Summary for polished forged mild steel finish Discussion
Suitable finish for polished forged mild steel centers on balancing appearance with corrosion protection for a high-end gallery piece. The questioner, with 25 years of mild steel fabrication experience, said they usually rely on epoxy, powder coat, or lacquer but wanted a timeless finish that would suit polished hot- and cold-rolled forged mild steel and be maintainable in a gallery setting. In response, the answerer noted that bare steel has no rust resistance, but suggested that museums often use controlled atmospheres with low corrosivity. If the goal is to preserve the existing look, the practical options are limited to wax or clear coat. The answerer also pointed out that clear coats come in matte, satin, or glossier sheens, and mentioned Everbrite and Protectaclear as examples. They recommended testing on a polished scrap piece first to confirm the final appearance before committing.
November 9, 2021
Q. Hi everyone.
I have been building for 25 years, mainly in mild steel and have always used epoxy/ powder coat/ lacquer finishes. With that said, I have built a piece in hot & cold-rolled forged mild steel, a high-end gallery piece, that requires a finish that isn’t out of place in the gallery, that can be maintained, and that offers a timeless look. I would really appreciate your insights.
I have polished and cleaned the piece and rinsed with acetone. I am hoping that it is kept indoors, and as such I am (at this stage) resistant to a clear powder coat or clear epoxy coat — hoping to discover a miraculous museum / gallery secret sealer. I was hoping to treat this more as a sculpture and I would love to maintain the sheen, but I am sure the piece will have people sitting in it from time to time.
The piece has many nooks and crannies that could collect moisture, many, many edges and uneven surfaces. I have thought about penetrating oil and wax, but have very little experience in these, always opting for more industrial finishes in the past. This is an important piece to me, and would thus like to seal it appropriately. Any advice and thoughts would be welcome.
Thanks in advance
Clint McLean
– Los Angeles, California
A. Hi. As I’m sure you know, bare steel has no resistance to rusting. On the other hand, I’m confident that most museums are controlled atmospheres with low corrosivity. If you don’t want to change the look I think you’re limited to wax or clear coat. Clear coats are available in matte or satin as well as sheen. One of our supporting advertisers offers their Everbrite [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] and their Protectaclear from Everbrite [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] coatings.
Maybe you can polish a piece of scrap of the same materials and wax or clear coat it to make sure you like the look before committing to it.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
November 2021
A. Try Dinitrol 4010.Hope it helps and good luck!
Goran Budija
– Cerovski vrh Croatia
November 16, 2021