Yesterday I shared how to make a DIY metal arrow sign. Today I’m going to show you how to age it to perfection. I’m not real crazy about super aged things these days, I mostly go for a fresh look, but this metal sign needed something and a little aging never hurt, right? Well, I mean age galvanized metal, that is. With a couple of common household products and a couple of tools, you can get all aged up in minutes.
As for chemicals you only need two things: Clorox Clinging Bleach Gel toilet cleaner (I tried about 5 brands – this worked best) and regular old baking soda. You’ll also need a worn out old paint brush and a heat gun (I love mine from HomeRight*). You’ll also need a small glass (we’ll get to that in a minute.)
This is kinda two step, but it goes pretty quickly. First, squirt the cleaner onto the metal. Notice how it pools in the valleys? Yeah… that’s why we need a brush and the heat gun.
With one hand use the brush to spread out the cleaner, and with the other use the gun to dry it onto the metal. If you have a friend it goes faster. We did it outdoors and the chemical smell was hardly noticeable – but if you’re sensitive to these things then please wear a mask.
Once you have the whole thing coated with the dry cleaner, then move to step two.
In a glass, mix together more of the same bathroom cleaner about half and half with baking soda until you get a paste. This is where the magic is really going to happen. But don’t skip the first step – make sure you have the coat of full strength cleaner on there before moving on.
Paint the cleaning/soda mix onto the metal with a brush in a good, thick layer, then dry again with the heat gun.
When it’s dry it will start to bubble up, and that’s exactly what you want. Make sure you have a enough on there to really coat it well. The baking soda helps to make sure it’s thick enough to really sit on the metal – even on the sloping parts – so it all ages beautifully.
Once the entire piece is dry, give it a few minutes to cool off, then wash it down with water to clean off all the dried on stuff and reveal all that beautiful aging.
If you want to age galvanized metal – just remember, you won’t be able to control every little inch. It will have darker and lighter places and find a beauty all on its own. But this technique works really well, especially on galvanized metal roofing.
*Thanks to HomeRight for partnering with me on this post. All ideas, opinions, words and images are 100% my own. This post contains affiliate links*
Great tutorial, this looks amazing.
Thi is really cool…going to make one this weekend…can you tell
me how you hung yours?
Thank you!
I just used a couple of screws in the top corners (drill a hole for them first) Super easy!
This is funny: I moved my computer and “stuff” into Dave’s office because my office is next to be textured, painted, etc.
As I was reading your email, Dave turned around and said, “How to age galvanized metal roofing?” What’s THAT about?
So, as I was opening the link, I explained what you did yesterday to make the sign. Then, we had to read all these instructions. I can still see his mind spinning.
Genius! I have a crate full of gavanized sign blanks that are way to shiny!!!! Can’t wait to try this…will post a pick when done!
Perfect! I’m building a chicken coup and wanted the galvanized roof to look aged – thank you so much Gina!
Hm, I like the aged look. What if you don’t have a heat gun? Will it work? If you want rust, all you have to do, is spray it with muriatic acid and rinse with water. Voila! Rust!
Is the heating gun absolutely necessary? I don’t know what else I would use it for and don’t want yet another one application tool. Thanks!
A really strong hair dryer might do the trick.
Would you be able to use the Aged Galvanized Metal behind a wood stove or would the ‘finish’ be ruined?
I don’t see why not Lindsey, it would look awesome!
Gaining Galvanized Metal Roofing
I first tried just putting Clorox bathroom cleaner and used a paint brush to coat everything. Left it in 100 degree weather for two days, rinsed and it was as shiny as when I started.
Second try I first west over entire surface with steel wool. Then put on the bath cleaner and used a sponge to make sure it was thoroughly covered and again left it out in 100 degree weather. Just rinsed and its still as shiny as when I started.
Please any suggestions?
