Bronze
Restore and protect bronze from tarnish with an Everbrite™ Coating
Restore and protect your bronze from tarnish and corrosion with a tough clear coating that keeps your bronze looking freshly polished.
Bronze is an alloy that contains copper, which can oxidize when combined with moisture, creating patina. This reaction creates that green tint of copper carbonate on your skin after wearing a piece for awhile.
Corrosion, tarnish and oxidation can quickly ruin the look of bronze, but constant polishing and cleaning is not practical. Our clear protective coatings are easy to apply and will keep your bronze pieces protected from tarnish, oxidation, corrosion, salt air and other damaging elements.
Bronze surfaces, such as sculpture, art, or fixtures, can add a unique touch to your home. Protect your surfaces from fading and tarnishing with Everbrite™ coatings, to seal out oxidation and keep the bronze color shining bright. Everbrite™ coatings will do the following for your bronze:
Everbrite™ coatings will seal and protect bronze to prevent tarnish oxidation and patina for years.
The coatings are self-annealing and graffiti resistant—so if anything happens, all you need is a touch up.
The coatings have excellent adhesion, even on highly polished bronze
Everbrite™ and ProtectaClear® are UV stable and guaranteed not to yellow or discolour with age or exposure to UV.
CrobialCoat™ is a tough, durable clear coating with the added advantage of Microban technology.
Which coating should be used to restore & protect Bronze?
As a general rule of thumb you would use Everbrite™ Protective Coating for Bronze Outdoors; and you would use Protectaclear for Bronze Indoors and for items subject to a lot of handling and abuse. For high touch items our CrobialCoat™ combines our ProtectaClear® coating with Microban technology for metal protection and antimicrobial protection.
All of our coatings are heat resistant up to 260 – 285 degrees centigrade. The coatings will gas off at about 350 degrees centigrade.
Everbrite™ UV Protective Coating
Everbrite™ is a tough, durable and graffiti resistant clear coating with a pencil hardness on H4. It is packed with UV Filters and UV Stabilisers to protect against harsh UV levels to stop fade and tarnish suited harsh conditions. Everbrite™ is the best coating for bronze pieces such as…
- Statues
- Sculptures
- Weather Vanes
- Bronze Panels
- Architectural Metals
How many coats of Everbrite™ ?
3 to 4 coats – Outdoors
1 to 2 coats – Indoors
Shop Now
ProtectaClear® Universal Clear Coat
ProtectaClear® is a very tough, durable and graffiti resistant clear coating with a pencil hardness on H8. It is the best coating for bronze pieces that are high touch items such as…
- Taps
- Fixtures & Fittings
- Handles
How many coats of ProtectaClear?
- Ornamental highly polished metals: 1 to 2 coats
- Balustrades, Bannisters: 2 to 3 coats
- Jewellery: 3 to 4 coats
- Taps, Kitchen Sinks and Basins: 4 coats
- Bathroom Sinks: 2 coats
- Kitchen Splashbacks and Range Hoods: 2 coats
- Countertops/Bars/Tabletops: 3 to 4 coats
Shop Now
CrobialCoat™
CrobialCoat™ is a tough, durable clear coating with the added advantage of Microban technology.
Can be used over surfaces that have been precoated with ProtectaClear®.
Ideal for surfaces where bacterial germs are likely to get on surfaces being frequently touched by the public such as lift buttons, bannisters, taps, handles in environments such as:
- Hospitals, Rest Homes
- Hotels, Motels
- Restaurants, Bars, Casinos
- Schools and Universities
Shop Now
Shop for CrobialCoat
The Everbrite™Advantage
Everbrite™ is the best coating to protect bronze sculptures and statues as it is easier and less expensive to maintain than other coatings. Coatings such as lacquers or a thick plastic coating can detract from the beauty of the metal and are hard to remove if damaged.
Everbrite™ will seal and protect bronze from tarnish, oxidation, corrosion, salt air and other damaging elements.
- If graffiti happens to get on a sculpture coated with other coatings (which will be a cross linked coating) the area must be sand blasted, re-patinized and then recoated. But with Everbrite™ the graffiti can be wiped off with a solvent like Xylene and the coating can be reapplied. Everbrite™ is self-annealing and will blend to itself so the repairs will not be noticeable.
- Most cross linked coatings will start to peel after about 7 years and the coating must be blasted off with sand or other abrasives, the bronze must be re-patinized and the coating reapplied. This involves a lot of expense to take down the sculpture and send it back to the foundry for the work to be completed. Everbrite™ can be wiped down with a solvent and reapplied in the field. No expensive processes.
