Coloring of brass and bronze. Acrylic brass paint (aerosol) Powder coating for brass

Painting metal in bronze is able not only to protect the material from the effects of excessive moisture, contributing to the appearance and spread of corrosion, but also to give its appearance a fair share of wealth and solidity.

To do such work is available to anyone who has the necessary desire and a sufficient amount of time. We will consider the subtleties of this process in this article.

Choosing the right solution

For a long time any paint under bronze had an organic solvent in its structure. Its presence contributed to the spread of an unpleasant specific odor, which significantly limited the scope of such solutions.

Nowadays, thanks to technological progress, water-soluble mixtures have appeared that contain natural metallic pigments. Acrylates act as binders in such solutions.

Water-based bronze paint (do not be confused - this is not Zinga conductive paint)

Acrylic bronze paint for metal has many advantages:

Ecological cleanliness and absence of any unpleasant odors. During the drying process, only water vapor is released.
Relatively low price. The use of H 2 O as a base makes it much cheaper to manufacture, for example, oil analogues.
Stunning non-ferrous metal look. It is also possible to apply it in a "semi-antique" way, which will create an even greater effect of naturalness.

Do-it-yourself ease of operation. The application technology is not much different from the use of conventional paint and is quite feasible by an amateur.

Moisture insulation. Protects the metal from rust.

Tip: pre-applied electrically conductive paint Z inga will maximize the protection of iron from corrosion, as it will create a reliable thin-film galvanized layer.

High resistance to mechanical stress and ultraviolet radiation. For many years this finish will have its original appearance.
Long service life. With proper operation, at least ten years.

Advice: if there are many fire hazardous objects in the room, then it is recommended to additionally use fireproof paints for metal Polistil. They have the ability to foam when a fire occurs, preventing its further spread.

Paint application

First of all, careful preparation of the surface is required, the main stage of which is the removal of traces of rust. If you apply paints and varnishes over the places damaged by corrosion, this will not protect the metal from premature destruction.

Preparatory work

The instruction is as follows:

Remove old paint and rust.

To do this, you can use one of the following methods:

Mechanical removal... A wire brush or abrasive discs are used. Suitable only for rough surface finishing.

Tip: be sure to get personal protective equipment before starting work. Metal dust, which will rise into the air during work, is incredibly harmful to the respiratory system and human mucous membranes.

Sandblasting equipment... High-pressure sand grains will do a great job on rust, scale and old paint, even in the most difficult to reach places. The only drawback is the relatively high cost of the device.

Chemical reagents... Pour the surface with a special compound that will chemically react with the old lining and rust. After that, the remnants of the former coating are easily removed with a rag.

We clean the iron from all the resulting debris, regardless of which method of removal was used before
Apply a couple of coats of primer. This will increase the adhesion of the metal surface and create an additional polymer layer of moisture protection.

After the last layer of primer has completely solidified, you can proceed to the next stage.

Painting

In the first case, you will have a monochromatic coating.

For this:

We dilute the purchased mixture with water or white spirit according to the annotation attached to the bank.
For small, extreme and hard-to-reach parts we use brushes. Smooth areas are possible.

If necessary, after the first layer, apply another one to create a more saturated color.
We bring a bright light source to the applied finish. If no stains are observed, then the work is done well, and you can enjoy the result.

If you want to create an aged, then you should paint in several layers:

First, apply a continuous dark layer of metal or spray gun.

We offer painting with metallized paints:

Brass effect;
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 allows you 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 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.

Heated towel rail painting "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 accessories 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 of the shower cabin "antique brass".
Initially, the cab details were chrome plated, anodized aluminum profiles.

painting of aluminum profiles
details after painting
painting the shower cubicle in 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 clearcoat 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 completely polymerized (after painting up to 10 days) perfectly withstands all loads.

washing before painting priming painting 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 matt polyurethane varnish.

product before painting painting - antique bronze finishing layer - matte varnish

Copper painting
The metal cases of the restaurant lamps were painted.

metal lamp painting under copper
copper colored lamp

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 look like antique brass. The parts of the turntable were previously cleaned and primed. They are painted using the technology with decorative polishing. Acrylic car lacquer has an excellent gloss and is reasonably stable.

products in the spray booth painting products under brass glossy varnish

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 come 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 the 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. Free of 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 the old coating must be removed 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, first of all, is 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 carefully applied to 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.

