How To Distress Aluminum Sheet Metal

I used to be super intimated by the thought of cutting metal but it is actually really simple.

How to distress aluminum sheet metal.

If done properly it will give a hard black coating to the metal and works particularly well for steel and cast iron objects. This creates that nice antique metal look. Move the metal object you want to rust out to a yard or open garage on a hot day. Spray the metal with a 10 percent saltwater solution every day and leave it to the elements to speed the rusting process.

After putting in hours of work on your metal sculpture sign or plaque you re ready to put it on display. Make galvanized metal look even more used abused and neglected by distressing it a bit. Dab distress stain all over the metal s surface and dry it with a heat gun to create a blotchy rusted look. Don t sand your metal it s not necessary and you might end up.

Prepare your work area. Just wrap your object in aluminum foil and run it on the pots and pans setting with powdered dishwashing detergent and a teaspoon of trisodium phosphate also called tsp. All i needed to distress chalk paint on metal was my sanding block. Depending on the desired effect a patina can also be applied to the surface of the metal.

The easiest way to age aluminum is in the dishwasher. Once your metal is perfectly aged odds are that no matter what project you are working on you are going to need to cut those big sheets of metal. Direct sunlight helps speed up the rusting process. All you need is a pair of tin snips which are basically just strong scissors.

If you prefer a faux rust dab a white ink pad over the metal s surface and dry it with a heat gun. An alternative to oxidizing the metal is to season it the same way iron skillets are seasoned. To add vintage appeal to various types of metalwork you can distress it using fine abrasives like sandpaper and steel wool. Aging aluminum is a good way to give it a cool distressed look.

How to paint metal for a distressed look. The pristine shine of new sheet metal can sometimes appear to lack character and style. However the pristine shine of the new sheet metal you used seems to lack character. For my shelf with a raised design i just had to sand over the raised areas to remove the paint from those spots.

The paint and primer sanded nicely on the raised areas and made quick work of the distressing. If you want a similar distressed look definitely use clay or chalky paint. Add dents in flat metal by placing a block of wood beneath the metal and resting a few nuts and bolts on the top hammering the hardware to create dents.