Safety & Prep: Wear disposable rubber gloves, good eye protection and work clothing and footwear that you won’t mind getting permanent rust stains on during this process. Your hands and clothes will get stained.
If possible, place your planter on dirt or grass during this process as there will be liquid rust runoff. Do not place it on a porous surface like marble or natural stone. I would also recommend not placing them on concrete as it can stain.
Accelerated Patina Recipe
Plan on using 3-6 containers of hydrogen peroxide per planter, more if your planter is large. Basic Mixing Proportions:
- 16 ounces of Hydrogen Peroxide
- 2 ounces of White Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of Table Salt
Application Process
01. Rough Sand Your Planter: I recommend that you “rough up” the raw metal with 120 grit sandpaper to break through the hard mill scale surface. If you don't do this, the mixture cannot penetrate the steel.
02. Spray Mixture: Fill a plastic spray bottle with the liquid mixture, shake well, and wet the entire steel planter surface. Be generous; you want to see the steel surface bubble.
03. Neutralize: Allow the liquid 2-3 minutes to work. If you don’t see rust forming, repeat the sanding process. Once satisfied with the color, rinse the entire surface with fresh clean water to neutralize the chemicals.