What makes copper turn green

The patina process of copper is completely natural and one of the big draws for people who like its look. Buffing is a big part of the cleaning process. There are also many commercial products as well as homemade concoctions, including those made with vinegar and lemon juice. You should always start by washing the copper with warm water and gentle soap. Avoid using abrasive cleansers or cloths, as they may scratch the copper. Keep notes about how much of each chemical was mixed, which will allow you to adjust the strength or effect of your home-made patination mixture for your desired effect.

Test the method to see how fast the patina forms, so you know when to stop the incubation time. Make sure you pay attention to safety procedures about handling any home cleaning agent. An adult should supervise children under Household cleaning agents can cause irritation in the eyes, skin, nasal passage and lungs. They can also be dangerous if ingested.

The hot boiled egg method is perfect for creating a brownish patina on copper. Eggs are hard boiled and then crushed to pieces in a re-sealable plastic bag or container while they are still hot. The copper is then placed into the bag and sealed for minutes to hours, depending on the desired shade of brown patina. The longer the incubation time, the darker the brown color.

This method is ideal for small copper items, but large ones are difficult to manage through this technique. Miracle-Gro plant fertilizer is an excellent oxidizer of copper. For a blue patina, mix one part Miracle-Gro with three parts water for a solution that you can spray or wipe onto the copper.

For a green patina, mix one part Miracle-Gro with three parts red wine vinegar. A patina will form within 30 minutes and become permanent within 24 hours. Soaking copper in white vinegar and salt will create a blue or green patina.

Other ways of doing this are to bury the copper in sawdust or crushed potato chips soaked in white vinegar. The longer the copper is buried, the darker the patina becomes. Spray the copper with a solution of salt water and then place the copper in a container that contains non-detergent ammonia. The copper should not be touching the ammonia liquid, but should be raised above it.

The sealed container will trap ammonia vapors that will then make contact with the copper. Be careful when handling ammonia: wear protective gloves, wear safety goggles and be near water in case you need to rinse ammonia off of yourself.

Also, do not sniff ammonia and use ammonia outdoors or make sure the room is well-ventilated. There are ways to allow the patina to form naturally without applying chemicals to it. Exposing the copper to outdoor conditions will help patina to form. Outdoor conditions include fog, rain, snow, and heat. Leaving the windows open will change the temperature and moisture content of the room, so any copper objects in that room will also experience the changes.

You can purposely leave copper furnishings next to sources of heat and moisture, such as in the kitchen next to the stove or the back of the refrigerator. Leaving copper next to a window so that it receives lots of sunlight will expose the copper to natural heat. The patina that forms from artificial methods can be easily brushed off, so it must be sealed to be kept permanent. Sealants can be wax, lacquer or a proprietary mixture of chemicals. Jewelry-making and craft stores carry multiple brands of sealants for protecting patina.

Since patina forms through chemical reactions between copper and molecules in the air, preventing the air from reaching the copper will stop any more patina from forming. Applying a sealant can also be a way to keep the patina that you like, preventing it from changing further. The experts at CopperSmith are waiting to provide expert advice on how to design the copper furnishings that are perfectly unique to your home and needs. We stand behind our money-back guarantee because we believe in delivering only the best service and products.

We can send you samples of our copper patinas so that you can know the exact look and feel of our copper for yourself. Our expert designers will walk you through the process and options, taking the guesswork out of the shopping and planning process. Our knowledge and experience make it easy for you to get the right furnishing that will have the right fit for every location and purpose. The products that result from Equations in the previous section each has their own shades of color: Malachite: dark green to blue Azurite: blue to purple Brochantite: dark green to emerald Depending on what combination of these three is present, the color of the patina can vary from shades of green to shades of blue.

Temperature Chemical reactions happen when molecules move and collide with each other. Impurities in the Copper Copper ore taken from the ground has many impurities in it.

