How do you \"Bronze\" Radiators

Boilerpro_3

I have a customer that would like to do this with their new "old" rads I will be putting in thier new home this fall along with radiant floor in other rooms.

Thanks' all

Boilerpro

DanHolohan

Here you go:

Mike T., Swampeast MO

How I Did Mine

Brushes: Get two 1", flat, soft, synthetic artist's brushes with HOLLOW metal ferrules. Bend the end of one to about 30 degrees with long-nose vice grips or similar. Leave the other straight. You can still get "radiator brushes" from really good paint stores, but they're quite wide and probably won't work to get deep inside.

Priming: I used flat, oil based primer tinted to the approximate final color. For bright golds, use a pale yellow (yellow and yellow ochre pigments). For antique golds or bronzes rust (red oxide pigment) is good. Flat oil paint is kind of hard to find, but it's out there. You'll probably only find in white and/or black but like any paint it can be tinted with universal tints. No need to be particularly accurate with color matching--you just want something similar. One good coat is fine. With those two brushes you should be able to coat every conceivably viewable (and even most non-viewable) areas.

Pigments: Mica-based. You might find in big city, hard-core artist's supply stores or perhaps at some ceramic shops. Here's an on-line source. Sinopia Look for "gold, silver and bronze mica" in their list. Other colors (blue, light green, violet) are available and they used to have them, but don't see listed on-line anymore. If they're wanting other colors, ask them or look for similar elsewhere. You can mix the powders but the colors don't mix like pigments. Bright gold added to some colors is really interesting.

Making: I used boiled linseed oil for the base. Any drying oil can be used, but linseed oil is easy to find and inexpensive. Other more exotic drying oils are clearer when dry, but again can be hard to find and quite expensive.

I mixed 8 oz (volume) of boiled linseed oil with about 4 oz (weight) of powder. This makes a very thin mix. You can add more powder if you like to make it more like traditional paint. I also added a scant ounce of cobalt drier (available at any art store). This made enough for 1 large (e.g. 6 tube, 38" high 25 section), radiator and approach piping.

Bronzing: Apply fluid in a single, continuous stroke. DO NOT overbrush. Best to work from the top down as it's quite runny. Cover every primed area. This does NOT make a perfectly even coating--that's part of the effect! Stir after every 2-3 brush loads. Let dry about 2 days.

Sometimes you need two coats, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you want two coats everywhere, sometimes only in certain areas. Sorry, but I can't be more specific.

Let dry for MANY days. It's dust-free quite rapidly, but takes a long time to dry enough to handle (install) the rad. Once heated, it cures and becomes amazingly durable. Just don't set cold glasses on the rads as the condensation will eventually put water marks on the finish.

lchmb

incredible

Just goes to show you can find any type of information needed here!! Never thought of that, and now i know..:)

Dave Stroman

Oh my gosh, Mike. How did you ever figure that one out?

Dave in Denver

Mike T., Swampeast MO

From old writings on the subject.

"Bronzing fluid" became "drying oil". I added the cobalt drier because linseed oil is rather slow drying.

"Camel hair brush" became "soft synthetic".

"Bronzing powder" became "mica powder".

The pale yellow and rust red primers came from traditional gilding where these same colors are used.

First photo shows a radiator freshly bronzed (two full coats on this one). The initial brilliance WILL fade somewhat as it dries. Once fully cured their color changes with lighting and your perspective. Second photo shows the rad installed.

David DeFord

You done it now

If my wife ever sees this I'll have every radiatior in my house looking like this in addition to the other honey-do list that covers half of the refrigerator Nice work - just don't let the wife in on it.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Why not let her do it? Not difficult but it is time-consuming.

Brad White_2

I had the nicest on-line

conversation with Mike T. on this very subject a couple of years back. He turned me on to Sinopia as a fine arts resource. You are reviving a lost art, Mike- Keep it up!
~Brad