Many metal surfaces can be painted without paint by coating them (chemically or electrochemically) with a thin layer of colored oxides or salts firmly adhered to the surface. The last condition is not so easy to fulfill. For example, iron in humid air quickly (and without our help) becomes covered with a reddish-brown coating of oxidation products, to put it simply - rust, but this method of painting is useless, because rust barely adheres and gets dirty when touched.

Here are some recipes for dyeing non-ferrous metals. Only some of them are suitable for home experiments, others require chemical reagents that cannot be bought either in a pharmacy or in a photographic store. However, we hope you have already enrolled in the chemistry circle.

Copper and brass tarnish fairly quickly in air. But they will retain their shine if stained chemically. The preparation of the parts will take some time, because the surface must be completely clean, without traces of dirt and grease. Carefully wipe the polished part with a cloth soaked in gasoline and then with wet chalk or tooth powder. After rinsing the part in running water, hang it on a coarse thread or fishing line and do not touch it with your hands anymore, so as not to leave grease stains (even if the skin looks completely dry, there is still at least a little fat on it). Dip the part into a diluted solution of nitric acid (no more than 5-10 ml per 100 ml of water) and rinse again, preferably with hot water. The preparation is complete.

The rest depends on what color you decided to paint the copper. If it is black, then 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 4 (it is used in photography) fall on 100 ml of water. Solution temperature 90-100 ° 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 hue. Brass will become azure after short-term exposure to a mixture of 3 g of lead acetate (you can use a lead lotion), 6 g of sodium thiosulfate (hyposulfite), 5 g of acetic acid and 100 ml of water. The temperature of this solution is about 80 ° C.

Copper can also be greened. To do this, it must be dipped into the following solution: per 100 ml of water - 20 g of copper nitrate Cu (NO 3) 2, 30 g of ammonia and 40 g of ammonium chloride (ammonia) and sodium acetate; a solution of the latter substance is easily obtained from soda and vinegar. Please handle copper nitrate with care, avoiding contact with your face and especially your mouth.

With the exception of the blackening experiment, we do not indicate the reaction time anywhere. Find it yourself by experience, bearing in mind that the longer the processing time, the more intense the color.

The next metal that lends itself to chemical coloring is zinc. It is used infrequently, but everyone is familiar with galvanized objects - buckets, basins, troughs. The object of the experiment can be any old, unusable galvanized object. Wash its surface with a solution of baking soda or wipe with a cloth soaked in gasoline, wash with hot water and soap and rinse several times. On the galvanized surface we will apply a mixture of substances that will react with zinc; giving colored compounds. Here are the paint recipes.

Black: 2 parts copper nitrate, 3 parts copper oxide, 8 parts hydrochloric acid and 64 parts water; after the appearance of color, rinse the surface with water and dry.

Green: 10 parts of copper sulfate and tartaric acid, 12 parts of water and 24 parts of caustic soda solution in water (1:15); as soon as color appears, immediately rinse the surface with water, otherwise it will have a brown tint.

Blue: for 100 ml of water - 6 g of some nickel salt and the same amount of ammonium chloride,

Gold: mix a solution of 1 part tartaric acid, 2 parts soda and 1 part water with pure clay; rub the surface with the mixture, and when it dries, rinse with water.

Brown-bronze: a mixture of 1 part yari-copperhead and 5 parts of acetic acid; rub the surface with a mixture, rinse with water and dry.

Copper: since zinc is more active than copper, it means that it is enough to moisten it with a solution of copper salt, for example, copper sulfate.

By the way, such paints can be used to paint a picture on a zinc surface.

