![]() ![]() Some metals rust while others slowly turn green. This transformation should be part of your decision marking process when choosing metal mouldings for your next architectural project. How The Patina Effect Creates Green Metal What causes green metal? It all begins with a slow-moving special effect. Think of the Statue of Liberty for a moment. What color is it? If you answered "green, with maybe a little blue," you're correct … but you wouldn’t have been 140 years ago.Ĭopper, bronze, brass, and other metal used in interior design and architecture may not look the same color 5, 10, 20, or even 50 years from now as they do today. ![]() So, what is it called when metal changes color? The patina effect - a color change in red metals caused by oxidation. The Statue of Liberty isn't made out of a green metal its surface is mostly copper - and copper doesn't come out of the mill looking green. The Statue of Liberty is green thanks to the copper patina effect.Įssentially, the green color results from the copper coming into contact with water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide over time, causing a coating to build on the surface. Yet, instead of rusting, it morphs into a beautiful blue-green color.Īnd what's interesting about the blue-green color is that it makes the metal more resistant to further corrosion. ![]() In a sense, when it oxidizes, it becomes strengthened and more durable.Īside from the Statue of Liberty, you'll commonly see roofs, outdoor sculptures, and even gutters made of copper due in part to the trademark blue-green color it eventually takes on. Walking down any street in America with historic old buildings, you'll often see a lot of blue-green on the exterior facade. Of course, copper is just one metal that turns green.Īge may be more than a number when it comes to metals, but it’s still just one of many factors that should go into your material choices. To learn more about decorative metal, check out the free download below:īrass architecture, however, behaves similarly to copper when exposed to air and water - it'll take on a blue-green color. Because brass is two-thirds copper - so it behaves similarly over time. Brass’s patina effect is a little more green copper’s color is closer to blue. Galvanized steel and aluminum also change when oxidized, just not in the same way as copper and brass. The high zinc content in galvanized steel will cause it to take on a white-like color. Some builders call this “white rust.” Meanwhile, when aluminum encounters the air, it forms a protective layer through a process known as anodization. Ultimately, there’s little change in its color.Īnother neat thing about working with metal is that you can age metal intentionally, so the design has a “classic” look with no waiting required. ![]()
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