antique bronze.
painting door handles in bronze 
antique bronze handles 
finishing varnish
Painting installations, drain buttons.
The photo shows samples of painting with the effect of "Antique brass" under a glossy and matte varnish.
drain buttons for brass 
painting buttons for brass 
repainting the button in brass (glossy varnish)
Grohe button painted in brass 
GEBERIT button before painting 
the button is painted in brass (matt lacquer) Painting the shower cabin "antique brass".
Initially, the cab details were chrome-plated, anodized aluminum profiles.
painting of aluminum profiles 
details after painting 
painting of a shower cabin under brass
Painting of trade equipment in brass color.
work in the spray booth 
surface for old brass 
shop equipment after painting
Sink painting in bronze.
An excellent example of the durability and strength of polyurethane clear varnish is the painting of mechanically stressed items such as kitchen sinks. The sink is constantly exposed to mechanical stress. The varnish applied to the surface in three layers and fully polymerized (after painting up to 10 days) perfectly withstands all loads.
washing before painting 
priming 
painting the sink in bronze
Repainting of decorative caps for a lantern in aged bronze.
To protect the street lighting fixtures, we have custom-made decorative caps for our customer. The items were originally white. Vain attempts to spray paint resulted in damage to the product. We had to grind the product, apply a primer insulator to prevent the first layers from undermining. Then the item was painted in an old bronze look and covered in 2 layers of matte polyurethane varnish.
product before painting 
painting - antique bronze 
finishing layer - matte varnish
Copper painting
The metal housings of the lamps for the restaurant were painted.
metal lamp 
painting under copper 
copper-colored luminaire
Painting of parts of the rotary stand for "antique brass".
By order of the Petersburg Doors company, the elements of the trade equipment were painted to resemble antique brass. The parts of the turntable were pre-cleaned and primed. They are painted using the technology with decorative polishing. Acrylic car lacquer has an excellent gloss level and is reasonably durable.
products in the spray booth 
painting products under brass 
glossy varnish coating
To change the texture and give interior items a noble look, special paints are increasingly used to obtain the effect of a "metallic" surface.
Metallic paints are available in a wide range of colors and can imitate the shade of almost any metal. The finished surface takes on the color of brass, bronze, copper or gold, and additional processing with craquelure varnish gives the household items a unique antique look.
Advantages of metallized paints:
- Large selection of shades. You can get the effect of bronze, brass, copper or other metal.
- Used for external and internal work, wall decoration. They do not contain harmful substances and toxins.
- They are durable and will not fade over time.
- Painting products in wet rooms.
Such textured paints are used to decorate the interior and decorate various household items, including furniture, picture frames, candlesticks, etc. Interesting solutions can be obtained by finishing "bronze" or "copper" plumbing, mirror frame or other individual interior elements.
Metallized paint can be used to cover a fireplace, stucco or part of a wall, while the painted surface will emphasize both the classic style and perfectly complement the design in retro style or ultra-modern high-tech.
Application technology
If metallized paint is applied to interior items or furniture, then it is necessary to remove the old coating in advance. Before finishing, the surface should be cleaned of possible dirt and a primer should be applied. The key to the durability of painted products is, first of all, the use of correct, high-quality primers for various surfaces: for Plast Prime plastic and Acid 8 for metal.
The selected composition is applied in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, usually one layer is sufficient to obtain the desired effect. A metal-look design element can be left shiny or given an antique look with craquelure. The characteristic cracks that appear during the drying process of such a varnish will artificially age the treated surface.
The resulting effect can be emphasized with burnt umber, which is gently applied to a dry cloth. Excess should be removed until the composition is completely dry, and, if desired, cover the finish "like metal" with a layer of varnish.
When painting metal products, two goals are pursued: protection against the formation of corrosive areas and giving the metal an aesthetic appearance. Introducing the last task, sometimes it is necessary to cover the surface in 2-3 layers. But painting may not always be the end result. Sometimes metal products need to be given original decorative effects, for example, the look of an aged object. For this, special technologies are used. Let's try to figure out how to paint semi-antique metal and what is required for this.
