When to choose metallic paint and when to choose gold or silver patina

The best source for technical subjects are factories. Here people are faced with a lot of problems that they have to solve quickly and well. That's how we got to today's topic. Being in a factory and discussing varnishes, paints, technologies and many other topics, they told me about a problem they had recently and asked my advice. The problem was with a golden patina that was very easily removed from finished objects. And so we ended up discussing the differences between a metallic paint and a gold or silver patina.

In a nutshell, the problem was this: they had large pieces of furniture to be done in a reddish-gold bronze-like color. They took the patina from a supplier and applied it as instructed. After drying, however, they found that the patina peeled off very easily, simply jumping off the furniture at the slightest shock. The patina was applied all over the surface, forming a uniform film.

Using skates as a uniform coat over the entire surface is a mistake. Metallic paints should be used for such finishes. They are formulated in the same way as other paints, with a base and pigments added. The base ensures adhesion to the substrate and the surface properties characteristic of any topcoat: resistance to scratching, mechanical shocks, staining, etc. The pigments are embedded in this base (resin like that in varnishes), so they are fixed and do not have to be removed if you rub the furniture by hand.

Unlike paints, patinas are formulated to create certain effects. Their principle is to be applied and then removed so that only a very small amount remains on the surface, sometimes only on certain parts of the surface (borders, profiles, carvings, etc). Their adhesion is much lower precisely so that they can be easily removed. Skids are always fixed with a coat of varnish. If a small amount of patina remains, the varnish practically adheres to the primer layer, trapping the patina in the middle. If the patina layer is thick, the varnish is unable to reach the primer and gets stuck to the patina. As the adhesion of the coating is low, at the slightest mechanical aggression, it detaches from the primer and the varnish and the coating come off.

In conclusion, when you need to apply a uniform finish coat over the entire surface, a coat of a certain thickness, with a very good coverage, use metallic paints. When you want to create special effects to give your furniture a precious look, use metallic patinas. It's a good idea when buying such products to say what you want to achieve and what the final effect should be. The supplier will be able to recommend the best product to achieve that effect.

If you have any questions or want to know more about the topic, use the comments area. I will be happy to reply.