A question we frequently get is "how do we add a clear coat to the Rusted patina on the Colorado Steel products?" Because the Rusted patina is pre-rusted with an all-natural, accelerated rust treatment, it makes it harder to add a clear coat solution to it.
To accomplish this, the Rusted patina needs to be neutralized first. Here is how to neutralize Colorado Steel Rusted products (tiles, wainscoting, panels, J-track and more) to allow clear coating to be applied:
- Mix ½ cup baking soda to 1 gallon water in a sprayer. Many have used the garden sprayers to apply the neutralizing solution to Rusted products.
- Spray the Rusted product well, on both front and back, to neutralize the accelerant solution used to rust the panels. Let the solution sit for approximately 5-10 minutes.
- Rinse the panels down WELL and set to dry.
- Once the panels are dry, you can clearcoat the panels. If the panels are too rusty, this is the time to use a brush to scrub off some of the rust to expose some of the bare steel to add color.
- Give one or two coats of Rust-Oleum 2x Painters Touch Ultra Cover Matte Clear coat. This specific type is 2 coats in one, but some may choose to give an extra coat to their liking/ preference. There are other similar brands out there but be sure they adhere to metal. You can get these in a gallon type container to apply with a paint sprayer as well.
If you have additional questions on how to best utilize Dakota Tin products, our customer service team is ready to help - just shoot us a message.