The effect of aged metal can be achieved using the main method - aging through patina and the formation of abrasions. Patina is applied with special paints, but it is for metal that metallized acrylic-based compositions are often used. In stores today, a wide range of such paints is presented, in addition to the decorative function, they also perform a protective task.
You can choose from acrylic paints for aged metal, namely for:
- brass;
- bronze;
- copper;
- gold.
Thanks to modern technologies, the aged effect can be given not only to metal surfaces. Often, such painting is performed on plastic, wood and plaster products.
The aging process ends with the application of a finishing protective layer. To do this, they often use:
- acrylic-based varnish, which has a high degree of gloss;
- very durable polyurethane-based varnish with a gloss level of up to 50%;
- lacquer on a polyurethane base with a matte effect.
How to age metal yourself?
The choice of the method for creating an interior style, which assumes the presence of traces of antiquity in the design, is quite wide. For connoisseurs of this style, it is not always affordable to purchase real old items. The way out of this situation is to imitate ancient metals. How to properly paint semi-antique metal with your own hands? Staining is carried out in stages:
- Surface preparation for painting. We get rid of dirt, rust and traces of grease by grinding and solvent treatment.
- Metal priming. In this way, we achieve the formation of roughness on the surface for better adhesion of the paint. We choose a special primer for metal.
- Application of the selected metallized paint. Experts advise to carry out the process with a regular brush, so aging is achieved in the best way.
- Aging stage. When the paint dries, we cover the surface with a special craquelure varnish. It is after this step that the metal object is covered with cracks, which create the effect of an old product.
Important! If non-metallic surfaces are processed, then it is necessary to take a responsible approach to the choice of a primer composition in order to achieve reliable adhesion with metallized paints.
In the video: a master class on applying patina to forged metal.
Painting under bronze
In the old days, many items were made of bronze. Therefore, painting products for bronze will help to decorate the interior of the house in the old style. There are several technologies for coating metal with bronze. Let's consider the simplest options.
Giving a solid color effect
You can perform a monochromatic bronze coating of metal as follows:
- First of all, we clean the old surface from dirt and rust. To do this, you need to clean it with sandpaper, and then degrease it.
- To increase the adhesion of the dye to the surface, we perform the priming process on metal. In addition to adhesion, the primer will help to further protect the product from corrosion.
- At the finishing stage, we proceed to painting with paint in bronze. It is necessary to apply 2-3 coats evenly. But each subsequent layer is applied only after the previous one has completely dried.
Achieving the effect of antique bronze
Antique decorative painting with a bronze effect is suitable for lovers of rare things. To do this, follow these steps:
- A preliminary preparation of the old surface is carried out according to the same rules as in the previous case. Also, do not forget to cover the product with a primer.
- After priming, one coat of paint similar to bronze is applied to the surface. It is desirable that the composition is applied evenly, but for the effect of antiquity it is better to use a brush.
- After drying, the painted bronze surface is covered with a patina (paint of a darker color). It is applied to the grooves. Experts advise using a translucent patina. This allows the shade of the bronze finish to be adjusted.
- The next stage is glazing, that is, processing with a brush that is barely moistened with light paint. The process is carried out on all protruding edges and corners. This aging method allows you to give the product the effect of abrasion, which usually appears on metal over the years.
- Then we wait for a while, letting the applied materials dry completely, and in the end we cover the product with transparent varnish.
Antique brass painting
Textured metallized compounds can transform the product, giving it the imitation of brass. The processing technology is almost the same as those provided above. The surface is pre-cleaned, sanded and degreased. For aging, the technique of decorative painting is used for brass.
The application process is carried out as follows:
- Before applying decorative paint, the old coating is removed from the product. To do this, you can use a metal brush or sandpaper.
- The key to durability and reliability of painting is the primer. Use a compound specially formulated for metal.
