Ageing Copper Sheet

This finish is the result of a patina developing.

Ageing copper sheet.

Remove to hot water while ammonium chloride is added to the cupric sulfate solution. To age copper wipe down the surface of the entire piece with a lint free cloth to remove any oils and dirt. Let it sit for a few hours until you achieve the desired patina. Copper sheets can also be hammered tooled or embossed for added texture and decorative or functional appeal and come in many thicknesses from very thin copper foil to thick copper plate.

It also comes in many alloys that blend other metals with copper. Tent the trash bag with some bottles or cardboard inside something like that so nothing is touching the surface of the copper that will leave a mark in the finish. Or until color well developed. In a spray bottle mix an aging compound out of vinegar household ammonia and table salt.

Spray the copper with a solution of salt water and then place the copper in a container that contains non detergent ammonia. I used some spar urethane clear coat to try and freeze in the color exactly where it was. Boil immersion a b 10 min. A solution of vinegar and salt or rapid fixer quickly ages copper and it is safe to use at home.

Let this sit on the surface of the copper item. The last step before using these patina copper sheets was to lock in the patina. Remove and wash in hot water. Aged copper whether a classic blue green or a deep cinnamon tone is simply stunning yet it can take years to achieve a truly aged look naturally.

Let the copper soak in a mixture of white vinegar and salt or bury it in sawdust or even crushed potato chips then soak the mixture with vinegar. Immerse in boiling cupric sulfate solution about 15 min. Bury copper in white vinegar. Boil immersion a 15 min.

White vinegar salt steel wool dish soap paper towels and a sealant are needed to complete the aging process of copper. Spray the item with the aging mixture and let it sit on the copper. Before placing the solution onto the copper thoroughly clean the copper piece with dish soap scrubbing it with steel wool. White vinegar can produce a green or blue patina on copper but requires another material to hold the moisture close to the metal.

The copper should not be touching the ammonia liquid but should be raised above it. Place copper object in a sealed trash bag with an ammonia soaked rag to sit over time. The aging process first spray the copper item while wearing rubber gloves with the alcohol glass cleaning agent you first used to clean it. Unfortunately this did effect the color some.

At basic copper we sell pure copper c110 other alloys and tempers available upon request.