[TheForge] Rust Patina Finish

[RIES NIEMI]

Grant- you dont say if this is for an interior or exterior use. For outside,
if you just want rusty, I would go with clyde's suggestions.
However, if it is for an interior application, then you have the added
problems of getting it to stop rusting, and not get rust all over everyone
and everything.
I used to do a line of furniture with a rust finish, and we found that rust
never sleeps, and it never stops. So I would use the mildest solution
possible- usually just some rock salt dissolved in water, sprayed from an
old windex bottle. After leaving it on for just a couple of hours, I would
rinse with water. Some people acutally use a baking soda rinse as well.
Then I would have the pieces clearcoated. On smaller pieces I would just
spray clear Krylon spray paint. It lasts a year or so, then needs to be
recoated. I had some pieces sprayed with catalysed polyurethane, baked on.
That worked pretty well- the rust would kind of overwhelm the coating after
5 years or so, but it never was dusty, flaky rust.
The other finish I used a lot was clear powdercoat- low gloss- 20% gloss I
think. That works real well, encapsulates the rust, but powder is pretty
thick, so its noticeable that there is a coating on it.

ries