Let's move on from zinc to aluminum. It is somewhat more difficult to paint it: there are more operations, and you cannot do without an electric current. Aluminum oxide and salts are inconspicuous, so a different method of coloring is needed. He is known: it anodizing... Its essence is that a current is passed through an aluminum part immersed in an electrolyte; in this case, an oxide film with a thickness of less than 0.1 mm is formed on the surface. Since the aluminum parts in the electroplating bath serve as the anode, the process is called anodizing. The oxide film is permeated with microscopic branched pores, in which dyes are well retained. It is possible to paint the anodized surface with organic dyes, including natural, but better still inorganic substances. Usually the part is treated alternately in two dye solutions, and the brightly colored reaction products remain in the pores.

Polish the aluminum piece, degrease it with gasoline or acetone, rinse it in hot water and hang it on a wire. Immerse the part for two to three minutes in a 5% sodium hydroxide solution, rinse again and immerse in a weak solution of nitric acid (20-30 ml of acid per 100 ml of water). Of course, you can no longer touch the part, and if it is inconvenient to work with the suspension, help yourself with tweezers.

Rinse the parts again in hot and cold water and hang them on a wire in a glass. You can put a stick or pencil on the edges of the glass and wrap a wire around it once or twice, choosing such a height so that the part is a few centimeters above the bottom. Connect the part to the positive pole of the power source. Hang the cathodes - steel plates - in the same way. Batteries can serve as a source of current, but they will "run out" very quickly; battery or transformer with rectifier is preferred.

Pour the sulfuric acid solution into the glass with the part (20 ml of acid per 100 ml of water; be careful!). Connect a key or switch and rheostat to the circuit to regulate the current. To measure it, you need a milliammeter, but a tester, which many radio amateurs have, is also suitable. Close the circuit and set the current at the rate of 20-25 mA per 1 cm 2 of the surface. The part will immediately be covered with gas bubbles - this releases oxygen, which oxidizes aluminum. At room temperature, the process takes about an hour.

Rinse the anodized part in running water and start painting. Immerse the part alternately in two dye solutions, holding for 5-10 minutes each and rinsing each time in running water. Rinse and dry the painted parts again.

Here are the compositions of the coloring solutions and their possible concentration (in grams per 100 ml of water):

blue or light blue - potassium ferrocyanide (1-5) and iron (III) chloride (1-10);
brown - potassium ferrocyanide (1-5) and copper sulfate (1-10);
black-cobalt acetate (5-10) and potassium permanganate (1.5-2.5);
yellow-potassium dichromate (5-10) and lead acetate (10-20);
golden yellow - sodium hyposulfite (1-5) and potassium permanganate (1-5);
white lead acetate (1-5) and sodium sulfate (1-5);
orange-potassium dichromate (0.5-1) and silver nitrate (5-10).

O. Holgin. "Experiments without explosions"
M., "Chemistry", 1986

Metal is widely present in our premises, and is used where its unique physical properties are required compared to other materials. However, quite often metal also adorns the living area with its presence. And in order to make its visual characteristics even more interesting, the metal surface can be given one or another color or texture. Metal painting itself is most often done for protective purposes, but the decorative painting technique has a lot of differences.

Various metal objects, lamp caps, heating radiators, sinks and the like are most often subject to coloring with decorative properties. In this case, work can be carried out both for objects used in rooms and for external metal elements.

Tips for those who are going to paint a metal surface at sub-zero temperatures

While this advice may apply more to conventional painting than decorative painting, situations are different. For example, you need to immediately paint a part that has just been brought from the cold. Therefore, here are some tips:

The best way to paint in the cold is to use alkyd enamels of a jelly-like consistency with high adhesion (the ability to penetrate the surface structure);
Painting of a surface cooled to temperatures below +5 degrees Celsius should be done exclusively with preliminary treatment of this very surface with a burner or heat gun. Otherwise, condensation will form on the surface, on which the paint simply will not lie;
If during painting it is cold in the room itself, then the drying time of the layer can increase several times, which is especially unpleasant for decorative painting. Therefore, it is recommended to install a heat gun and cover the surface with foil.

What are blacksmith paints

Recently, blacksmith paints, specially optimized for working with forged materials, have become very popular. Such paints are applied to forging for decorative purposes, which makes it possible to simulate a wide variety of surfaces, from gold to cast iron.

