How to Get Patina to Develop on Copper
Patina is that greenish coating of tarnish that develops on the outside of copper over time. It's the same stuff that makes the Statue of Liberty look green instead of brown. Many people find it attractive, but its benefits don't stop there. Patina actually adds a layer of protection to copper, shielding it from the outdoor elements and chemicals. It takes lots of time for it to develop naturally, and some people just don't have that kind of patience. If you're one of them, follow these simple steps to get your copper well on its way. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Copper item
- Liquid dish soap
- Paper towels
- Salt
- Water
- Plastic spray bottle
Instructions
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1
Use paper towels, warm water and liquid dish soap to clean the entire copper surface of the item you want to treat. If it is an older copper object, you'll mostly be cleaning dirt and dust. If it's brand new, you should clean it anyway. Commercial copper products are often treated with a thin coating of oil before they're shipped, and if this coating is left in place, this patina procedure won't work.
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2
Rinse all soap suds off of the copper with clean water and dry the piece well with paper towels.
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3
Mix up a strong solution of salt water in a plastic spray bottle. If you live near the ocean, you can just gather your salt water naturally. Otherwise, pour 1/2 cup of salt into the 12 to 24-ounce bottle of water gradually, shaking the bottle well to mix it up until the salt grains no longer dissolve in the solution.
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4
Spray the copper item well with the salt water mixture. Do not touch, wipe or dry the salt water. Allow it to air dry naturally.
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5
Repeat step four as many times as you see fit. With each salt water application, more and more patina will develop. You can stop whenever the copper reaches the stage you have in mind.
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Tips & Warnings
For more control over the salt water application process, consider this alternative to using a spray bottle: dip the bristles of a paintbrush into salt water and flick them at the copper to distribute the droplets.
