Metal finishing Q&As since 1989
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Metal Coloring Using Solvent Dyes
2002
Q. I am looking for a way to stain metal with bright vivid transparent colors. Transparent is the key. I would like to be able to see the metal swirls and marks underneath. I have heard that there is a process using heat and then applying a patina over it to produce the colors... bright pinks, purples, reds, blues, etc.
I do not want a paint, but rather a stain. I have also heard that a solvent dye is used.
I would really be grateful if someone could provide a product and a process to use.
Thank you.
- Avondale, Arizona
Hello,
A. You can start by browsing the titles from this site:
www.finishing.com/books/
A word of caution, most solvent dyes which contain a lot of blues are not light fast. No matter how much UV inhibiting coatings you apply over them, they won't look quite so nice and vibrant a month down the road.
Have fun.
G. J. Nikolas &Co.,Inc.
Bellwood, Illinois
A. Heat treatment is just done by heating it very slowly, there are clear varnishes you put over it to stop the metal from oxidizing and making the color go away. But it dulls it a bit... its sucks. The shinier the surface, the more vivid the colors too, and transparent. good luck.
Nell Blu- Rocklin, California
2007
Alcohol Inks
on
eBay
or
Amazon
(affil links)
Glass paint
on
Amazon
(affil links)
A. Hi. You need to use glass paints or alcohol inks .
(I use Tim Holtz range) you can also use them together. If you emboss your metal first the colour will highlight the design and create stunning effects.
mixed media artist and teacher - Nottingham UK
January 5, 2010
Q. Coloring Zinc: A major portion of our business is Zinc. We carry it in natural colors, but we would like to provide it in "Translucent" colors of Blue, Red, Yellow, so on ... that we can put on our bright roll zinc that has no finish. I want something that will hold up over time under outside conditions. We also provide systems for interiors that we can use a different method on to stay cost effective. Right now we're primarily interested in the most durable and fade resistant way to color zinc for exterior. We do not want to do anodizing. Can some point me in the right direction? What are some of the other methods out there?
Kurt RubrightSheet metal fabricator - Peachtree City, Georgia
March 18, 2013
A. Hi, Kurt. Please start with briefly describing the method you are satisfied with for interior parts. Maybe that can be modified, or covered with a lacquer or automotive clearcoat, or something, rather than starting over. Some of the UV or radiation cured topcoats are very hard and durable. Unfortunately I'm not confident that there will be a good solution for outdoor use.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
March 24, 2013
March 30, 2013
A. Dear friends,
there is a method, old but simple, based on a logical idea.
Can the polyester, acrylic textile be colored with dyes or not?
Yes it can. So if a bright surface (for example silver)
is dipped in polyester or acrylic varnish then dried at 40 °C (before curing) then immersed, in days you expect it to colored or not? It is colored with any color, including
gold colors,
then cured by heating.
We will get a very stable surface with high mar resistance,
in my opinion suitable for outdoor applications.
plastic electroplating - Riadh, Saudi Arabia
Q. I have a structure of sheet metal that has been rusted using muriatic acid then spray varnished, I would like to add other color to this somehow, perhaps shades of red & green, is it possible using simple easily available acid solutions? Thanks.
Paul Lawrence- Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
February 10, 2018
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