Air Pollution In Equation 6 above, copper oxide reacts with sulfur oxide and water to form brochantite, which gives a greenish color to patina. Here are a few more buildings that feature copper patinas in various shades of green: Berlin Cathedral The Berlin Cathedral is one of the most recognizable buildings in Berlin.

Nordic Embassies, Berlin Also located in Berlin, the Nordic Embassies are another unique example of copper in architecture, this time with a distinctly modern appearance. Minneapolis City Hall The Minneapolis City Hall was built between and , and originally had a terra cotta roof. Acquired vs. Types of Patina Available at CopperSmith At CopperSmith, we do not boast about our excellent selection of beautiful patinas without good reason. Shades of patina available at CopperSmith include: Natural Raw Copper [reddish pink] Old Coin [reddish brown] Antique [dull brown] Dark Antique [dark brown] Bronze [dark blue] Not only do we understand the nuances of different shades of copper patina, but we also add an extra layer of beauty to copper furnishes that the patina itself cannot achieve: texture.

Textures of copper patina available at CopperSmith include: Smooth Hood hammered Beehive hammered Light hammered Hand hammered The beauty of copper patina has yet another dimension of depth and elegance that is unique.

Custom-designed carvings in CopperSmith products include: Landscapes Gardens Royal emblems Geometrical patterns Birds Fish Bricks Types of Copper Furnishing Available at CopperSmith CopperSmith has copper furnishings for every room in the house: kitchens, bathrooms, dining rooms, bedrooms and even the garage. How to Create Your Desired Patina Since we know the chemical reactions that cause the different shades of color in copper patina, there are ways that we can affect what color patina becomes and how fast patina forms.

Incubate with Hot Crushed Boiled Eggs The hot boiled egg method is perfect for creating a brownish patina on copper. Use Miracle-Gro Miracle-Gro plant fertilizer is an excellent oxidizer of copper. Soaking in White Vinegar and Salt, Sawdust or Potato Chips Soaking copper in white vinegar and salt will create a blue or green patina. Expose Copper to Saltwater and Ammonia Vapors Spray the copper with a solution of salt water and then place the copper in a container that contains non-detergent ammonia.

How to Naturally Influence the Color of Patina There are ways to allow the patina to form naturally without applying chemicals to it. Sealing the Patina to Keep Your Desired Color The patina that forms from artificial methods can be easily brushed off, so it must be sealed to be kept permanent.

Why wait any longer? Contact us, and we will put the shine in your day! Absolutely beautiful product--everything I wanted and more!! Back to top. But both are types of oxides. The copper has reacted with oxygen, water, and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Both of these metals have a really high copper content, which is why they form that same patina when they oxidize. Patina finishes are actually pretty popular for things like brass door handles, copper roofing, and other kinds of ornamental pieces.

But beyond cosmetics, there are some practical reasons why you might want it. Copper oxide is an interesting substance. The thicker the copper oxide layer gets, the more it will resist further corrosion. The result is that rust can eat away entire structures over time.

One example is the Statue of Liberty, built in Over years of being exposed to the elements later, the thickness of the copper oxide layer is only 0. Or you might just prefer the bright look of copper instead of the dull greenish color of the patina.

Since copper is a popular material for things like wires and electrical connections, oxidation is a complete pain in the backside. Ok, so copper and metals with a lot of copper in them will eventually turn green on their own by just being exposed to air and water. But what if you want to speed this process up? First off, clean the metal thoroughly with a degreaser.

Any oils will end up protecting the metal from oxidizing and turning green. String the copper up and hang it in the jar just above the ammonia. Seal the jar. The ammonia fumes will create a thin patina within a few hours. If you want a thicker patina, just leave it in there for longer. Cleaning is an extremely important step if you want to do it right the first time.

Pretty well everyone has seen this exact trick using Coca-Cola. Aside from that, simple cleaning and scrubbing will get rid of the patina. There are also several cleaning products usually which contain some kind of acid that are specifically for cleaning copper-containing metals.