Metal Casting Zone Info Blog

Posts Tagged ‘finish’

Wrought Iron Brackets for Home Decor

Brackets are beautiful functional accents used in homes and garden. Since a long time, wood, stone and various metals are used to make brackets for functional purpose. However, there has always been an ever increasing demand for wrought iron brackets for their unique appearance, finish and durability.

 Wrought iron is one of the most popular metals used by craftsmen to produce a wide range of decorative artifacts. The easily, malleable metal can be beautifully molded to give various shapes and sizes of brackets. These iron brackets are usually in the form of scrolls and various carvings with intricate detailing that enhance the look of these accents.

 There are different types of wrought iron brackets like as wrought iron wall brackets, corner brackets, shelf brackets, mounting brackets and are installed to serve various purpose. A beautiful wall bracket can be used to place a lamp or candle holder or photo frame. It looks great in the living room. A shelf bracket in the kitchen or dining room can be used to beautifully display utensils or artworks. Similarly you can use a wrought iron bracket in the corner of a room. These corner brackets are an wonderful enhancements in the entryway or door opening. In the porch or garden, the bracket can be attached on a lamp post or a fountain to additionally hang a bird feeder or a line of flower baskets or pots. There are sign brackets as well which can display your name and address in a beautiful way in front of your house. The strong, sturdy cast iron brackets can also be used as TV brackets. There are mantle brackets which can be placed on top of the fireplace. For supporting a decorative shelf, they are the best . They come in handy in all kinds of decor and this makes them an attractive functional cum decorative piece.

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Wrought iron brackets are powder coated to make them rust free. They can be electroplated or nickel plated and given different colors . Black is the most popular color while other colors are equally in demand. The various finishes on these brackets are the rustic black, forest green, satin black finish, patina finish, gold finish, platinum powder coat finish etc. The various finishes impart beauty to a bracket. They add elegance to the room’s setting. With its myriads designs and styles, wrought iron bracket surely makes a beautiful decorative artifact that goes well be it in the interior or exterior of your house. They last for a long time and the best part is that they can be painted according to your room’s wall color and decor. 

For more information and wholesale purchase of wrought iron products, you can also visit Wrought Iron Crafts: An online B2B Marketplace. Send online enquiry and get the best response from suppliers

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How To Care For A Polished Cast Iron Radiator

When choosing a traditional cast iron radiator one of the most beautiful and traditional finishes is the hand polished choice. ” When choosing a hand polished finish for your cast iron radiators it is always best to make sure the technique used to polish the radiator is performed mainly by hand, the old fashioned way, to ensure a smooth unscratched finish” Helen Proctor Paladin Radiators.

Basically for the hand polished finish the cast iron as a metal is polished to a high sheen and should incorporate using the old technique of hand polishing as machines can be harsh on the cast iron which results in losing some of the beauty of the natural cast iron and to ensure that the ornate raised decorative radiator detail is not flattened or damaged. The hand polishing technique offers more accents to the detail on an ornate radiator and creates a fantastic natural finish for any cast iron radiator style.

The hand polishing process reveals and polishes the original cast iron surface, polishing the radiator down to the bare metal. It is a particularly beautiful finish however the bare metal is exposed to the air and so therefore the radiator will require some minimal attention to care to eliminate rust spots occurring due to moisture in the air. The best way to maintain the beauty of a hand polished radiator and keep the shine on the natural cast is to create a barrier from the air and moisture. It is advised to achieve this to apply an oil based barrier to the surface of the radiator. Every 6 to 8 weeks, take a soft polishing cloth, lightly sprayed with WD40 and dust your radiator on all polished areas, this will ensure your polished radiator remains rust free and buffs to the original shine. Baby Oil or Linseed Oil may also be used as an alternative to WD40, as these oils acts in the same way as WD40. It is advised to apply the oil based barrier once every 6 to 8 weeks, as over time, people and household pets touch or brush against the radiator, this causes the oil layer to be thinned leaving the bare metal to become exposed to air and moisture.

If rusting has occurred, don’t panic! The easiest way to remove light rust patches is to take a soft dry cloth lightly sprayed with oil and simply buff out the rust. Please note to use a soft cloth, as a scourer or cloth with a harsh surface will scratch the bare metal surface giving an unsightly finish once buffed. The cloth must also be dry as adding moisture to the cloth will result in rust occurring.

The traditional method of hand polishing polishes the sides, top and front of the cast iron radiator, basically these areas that are seen and are easily accessible for cleaning. The back of the radiator is not polished as the back of the radiator is difficult to reach once installed and the back is also difficult to reach for cleaning and rust prevention.

The hand polished finish does require a small amount of regular maintenance to maintain the polished look to its best but it is stunning choice of finish and really shows the cast iron radiator to its best advantage. A natural and beautiful finish that is certainly worth the effort.

Painting cast iron radiators

So you have sourced some wonderful reclaimed cast iron radiators, or you want to refurbish your Victorian period radiators, but what is the best way of bringing them back to their former glory?  What is the best way of painting cast iron radiators?

Below are a few tips to achieving a stunning yet hard-wearing finish on cast iron radiators.

1.                   DON’T power coat!

Some companies offer a powder coating service on cast iron radiators.  This method can produce a fabulous finish, BUT… cast iron radiators are not designed to go through the high oven temperatures and prolonged baking process involved in powder coating.  Many experts advise against this option as there is a very real risk that the seals between sections will be damaged during baking which will lead to leaking radiators.  For this reason, powder coating will invalidate the manufacturer’s guarantee on modern cast iron radiators.

2.                   DO use cellulose or acrylic based paint

There is no need to use expensive specialist radiator paints.  You can achieve a perfect finish using cellulose-based paint or acrylic-based spray paint.  For instance, car paint is perfect for radiators as it is designed to cope with extremes of temperature and be tough enough to withstand relatively intense wear and tear.  If you like the look of powder coating, then a similar looking end result can be achieved by using products like “Plasti-kote”, a spray paint available from many DIY stores.

3.                   DON’T use water based paint

If you use water based paint on cast iron you will almost certainly end up with orange “rust blooms”.  Some “specialist” radiator paint is water based and even has a picture of a cast iron radiator on the tin but use this at your peril!

4.                   DO spray paint rather than brush paint

Cast iron’s textured finish is forgiving, so a good paint finish is easily achievable.  If you are planning on painting the radiators yourself by hand, then we recommend using spray paint as it is difficult to reach into the middle columns and achieve a consistent finish using a brush.

For more information on painting cast iron radiators, then speak to an expert such as Feature Radiators. www.featureradiators.co.uk 01274 567789

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