Finishes

There are many different options for finishing your completed iron project.  The standard finish is priming and painting, most often in the color black.  There are also patinas, powder coating and specialty paint colors; all cost a little more but may be worth it.  Remember, when you choose to istall iron, it is not intended to last just a few short years, it is intended to be enjoyed for many years to come, sometimes, many generations to come.  If you make a good choice in finishes, and keep up on the maintenance, you'll have a piece that brings you many years of joy.

The good part about choosing to prime and paint your iron is that touch up is easier.  You need to watch out for rusting; and when using iron, trust me,  it will eventually rust.  Keep some touch up paint on hand and spray any areas that look suspicious, or that appear to be rusting or fading.  Unfortunately, any iron finish exposed to sun light will fade over time so you might be able to see the areas where you've touched up.  Sometimes, that can add to the "look" of your iron, espically if you love an old worlde finish.

Powder coating is a baked on finish.  There are numerous colors to choose from and textures too.  Since powder coating is a baked on finish, it tends to last longer, especially around areas where water is present.  Many of the colored finishes are UV protected to help avoid fading.  In most cases, a fabricator has to freight the completed materials to and from a powder coating facility, the freight has to be added, along with the additional cost to powder coat, into the price of the project.

Then there are patinas, a very lovely finish.  This finish is done by hand.  There are many different effects than can be achieved with a patina.  Many different patina colors can be applied.  This is an extremely good finish if you want a Tuscany, or olde world look. 

You can also opt for an unfinished, uncoated, look.  This means, that you will have raw steel.  Raw steel will rust and eventually wear away, but if a true rust finish is what you desire, this may be the option for you.  There are also new processes that are applied to allow steel to immediately rust and then a solution or coating is placed on the steel, this will help to slow down the rusting.  If the later is what you choose, then the iron will have to be oiled at least every two years. 

For indoor jobs, where you would like a contemporary or stainless steel look, plain steel can again be used.  The steel is sanded to bring out a shinier finish and then an application of Penetrol oil is applied.  This type of finish cannot be used outdoors and this finish has to be maintained.

I would encourage you to look on line, do your homework, and choose a finish that will work for you, your lifestyle and that will make your iron design a true work of art.