- Brass paint is applied to the surface in one layer. The resulting coating can be aged by painting with craquelure. Burnt umber, which is applied very carefully using a dry cloth, will help enhance the effect. If surpluses have formed in the process of work, then they must be removed even before the substance dries.
- Finally, the surface of the painted and aged part is covered with a glossy acrylic varnish.
As you can see, design antiquity is achieved in simple ways. When doing work with your own hands, paints help to get the desired result, which create the necessary effect of a bronze, brass, copper surface.
You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.
Painting is a great way to improve and bring something to life. However, things are not so simple when it comes to items made of brass, such as lamps, fasteners and other products. However, brass can also be painted: the secret is to properly clean the surface and apply a primer before painting. As a result, the paint will lay in an even, even layer, adhere well to the metal and retain its original appearance longer.
Steps
Part 1
Prepare the surface- If you have detached any screws, nails, or other fasteners, save them so that you can reattach the removed part after painting.
- It is also advisable to check if the part you are interested in is actually made of brass. To do this, bring a magnet to it. Brass is a non-ferrous alloy and does not contain iron, so it will not be attracted to the magnet.
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Transfer item to a well-ventilated area. Painting should be done in a well-ventilated area such as a garage or room with wide open windows. This will protect you from harmful fumes. Also, wear a gauze bandage.
- Place an unnecessary rag on the floor to protect the floor from paint. Place the brass item on a rag, desk, or bench.
- Before you start painting, open the windows and turn on the ventilation so that harmful fumes do not accumulate in the room.
- When painting, protect yourself with a gauze bandage, gloves, goggles, or similar.
- Take care not to scatter dust around the room.
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Scrub the item with steel wool. One of the most important steps when painting brass is to properly clean the surface. This will remove dirt and corrosion and the paint will adhere better to the surface. Wipe the entire surface with steel wool and pay special attention to corroded and heavily soiled areas.
- After scrubbing dirt and corrosion off the surface of the part, wipe it off with a damp, lint-free cloth.
- The paint adheres better to rough surfaces, so steel wool can be used. Do not rub brass with steel wool unless you intend to paint it.
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Clean the surface with a degreasing agent. Remove grease, dirt and grime from metal surfaces before painting. If grease, dirt and soot remain on the brass, the paint will not adhere well to the metal. Dampen a lint-free cloth with degreaser and wipe the entire surface you intend to paint. Then wipe the metal with a clean cloth soaked in water and wait about 10 minutes for it to dry.
Part 2
Apply primer and paint-
Choose an appropriate color for spray paint. The paint should be suitable for metal: enamel, acrylic or oil paint, or other paints that dry to form a hard coating will do. Typically, metal paints are available as aerosols, although liquid paints are also available commercially.
- Do not use latex paints, as they do not adhere well to metal and are short-lived. Latex paint will only work if you have a high quality primer.
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Apply a coat of primer. For brass, a reactive or bonding primer is best. This primer is a mixture of acid and zinc and adheres better to brass than any other paint or primer. Shake the can of primer well and bring it 15–20 centimeters to the metal surface. Spray the primer in wide strokes from side to side. Apply the primer in a thin, even layer.
Apply several thin coats of paint. After the primer has dried, spray the paint in the same way. Shake the can and apply paint in sweeping strokes from side to side. To spray the paint in a thin, even layer, hold the can 15–20 centimeters from the surface.
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Apply a transparent protective coat. Once the paint is completely dry (usually about 24 hours), a clear top coat can be applied. This will protect the paint and metal surface and give it an extra shine. Choose a clear or enamel finish specifically designed for metal.
- Shake the can and bring it 15–20 centimeters to the surface. Spray the coating in even strokes to obtain an even layer.
- Set the part aside and wait until it is completely dry (follow the manufacturer's instructions). Protective coatings usually dry fairly quickly, sometimes in as little as 30 minutes.
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Separate the part if necessary. Some brass items, such as doorknobs, water taps, and hardware, are easier to paint when separated from the attachment point. There are also isolated items such as furniture, cutlery or lamps.