Patinated Metals

"... Verdigris; where engineering becomes art ..."

Weathered textured and patinated copper wall sculpture Weathered and aged galvanised finish The blue green colour of copper's verdigris patina

A patina is the thin surface layer that forms on many metals due to their natural ageing and weathering. A genuine patina can take many years to develop, and because of this special chemical treatments are available to speed up the production of certain patinas. Different metals produce different patinas depending on their treatment and the results can be somewhat unpredictable; creating a patina is definitely more of an art than a science.

Freshly galvanised steel can be a bit too bright and shiny at times. After a few years of exposure to the atmosphere it will naturally weather down and turn a dull grey. However, it can be artificially weathered using a special acid that will quickly turn it a matt and mottled grey-black

Perhaps the best known patina is the blue-green verdigris that forms on weathered copper and bronze. However, these metals can also develop many other rich and varied patinas, ranging from the classic brown statuary bronze through to the deep maroons and reds seen on forged and heated copper.