Painting Question: Rust

[+goosefraba1]

OK so... I have found an interesting place for a park cache. I will not go into all of the details about where. I need help, though. There is an old iron (or maybe brass) fence post in the park that is being "swallowed" by an adjacent tree that is probably 30 years old. The tree is growing around the post. The post itself is covered in old rust that is pitted. The rust is a dark brow/red, but there is some green as well (which is why I don't know for sure what type of metal the post is made of).

 

The fence post does not have a topper. So, my idea is to purchase a topper (i have already bought two aluminum toppers... one to practice on) and place a cache under the topper. The topper needs to be modded a little bit because it does not fit exactly due to the rust.

 

My question is... since the toppers are aluminum... and aluminum rusts white... How would I go about painting a topper to match the post? Also, any ideas as to how to attach a micro container?

 

Thanks,

Goose

[+wenestvedt]

A painting technique called "dry brush" might work here.

 

The short version is, you dip the brush in the paint and then wipe off most of the paint from your brush. When you paint with just what's left on the bristles, it usually results in light streaking of that color over your base coat.

 

Start with silver, rough it up some, then dry brush on the white.

 

Why not use something like Rustoleum primer, which is already a nice brown, so it'll more closely match the post?

[+Knight2000]

I'm not sure I entirely understand but I would get that kind of paint that will model the surface and then paint it the appropriate color. This way it will look worn a little.

[+goosefraba1]

Ok... to clarify. I want to paint an aluminum fence post topper a dark rust red because the post has rusted that color. The toppers that I bought are aluminum... which rust white. Are there any special primers or colors that should be used as a base?

 

Sorry if I am not making much sense. I will try to post pictures when I am finished with the project.

[Chumpo]

I have had pretty good results using a combination of Rustoleum Professional red primer and Multicolor Textured spray paints. It takes a bit of practice, but you can get shades ranging from red to dark brown with those two.

[knowschad]

I have made magnetic vinyl look like rust. First, clean it very well, then paint it with an aluminum primer, followed by a generally rusty spray paint.

 

 

Next, take some very rusty iron and a wire brush. You're going to need a lot of powered rust here. Once you have enough to cover the cap (probably at least twice), give the cap a nice wet coat of matte clear spray paint, and immediately sprinkle the rust into it. The matte clear will help it to stick, but it won't be very strong. To make it more durable, you will need to build up several more coats of the clear paint.

 

 

A lot of work, but it is very convincing. I the technique it on a piece of magnetic vinyl once.

[+goosefraba1]

I have had pretty good results using a combination of Rustoleum Professional red primer and Multicolor Textured spray paints. It takes a bit of practice, but you can get shades ranging from red to dark brown with those two.

 

Ok... so I went out and bought the primer and the textured sprays. I scuffed up the toppers... and I am just waitin for it to get dark enough to paint outside. Don't want my apartment neighbours to see that I am spray painting in the grass ... the grass grows so fast here that it wouldn't matter anyway... stay tuned.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Ok... to clarify. I want to paint an aluminum fence post topper a dark rust red because the post has rusted that color. The toppers that I bought are aluminum... which rust white. Are there any special primers or colors that should be used as a base?

 

Sorry if I am not making much sense. I will try to post pictures when I am finished with the project.

 

Find a piece of metal which has lots of rust on it (if you live in the NE or near the coast, check the under carriage of your car). Scrape off a bunch of rust into a plastic freezer bag.

 

You can paint the topper with a dark red as an under coating if you'd like, then spray the topper with some spray adhesive, drop it into the freezer bag and shake.

 

Let it dry. Some of the rust will flake off but it should still look better than trying to simulate rust with paint alone.

[+goosefraba1]

So... I am still working on this sucker. I took the topper to the park today to see if it would fit.... nope. So I totally grinded off the extra sides... it now can sit on top of the post.... but could easily blow off without the container connected to it. I am in the process of painting the topper with primer... the second coating of primer will contain pieces of actual rust. I will probably give it at least 2 more coats of primer and then finish it off with the texture spray. I have been taking pics during the process... but I will probably post them all together.

[knowschad]

So... I am still working on this sucker. I took the topper to the park today to see if it would fit.... nope. So I totally grinded off the extra sides... it now can sit on top of the post.... but could easily blow off without the container connected to it. I am in the process of painting the topper with primer... the second coating of primer will contain pieces of actual rust. I will probably give it at least 2 more coats of primer and then finish it off with the texture spray. I have been taking pics during the process... but I will probably post them all together.

 

 

I think that you will find, once you've got the real rust adhered to it, that you won't want to use the texture spray over that. Nothing looks more like rust than... well, rust.

[+tekkguy]

I've seen someone use 'Antiquing solution' and it seems to work well. It supposedly works on 'any paintable surface' ... I had a buddy that used it on wood after painting the wood with a metallic basecoat ... it looked like a piece of rusty metal in the end.

 

You can get 'antiquing solution' at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc. near where they sell the paint.

[+traildad]

Here is an interesting discussion about rusting steel on purpose.

 

http://www.finishing.com/174/78.shtml