How to create an oil rubbed bronze finish?

[Ron Corselli]

I've constructed a staircase with cherry newel and handrails (hopefully that justifies asking in a woodworking forum), but need to finish the metal balusters in an oil rubbed bronze effect. Rustoleum makes a spraycan finish of that name but it's more black. Anyone have idea on achieving that type of finish?

[Jamie Buxton]

What metal are the balusters? Bronze? Steel?

[Jamie Buxton]

https://steelfxpatinas.com/shop/bronze-fx/

[roger wiegand]

This sent me off to the land of Google, because though I've seen "oil rubbed bronze" I had no idea what it was. I naively assumed you took a pice of bronze, perhaps heated it up, and then treated it with some kind of oil that oxidized the surface to a dark brown color.

What I found is that better ORB finishes start with brass, which is then plated with copper, which is then oxidized with sulfur compounds (eg the wonderfully named "liver of sulfur"), then rubbed with steel wool (and oil?) to expose some of the copper and brass beneath in patches, imitating aged metal that has naturally oxidized and been worn by years of handling.

Most ORB finishes on cheap hardware is just paint that can be on any base metal.

[Ron Corselli]

What metal are the balusters? Bronze? Steel?

Wrought iron from House of Forgings.

[Ron Corselli]

The finish on this is similar to what I'm trying to achieve but without resorting to custom powder coating:

https://www.amerock.com/Products/Detail/pid/1802

[Bennett Ostroff]

Ron - If you're open to a spray can, I've found that Rustoleum's "brown" looks exactly like I'd expect oil rubbed bronze to look, with a nice sheen. Might be worth $5 to try it. "Dark copper" might fit the bill too. Can't speak to any metal-specific finish.

[Ron Corselli]

Ron - If you're open to a spray can, I've found that Rustoleum's "brown" looks exactly like I'd expect oil rubbed bronze to look, with a nice sheen. Might be worth $5 to try it. "Dark copper" might fit the bill too. Can't speak to any metal-specific finish.

Thanks, Bennett, I'll test some of their brown. Spray can would by far be easiest. Got me thinking perhaps a copper base coat with a light top coat of the brown to allow some of the underlying to show through.

[John Goodin]

I have had great luck with metal finishing from an outfit called sculpt nouveau. There sell chemicals to create a reaction with the metal to achieve the desired look or patina. Affordable and easy to do. Just google the name. They also provide great help over the phone.