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ted_yosem
Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
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Rust finish for galvanized tin?


Q. Very helpful site/threads, thank you!
I am trying to rust galvanized sheet metal. I plan to first use muriatic acid following all the tips I've seen in the thread, but still, a few questions, please!

1) Do I Dilute it as it says on the bottle for paint prep or use straight?

2) I have some panels that are already installed (vertical) any tips for the process on vertical panels (I'm thinking a fine mist in my this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] )

3) Sprayer has a brass nozzle, will this be a problem?!

4) We bought "Acid Blue" muriatic acid that's supposedly a little "less corrosive on intact skin" It was all that was avail. at the local hardware-- I hope it does as good a job?

5) Planning to spray with vinegar in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] or Hydrogen Perox 34% after the acid sits...? Any good how-to to recommend? It takes forever to sift through youtube videos.
Thanks!

AK Bishop
- Jacksonville, Oregon
September 2, 2022


A. Hi AK. Muriatic acid is quite strong; diluting it 50/50 will still leave it quite strong. A sprayer will work, but make it a plastic one; muriatic acid destroys brass quickly. No one even knows what ingredients are in these less aggressive substitute acids; I assume they work but can't guarantee it. If you use muriatic acid, it should cause rust itself. But after rinsing well you could spray with bleach bleach/sodium hypochlorite in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , which rusts bare steel well.

Luck & Regards,

ted_yosem
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey






⇩ Related postings, oldest first ⇩



Q. Can anyone tell me if the product that gives a rusty finish to tin would work on galvanized tin?

Brian D [name deleted for privacy by Editor]
1999


1999

wikipedia
1. Tin
2. Galvanization

A. Hi, Brian. Please excuse my pedantry, but there is no such thing as "galvanized tin". Galvanized means coated with zinc by dipping into molten zinc, and tin is an element whose melting point is much lower than the melting point of zinc -- so tin articles would melt if you attempted to dip them into molten zinc.

But people sometimes use slang and call steel sheet metal "tin" -- I'm quite sure that's what you mean in this case, right?

Zinc can't rust (although it can corrode into a white gummy or powdery corrosion product). So, no, you can't 'rust' galvanized steel sheet metal while it still has the zinc coating on it. But you can remove the zinc coating with muriatic acid this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , and then the underlying bare steel sheet metal will quickly rust. Remember that muriatic acid is a hazardous material requiring good ventilation (outdoors), the wearing of full personnel protective gear, including rubber glovesrubber gloves this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and gogglesthis on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , and careful handling and knowledgable disposal. Good luck!

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. I am interested in learning how to rust tin.

Can anyone tell me the product or method used to rust tin for craft projects?

Dixie S [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- York Springs, Pennsylvania
2000


A. Hello Dixie. Again, tin can't rust; only iron and steel can rust. But once again you probably actually mean "steel sheet metal" rather than tin? If so, repeated spritzing with vinegar and salt while leaving it in the sun should quickly rust it if it's not galvanized. Good luck!

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. I have the same question as Dixie and Brian. I have several pieces of galvanized tin (Chicken Wire being one of them) and have tried the vinegar and salt spray to no avail. Have they found a method of rusting tin. Thanks in advance.

Kay R [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Pt. Pleasant, West Virginia
2000


A. Hi, Kay. Hopefully they'll get back to us, but as I said, you won't get galvanized steel (like chicken wire) to rust as long as it still has the galvanizing on it because the galvanizing is applied for the specific purpose of keeping it from rusting :-)

Galvanizing is pretty effective at deterring rust, and vinegar and salt might not rust it in a reasonable period of time. I think you might want to strip the zinc off with muriatic acid to rust the underlying steel. Good luck, but be very careful if you use muriatic acid.

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2000



2000

Q. Ted, Thanks for answering so promptly in regards to galvanized tin.

What I want to do is get a rust covering on objects like tin cookie cutters, small bells with clappers, and jungle bells. I have a small [mini] watering can that says on bottom "Galvanized Tin- Made in India, not guaranteed for leaks" I have also seen flat tin ornaments like stars, sleds and etc. that are covered with rust. They must have been dipped in some type of acid to remove the galvanized covering. This is what I'm looking for. Something to remove the covering and a method to create the rust. Thanks for any information.

