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FAQ: Patinas on Copper, Brass, and Bronze

by Ted Mooney <>

This page is intended for those many callers who ask something like: "I want to put a red (brown, black, green) patina on my copper (brass) statuary (mailboxes, gutters, sun dials)".
Related letters already posted: This question has been the topic of almost countless letters here. See letters #790, 838, 982, 1198, 1215, 1783, 2378, 2433, 2526, 2662, 2850, 3055 for the first dozen as a start, or Search the Site for many more.

Additional resources on line: See Tom Pullizzi's notes on a patina formula from The Canning Handbook

But if you have a serious interest in patinizing. . .: There are hundreds of different colors of patinas possible and it is impossible to verbally describe them. So you may want to borrow from your library or buy: The Colouring, Bronzing, and Patination of Metals by Richard Hughes, and Michael Rowe--which contains 200+ color plates and a thousand formulas.

Disclaimer: It is not possible to diagnose a finishing problem or the potential hazards of an operation via these pages. All information
presented here is solely for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion.

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