How To Get An Aged Antique Patina On Galvanized Metal
With Summer just around the corner, I’m looking forward to updating our outdoor spaces. I’ve had this watering can in our garage for a couple of years. It was a cute shape, but just seemed a little generic. I decided to try a little “DIY crafting” to make it look more authentic. After doing some research, I had a plan to get a French Farmhouse Inspired Aged Antique Patina.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure statement here.
MATERIALS FOR AGING METAL
- Blue Shop Towels
- Old Cardboard
- Protective Gloves
- Lysol Toilet Cleaner
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Distilled White Vinegar
- Spray Bottle
- Sanding Sponge
MATERIALS FOR PAINTED TEXT
- Transfer Paper
- Vinyl (removable vinyl might be easier)
- Silhouette Cutting Machine
- Fusion Paint (Limestone)
- Stencil Brush
PROCESS FOR AGING METAL
I took all my materials out to my patio table. Working on a piece of thick cardboard, I covered the watering can with Lysol. Please wear protective gloves!
Because I was working in the sun, I had to repeat the process about every 15 minutes. The Lysol would dry out on me. I did this a couple times and then sanded the surface with a sanding sponge. The Lysol turned the metal to a white patina.
Next, I filled a spray bottle with peroxide and sprayed the watering can. This just continued to age things and added a little bit of rust. I did this a couple of times, waiting about 15-20 minutes.
Finally, I emptied the spray bottle and rinsed it with water. Then I added the distilled vinegar to it. I sanded the can again and sprayed it with vinegar. This brought out the black spots and really gave the watering can an aged look. I did this process a couple of times and then forgot about it. I went about my day and it began to rain outside. So, I left it overnight. The next day, I dried it off and it was perfect.
The process didn’t take much “hands on” time, I just did the steps and moved on to other things.
ADDING FRENCH TEXT
I found the free printable Faux Rusted French Labels on The Graphics Fairy website.
I brought the image into Adobe Photoshop and resized it for my watering can. Then I saved it as a JPEG file and opened it in my Silhouette Design Studio and cut the image on vinyl. I did not reverse the image.
I removed (weeded) the text and left the background. Then I cut and placed a piece of transfer tape over the image and removed the backing from the vinyl.
Next, I placed the image on the watering can and removed the transfer tape.
Just before I stenciled, I placed blue painters tape around the stencil, so I didn’t get paint outside of the label.
I dabbed my stencil brush in the paint and off loaded it on a paper towel. Then I filled in the stencil.
Next, I removed the painters tape and vinyl stencil. I will say the vinyl was a bit difficult to remove, because I used permanent vinyl instead of removable. It’s just what I had on hand.
Finally, I lightly sanded over the paint to make it look a little bit worn.
This was a fun project. I will try the Aged Antique Patina on some other galvanized planters or tubs this summer.
I’ve been working on this antique corner desk that I picked up from the Thrift Store. It was in really rough condition, but I’ve been refinishing it this week. It turned out so pretty! Stop by next week and I should have it up on the blog.
Do you like learning budget friendly ways to spruce up your home? Follow me on PINTEREST. Want free access to my printables and cut files? Just subscribe at the bottom of this page. You’ll receive a welcome letter and regular updates on my blog posts along with access to my FREE PRINTABLES AND CUT FILES LIBRARY.
Save this idea for later! Did you know that you can hover over the images below, click on the red Pinterest circle, and save it to your PAINTED FURNITURE BOARD on Pinterest? Give it a try below.
Thanks for visiting!