Kay R [returning]
- Pt. Pleasant, West Virginia



2000

A. Hi, Kay. I'm confident that --
1. cookie cutters are made made of steel that has been electroplated with tin (because tin plating is "food safe" whereas zinc galvanizing is not).
2. jingle bells would be steel that was nickel plated (or maybe silver plated);
3. the watering can is made of steel sheet metal that has a hot dip galvanized zinc coating (like the chicken wire) despite its erroneous label.

Zinc, silver, and tin are all non-magnetic -- does a magnet stick to all of the items, indicating that underneath the coatings they are steel and can therefore be rusted?

Metallic Surfacer
(1st step for rust finish)

on Amazon

(affil links)

An issue that probably isn't fully clear to you is that steel, tin, zinc, silver, and nickel are all very different materials from each other -- not even mentioning that some of the items may have a clear coat paint on them. I apologize that it's quite confusing but, although they make look similar, different metals react very differently to the same chemicals. If a friend asked you how much of "this white powder stuff" they should use to bake a cake, you would have to tell them that until they could identify whether the powder was flour, baking powder, or arsenic, you really can't answer. And I'm unfortunately in a similar position :-)

Although zinc can be removed with muriatic acid, a different procedure is required to strip tin (probably lye would work), but you would find it difficult to chemically remove nickel or silver with anything available to a hobbyist. Maybe you can use sandpaper to sand the plating off some of the stuff instead of trying to figure out what acid will do it? Once you are down to the steel base, they will rust with vinegar and salt or any other rusting process you read about.

One final option, and maybe simplest is to simply paint/patina with a rust solution;.
... since the rust is already in the patina solution, it should work on anything. Good luck.

Good luck!

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


A. I've built a beautiful "rustic" bedroom with corrugated sheet metal for the inside ceiling. I was able to get a "rust" paint from a local hardware store. You paint a thin layer of paint and it oxidizes the metal. It may create the look that you are trying to achieve. It worked for me.

Wanda L. Chapman
- Ansted, West Virginia
2007


A. I have found a product at the craft store called instant rust [affil links] ; it's a rust antiquing solution. It works great.

James Rogers
- Crosbyton Texas USA
November 7, 2011


A. Hey, why don't you simply try rubbing it with coarse sandpaper? If you are successful in getting the finish off, you could get the part wet with salt water and let it sit around.

tim neveau
Tim Neveau
Rochester Hills, Michigan
2000


A. I just came across this question while searching thru Google about rusting metals. I did find one lady rusts her metals with a solution of 1 cup of bleach to 1 cup of vinegar. This is very fumey, do it outside. Stay away from the fumes. This is supposed to work fast. How fast I don't know......yet! :O)

Cheryl M [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Pennsylvania
2003


!! Cheryl, the bleach bottle has a warning not to mix it with other chemicals! Bleach is simply chlorine gas dissolved in water that is so alkaline that most of the chlorine will stay there. Neutralize the alkalinity with an acid like vinegar, and the poisonous chlorine gas comes roaring out. Many people have died from this. If you insist on doing it anyway, yes, only do it outside ... and stay upwind! Good luck.

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. I'm searching for a way to rust tin items, or brass items for crafts. I have a friend that watched a show "Trading Spaces" a while back, and said that they used a torch on a brass hinge, then put it in a bucket with water and "some kind of powder" substance, and instant rust. Can't seem to find out what the "powder" is. Any ideas from anyone here? Thanks~

Diane B [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
hobbyist - Gaffney, South Carolina
2004




Making tin ceiling tiles rust

Q. Any new news on this? I have just purchased 60 pieces of tin ceiling [affil links] and would love to rust it.

Cindy B [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Sacramento, California
2005


Q. Cindy, were you able to find anything on rusting your tin ceiling [affil links]. We are trying to rust some tin for a ceiling as well but it is galvanized and the muriatic acid did not work.

Thanks,

Vicki Hillert
- College Station, Texas
2007



A. Hi, Vicki. Maybe your ceiling tile is painted a metallic color rather than being galvanized? Although I am not sure exactly what the problem or misunderstanding is, rest assured that muriatic acid violently removes galvanized zinc coating almost instantly. Remember that muriatic acid is very dangerous though.

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey



2007

A. Muriatic acid will strip all zinc from your tin. If you are having problems try rubbing the surface with a scotch brite pad. Some of today's zinc alternatives are acrylume, zincalume and galvalume; these don't react as well as straight galvanized but with a little roughing up they strip very fast.

wikipedia
Hydrogen Cyanide


Be very careful, though, the gas produced from the reaction of the zinc and the muriatic acid is hydrogen cyanide, they use it in the gas chamber and it is listed as a chemical warfare agent. 300 parts per million will kill you in mins. Use chemical respirators and protective clothing and eye protection.

