How to Patina Copper

Hi guys! So I have a couple projects I am working on that require patina. I want to do it from scratch, not making it look like patina with paint. I thought I could do I quick post to show you how.

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Supplies:

Copper metal – I got mine here https://amzn.to/42Ixk20 ( cut into size you need)

Salt

Vinegar

Paper towels

disposable plate

plastic spoon or something to stir with

Bowl or container

Dish Soap

SOS pad or rough scrubby

First we will start by washing our copper. Being careful not to touch it with your fingers. We need to wash off all the dirt and grease on it. Scrub it first using the SOS pad and dish soap. Thoroughly rinse off and this time sprinkle some baking powder on it and scrub again. Rinse again and with out touching it with your fingers, carefully put the copper on a paper towel or plate.

Next, in your bowl, you will mix approx. 5 Tablespoons of vinegar. Depending on the size of your piece, If your piece is bigger then add more vinegar. and 3-4 teaspoons of table salt. Mix until the salt can not dissolve anymore. (there will be salt in the bowl still) For the heck of it I threw in a small piece of silver. I needed it rusted so I figure I could do it at the same time.

Once your vinegar/salt mixture is ready, carefully put the copper pieces in the mixture for 30-40 minutes. Remove the metal from the bowl and place on a paper towel to dry. You will want to leave the vinegar/salt mixture on it. Set your timer for about 1 hour. When the time is up, you should start to see a little bluish green color. Mine had very little color on it so I turned mine over, which I’m glad I did becuase there was quite a bit of color on that side. So I sprinkled a little more of the vinegar/salt mixture on it and let it sit for another 30min-1 hour. Here’s my results –

Please send me your finished pictures! I love to see what you all have did. 🙂