Sincerely,
Bobbie
HI Bobbie,
Did you do the 2nd step with the bathroom cleaner and baking soda? Maybe try reading the tutorial again and give it another shot? Practice makes perfect 🙂
I used Zep Acidic Toilet Bowl Cleaner found @Lowe’s then to add rusted look afterwards cleaned them let dry then sprayed with hydrogen peroxide and shook table salt on let dry then dry rag wipe and clear coat
Thanks Tina, how did it turn out?
Do you have pictures I’d love to see them ?
Thank you! I will be doing exactly this in the next few days for my Planters I’m building as this seems to be the easiest and CLEANEST (see what I did there with the bleach) way of doing this with an excellent result.
Ha ha, 🙂 Good luck with your planters!
Just tried this, did not work at all. Thinking baking soda is neutralizing cleaner.
Baking soda neutralizes acid. I did this as described but then realized it didn’t work because it neutralized it as I suspected it would.
Hi Marianne,
Did you make sure to do the first step to the process? It works for me everytime!
I was really excited when I found this post. This is exactly what I have been wanting to do. However I tried step-by-step exactly how the post read. It looks like it was working and it did in a couple spots but when I wash it off it was still just a shiny is when I started and 95% of my project. I don’t understand why it didn’t work? Any tips?
Oh I am so sorry Amber! I am not sure, did you leave it on long enough?
Hi Gina,
When this process is finished, is it smooth enough for vinyl to stick to it?
Hey Joanne,
It has a bit of a texture to it, you’d have to just give it a try and see 🙂
Didn’t work…not even a bit. I hear muraitic acid is the only way. What a waste of my time.
I’m sorry it didn’t work for you Amy 🙁
Yes I used muriatic acid on 1” x 1” galvanized metal wire mesh cloth to be used as a panel in a wood frame door. I just soaked the wire mesh with acid by using an old brush or straw broom for approximately 15 minutes and let it dry. Then hose it off with water to induce rust. Repeat it several several times till you are happy with it. The acid is very toxic and it is recommended that it be done outside and using rubber gloves and a face respirator mask. The same procedure can be used for new galvanized steel corrugated tin as well. For best results, I used a long straw broom to distance myself far when applying the acid and rust almost appear within 10 minutes after it dries. It also removes the shiny finish as well. It could make the rust flaky of which you can sand lightly to your tastes. You can wipe it clean with cloth rags and still retain the rusty looks. As an option, you can spray it with satin polytherene to prevent it from getting dirty and rusty on your hands.
Thanks Marc 🙂
Do you rinse after step 2?
Yes Rick, you definitely need to rinse the baking soda mixture off well 🙂 Have fun!
Gina. Thanks for your blog on this. I’m Trying your technique on a galvanized water trough. My Goal is to age it and build a wooden lid for a storage bench/trunk. I followed your instructions precisely but all I got was a nice clean spot. I did use lysol 3x with bleach. Would that have made that much of a difference to get no result? My paste was a little foamy. Too much baking soda? Would that make a difference? Any thoughts/advice? What am I missing? Is it the metal itself? Thanks.
Hey Craig, I am not sure why it didn’t work for you, it may be the metal? Here is another tutorial from a good friend’s blog The Graphics Fairy that may work better for you, I hope it works, your project sounds awesome!
https://thegraphicsfairy.com/how-to-age-galvanized-metal/
Good luck!
Just a warning from a welder, heating galvanized steel gives off poisonous fumes, this is why it should never be welded, or heated to the point where the zinc oxide coating burns off. This can be extremely hazardous and cause metal fume toxicity.
Thanks for the head’s up!!
I followed the steps exactly and it did not age. Are you supposed to sand the metal roofing first?
I did not sand mine, you may give it a try to see if that helps, I don’t know why it didn’t work for you, sorry!
I want to age metal fencing. (It’s more like galvanized wire fencing ) I used it to build a fence around my garden but now I am making a lattice for a plant to grow on. Any tips on how to use your method to adhere the bleach to the wire??
Hmmm, not sure Debbie, I’d check Youtube, they have something on everything, LOL, good luck!