We rust roughly 1000 sq. ft. of galvanized a year everything from welded wire to seamless gutters.. hope this helps

Brian White
seamless gutters - Belgrade, Montana



! I certainly agree with your precautions regarding protective equipment when you strip zinc with hydrochloric acid, Brian! Thanks. Yes, it evolves poisonous chlorine-based gas, not too different from some WW1 chemical warfare gases. But a minor point regarding the science, I don't think it can actually evolve hydrogen cyanide. Hydrogen cyanide is H+CN- and I don't think you can possibly create CN from muriatic acid (HCl) and zinc (Zn).

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007



Q. I am looking to oxidize (not rust) some tin ceiling panels I just purchased. Any suggestions?

Chris Bennett
- Costa Mesa, California, USA
February 13, 2012


A. Hi Chris.

Are they brand new or recycled stuff from a retro architecture store? Painted or galvanized? Thanks.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February 14, 2012



Q. The panels I purchased are brand new "tin coated steel". Trying to get them to oxidize but not rust. Just looking for a dulled finish

Chris Bennett
- Costa Mesa, California, USA
February 16, 2012


A. Hi. I'd try vinegar on a sample Chris. If that doesn't work, oven cleaner this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . It would surprise me if they are really "tin coated steel". Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey


Q. We are installing a tin roof that is not going to be exposed to the elements. We would like to make this look like the tin is old and rustic. Does anyone have any ideas. Bleach and vinegar do not appear to be working.

Thanks,

Doug Adams
- Springfield, Missouri
2007



A. I am positive that the roof is not tin. First test it with a magnet to make sure the underlying metal is steel, Doug, because only steel (and iron) can rust. Then sand off the coating; then try the bleach OR vinegar & salt.

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey




Q. Hello, I am stripping an old trailer of its outside tin. The outer portion is many times painted and what not, but the inside looks brand new and shiny. Wondering if I can put it on the outside of my new cabin and it will retain its shiny new metal look? I would like it to retain this metal look, thanks. Danijel

Danijel Peeler
architect - Memphis, Tennessee
2007




Q. Hi, my name is Laura. I have built a water feature which is made of rippled steel sheeting which the water runs over. It looks great, Possibly too great and shiny and new. I was wondering how to rust the sheeting so that the lovely rust colors would come through and give it a more rustic outback look which we Aussies all love. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Laura Dash
hobbyist - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
2007




Q. If tin does not rust, what will happen to it? Does it deteriorate in any way? Can it withstand long periods of time outdoors, in contact with soil and precipitation?

Nancy Jo Flynn
- Port Orange, Florida
2007


A. Hi Nancy Jo. After dozens of postings explaining that tin is not galvanized sheet steel, which is not plain steel sheet metal ... and that it's difficult to offer answers because they all react so differently, I now don't know whether you are absolutely insisting that you have real tin or you're just persisting in calling steel sheet "tin" anyway :-)

All metals except gold and the other precious metals eventually corrode away. That's why gold can be found in nature but other metals must be smelted from ore. I think solid tin metal would be okay outside for a while, but sorry, I can't think of any typical applications to refer you to, as I've never seen it used in contact with soil.

Sheet metal will of course eventually corrode away, but galvanizing it with zinc will prolong its life, and you will not get the brown powdery iron oxide corrosion product that we call "rust" on it until the zinc coating has worn/dissolved away. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007




Q. I have some cheap, new reproduction tin signs. I want to give the edges an aged patina look. What should I use? From the responses above it looks as though I should sand or scotchbrite the area and then use a little muriatic acid? After that, leave them outside?

Thanks.

Lee M. Gavazzi
- Lakewood, Colorado
2007



Q. We are building barnwood gates and are using rusted hinges but the screws sent with the hinges are too short. These are common zinc wood screws from Home Depot. How can I get them to look a rusty orange? Please list the times needed for any treatment. Help please!

Judi Klapperich
hobbyist - Redmond, Oregon
October 21, 2009




Q. I need to build a cabinet to match an existing cabinet which has heavily rusted hardware on it. What can I use to get a quick heavily rusted patina on it. Also most of the hardware I can find is zinc plated, i.e. strap hinges, etc. Will it work on that?