The cost of such paints is higher than that of conventional paints. However, this is due to their increased shelf life, which reaches 5 years or more. Moreover, such paints also look really impressive, allowing you to give the required visual effect by the very fact of your presence. Without the need to apply different painting methods.

Today there are many types of such coatings, but the most popular is the German paint WS-Plast, produced by Weigel & Schmidt GmbH. These paints allow you to give a metal surface in many different colors and textures. Here you have emerald color, graphite, which is distinguished by red tones, and various types of semi-antique colors. Moreover, such a coating not only decorates, but also protects the metal surface from corrosion and other troubles caused by the influence of nature.

Also popular is hammer paint (Hammerite), which is now becoming more and more in demand. The reason is that this paint does not require a primer and can even be used directly on surfaces damaged by corrosive processes. However, if the rust is loose, then it still has to be removed. The surface treated with this coating becomes monotonous with the effect of irregular patterns and aluminum flakes.

Application of this paint is mainly practiced with ferrous metals such as steel and cast iron. However, it can also process some non-ferrous metals.

How to show patina patina

Patina is a characteristic greenish bloom that appears on the surface of copper and bronze items after oxidation. At the moment, the best way to show this effect is with WS-Patina paint. Thus, it is possible to age the metal and give it a characteristic respectable shine.

Antique painting

One of the most popular ways to paint black metal is the antique effect. In this case, several coating options are applied to the metal surface in a specific order. But first, the metal itself must be properly prepared. It is compulsorily cleaned of corrosion, subjecting to grinding, removing dirt and grease. Only being confident in the cleanliness of the surface, you can start the process, which is divided into several stages:

Using a brush, apply a metallized paint to the surface. Don't be afraid to do it casually, as this only helps in the effect we create;
Once the first coat is completely dry, apply a craquelure primer. The latter makes it possible to obtain a layer of a transparent film made of polymers;
Craquelure coating is applied after the primer layer has dried, which allows you to get characteristic cracks, similar to those that appear on things that have been used for decades or even centuries.

Important! Instead of a craquelure composition, the effect of antiquity can be achieved by applying burnt umber to the paint. In this case, it is best to work with a dry cloth, and remove the remains after the paint layer has dried.

Metal color bronze

The bronze coating is one of the most visually impressive. Therefore, people often strive to recreate it. And there are several ways to do this, and they all involve the use of bronze paint.

First of all, the surface is prepared. It is cleaned from dirt, grease and rust. After that, a layer of metal primer is applied to it, which will increase the adhesion of the layers applied above. At the third stage, bronze metallized paint is applied in 2-3 layers.

If you want to give this bronze layer the effect of antiquity, then the grooves must be patinated, which allows you to get the darkening effect from time to time. After that, glazing is carried out, during which we go over the protruding elements and those places that are characterized by scuffs with white paint. After the latter has dried, a transparent varnish is applied, allowing the effect to be fixed.

Conclusion

Painting for all other types of metals occurs in a similar way. Modern metallized paints allow you to create the effect of brass, copper, silver, gold and other metals.

Do not be afraid that you will not succeed, Practice shows that such methods of metal processing are feasible without any serious knowledge. The video tutorial below will give you comprehensive information on this matter.

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

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.

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.

Move the 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, put on 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 to prevent harmful fumes from accumulating in the room.
- When painting, protect yourself with a gauze bandage, gloves, goggles, or similar.
- Take care not to scatter dust around the room.
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.
Clean the surface with a degreaser. 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 to be painted. After that, 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
1. Choose an appropriate color for spray paint. The paint should be suitable for metal: enamel, acrylic or oil paint, or other paints that dry out to form a hard coating will do. Typically, metal paints are sprayed, although liquid paints are 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.
2. 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 to the metal surface 15–20 centimeters. 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 broad strokes from side to side. To spray the paint in a thin, even layer, hold the can at a distance of 15–20 centimeters from the surface.
3. Apply a transparent protective layer. After the paint is completely dry (usually about 24 hours), a clear top coat can be applied. This will protect the paint and metal surfaces and give them an extra shine. Choose a clear or enamel finish specifically designed for metal.
  - Shake the can and bring it to the surface 15–20 centimeters. 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.