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| New Antiquing Gels from Birchwood Casey  Blackened steel is beautiful, and now it's easier than ever to blacken or brown large, in-place architectural surfaces, thanks to the new Antiquing Gels from Birchwood Casey. These new Gels make large part finishing easy, eliminating the runs and drips that often occur when using liquid products. Copper, brass and bronze also can be easily finished with a variety of antique finishes. All of these new Gel products work well on large surfaces of all types, including wall panels, sculpture and exposed architectural elements.Traditionally, small parts have been antiqued using immersion techniques with good success. Larger surfaces, including in-place components, are more challenging. Too large for immersion tanks, these parts have been colored by sponging or spraying a liquid finish onto the surface with runs and drips an inherent result. Also, using a liquid finish to antique a large surface area can be tricky because of the potential to stain adjoining materials. This is an extra challenge for the finisher and sometimes makes it impossible to achieve the specified appearance. Birchwood Casey's antiquing Gels represent a new, more efficient finishing option for large metal surfaces. The Gels' slower reaction rate makes it easier for the finisher to cover the surface evenly while staying in control of the operation. Thick enough to cling even to vertical surfaces, the Gels stay where they are applied, without forming runs and drips or bleeding onto adjoining surfaces. The entire process is cleaner, easier to control, and more cost effective. The process is simple. The surface is cleaned in the normal manner to remove oils, fluxes, tarnish, etc. using solvent cleaners and/or abrasive pads. Then the user slathers on a generous layer of antiquing Gel with a synthetic paintbrush, allowing the Gel to work for two to ten minutes. Light brushing during the course of the reaction keeps an active film of Gel in contact with the surface to make the reaction go forward. The Gel gradually darkens the surface. When the desired depth of black or brown tone is achieved, the Gel is rinsed off with a wet sponge and the surface is dried. The finish is clean and tightly adherent. Highlighting or distressing is optional. A clear topcoat appropriate to the end-use of the surface is the final step. Three Gel products are available to produce different types of finishes as follows: - PRESTO BLACK GEL for black on iron and steelwork such as staircases, railings, custom furniture, architectural elements and hand-forged parts. - ANTIQUE BLACK GEL for black on copper, brass and bronze parts. - ANTIQUE BROWN GEL for attractive brown tones on copper, brass and bronze. These antiquing Gels are used on staircase railings, sculpture, monuments, window hardware, building fascia, elevator cabs, handrails and many other similar parts and decorative surfaces, either before or after installation. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Construction News :: home page |