Steven Rauch
cabinetmaker - Colorado Springs, Colorado
January 19, 2010




Q. I am planning a fence that is made from rusted sheet metal riveted to posts. A neighbor has this same fence in his yard and it looks great, but the previous owner did it and he's long gone. I can only find galvanized sheet metal. Can I use muriatic acid to remove the galvanized finish and create the rusted finish? I will have sheet metal 12-16" wide and approx. 10' long, so a bucket won't work. to remove the galvanized should I plan on immersing the sheet metal in muriatic acid (what concentration?) vs. spraying on with a spray bottle? I'd like to avoid creating a hazardous work site if possible. Thanks for your advice.

Joe Abraham
- Tucson, Arizona
March 8, 2011



Hi, Joe.

A steel warehouse like Ryerson will have steel sheet in all thicknesses and widths without galvanizing. I would dilute the acid as much as possible because it's dangerous to work with. Wear goggles this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and rubber gloves this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Cut some short sample pieces and spritz them with varying strengths until you have a process down. As consumers we are almost never given enough data by the manufacturer to be able to work from theory instead of trial-and-error. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
March 8, 2011




Clearcoating galvanized sheet metal

Q. We covered our kitchen walls with galvanized steel sheet metal. The guys at the sheet metal dealer said I should put a clear coat on it to keep it from rusting. What, if anything, should we use for a protective coating that will not change the appearance of the metal? What is the best way to clean galvanized steel?

Jamie Pastor
- New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
March 14, 2012


A. Hi. Everbrite [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] offers a simple one-part clear coat. Apply to a small area to make sure it suits you as "will not change the appearance" is a tall order and it's very hard to promise that you can coat anything with anything without affecting the sheen in some way. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
October 2013




Q. Hi I am looking to change the color of my gutters to a reddish rust color someone said to acid wash it but I don't know which one to use; there is a house in Newport Beach that has them and they are beautiful someone told me a place called sunsurf or something like that had it; any help would be great

D Kasinger
- Riverside, California
July 1, 2014


A. Hi D. The first thing to keep in mind is that while anyone can paint a wall, few can paint a Mona Lisa. When something catches our eye, it's often because it's rare & unusual because it's difficult. We don't know your artistic level vs. the contractor who did the house in Newport Beach.

The second question is what are your gutters made of: aluminum, copper, or galvanized steel? Are the Newport gutters made of the same material?

There are "rust finishes" which are like metallic paints (actually patinating solutions) with rust in them, and these are surely your best bet if you are not simultaneously an artist and a metallurgist :-)

Your "sunsurf or something like that" may be one brand or seller, but there are many, such as the Triangle Coatings "Instant Rust" illustrated above. Good luck, but try a small spot because, as I said, if it's "eye-catching"" it's probably because you see it so rarely; and if you don't see it often, it's probably because it's hard to do well :-)

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 2014




Q. I have treated galvanized metal with muriatic acid which removed about 98% of the galvanized surface. After thoroughly rinsing, I treated with vinegar, salt and water which resulted in a great rust layer that is perfect for my craft project. Now my question: What product can I apply over the rust layer that will maintain the current look and seal in the rust layer? I tried a water based urethane but it failed completely.

Allen Jones
- Banner, Wyoming
June 1, 2015


A. Hi Allen. You're not going to be able to leave loose fluffy rust on the surface because, although the clearcoat may stick to the rust, they'll just come lose together. You need to brush it so only the adherent rust remains before clearcoating. Then a "wet" clearcoat, maybe Everbrite [a finishing.com supporting advertiser], should work. Good luck.

Regards,

ted_yosem
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 2015




Q. Hello,
I have a unique issue that I can't understand. I used muriatic acid on galvanized steel over the course of 2 days. Each day I sprayed the metal with acid, washed it off, let it dry and then poured peroxide over it. The first day the metal instantly began to foam and rusted beautifully. The 2nd day, not so much. Some didn't rust much at all even though I could see bare metal. I even tried a wire brush to ensure it wasn't something else. Has anyone experienced this or have any idea on why the vast difference?

Nick Simonis
- Wausau, Wisconsin, usa
July 4, 2017


A. Hi Nick. The galvanized coating is zinc, which reacts very actively with hydrochloric acid. Once the zinc is gone and the acid is trying to react with the underlying steel, it's going to be a much gentler reaction.

Regards,

ted_yosem
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
July 2017


A. Look up Amy Howard paints. She has a cleaning solution called clean slate and then use her oxidizing solution to get the aged look. Worth looking up ... lots and lots of how to videos! [affil link]

Sherry L Lee
- Collins Mississippi
December 10, 2020




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