- Everbrite™ is available in a Satin finish so the bronze does not need wax to dull down the shine.
Project Examples
Sir Colin Meads – Te Kuiti, NZ
A statue of All Black rugby legend Sir Colin Meads was unveiled by Pinetree himself in his hometown of Te Kuiti in June 2017.
Sir Colin described the sculpture as “just marvellous”.
The 2.7-metre bronze sculpture weighs close to a tonne and took Auckland artist Natalie Stamilla about two months to create.
Bronze Bell – Hunua NZ
Hunua Falls Presbyterian Camp 100th celebration in Nov 2019. The bell is coated in Everbrite which forms part of a public display so that the community has an understanding of the history and the journey of the Hunua Falls Camp.
Rex – The World’s largest Bronze Lion
Rex stands at Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina at their 65-acre sports complex. Rex was created by Jon D. Hair and is protected with Everbrite Protective Coating.
Rex was cast near Sacramento, CA at Frostad Atelier Foundry and was trucked across the country on an open air truck.
Bronze Boat Propeller – NZ
The late Clarke Proctor – New Zealand’s original Metal Man coated another one of his metal master pieces.
Sadly missed.
Pukeahu National War Memorial Park-NZ
In July 2017, the United Kingdom Memorial was unveiled by the UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Boris Johnson. The memorial was designed and built by Weta Workshop with input from students at Massey University and the British Wimbledon College of Arts.
The design takes the form of two of the UK and New Zealand’s most iconic trees. The trunks of a Royal Oak and a Pōhutakawa intertwine to form one single leafy canopy, where leaves from both trees merge to create sense of shelter – giving the memorial its name: Whakaruruhau.
Fort Worth Texas – USA
Archie St. Clair is the sculptor of this bronze sculpture of the founder of Fort Worth TX, Major Ripley Arnold, he built the fort in 1896. The sculpture is protected with Everbrite
Easy Application Instructions
How do you prepare and coat Bronze? – Clean and Restore, Polish, Protect
If you want to protect bronze while it is still new and shiny, clean any oil or other contaminants from the metal . This can be done by simply wiping the metal with a solvent cleaner like xylene or denatured alcohol which can be purchased at most hardware or paint stores. The solvents will not remove tarnish, patina or dark fingerprints. These will need to be polished off of the surface. ***TIP: Use gloves to handle new bronze before it is sealed or you can end up with dark fingerprints on the metal. If the item has already been coated with varnish/lacquer then this needs to be removed with s varnish stripper available from your hardware store.
Once the metal is clean, Everbrite™, ProtectaClear® or CrobialCoat™ can be applied by several methods. It can be sprayed on, or wiped on the surface with clear-coat applicators, fine paint brushes, poly-sponge brushes or a pad of lint-free white cloth. Let it dry and enjoy your beautiful bronze sculpture, doors, plaques, and more.
Instructions summarised
- REMOVE OLD COATING IF APPLICABLE
- BUFF, POLISH, CLEAN or SAND and completely remove films, oils, waxes and silicone if required.
- NEUTRALIZE ACIDS – Acid traces must be removed from the surface otherwise black marks/dark cloudiness will appear under the coating.
- RINSE WELL & DRY COMPLETELY – Rinse twice with clean water. Dry with a clean cloth to prevent spotting.
- SOLVENT WIPE – Just before applying the coating solvent wipe the metal thoroughly with methylated spirits, xylene or acetone to remove any traces of residue and to help dry the surface further. NEVER USE isopropyl alcohol or turpentine as these contain oil.
- COATING APPLICATION – The surface to be coated must be scrupulously clean, sterile and bone dry; and had just been solvent wiped immediately before coating application.
***TIP: Use nitrile gloves to handle polished, cleaned and new copper before its first coat is applied, otherwise you will end up with dark fingerprints on the metal under the coating.
How much coating do I need?
As a rule of thumb 100 mL of coating will provide a one (1) coat coverage to just over 2 square metres of smooth bare metal like brass, bronze, copper silver and stainless steel. Be sure to calculate coating requirement according to the recommended number of coats for the item you are coating.
As an example a surface area of two (2) square metres to be coated with two (2) coats will take about 200 mL of coating therefore you would select the Small kit which contains 250mL of coating.
NOTE: If you are coating a mild steel or a rusted metal surface then the first one or two coats will soak up more as these steels are more porous.
Link to Full instructions – printable pdf
Dry Time and Cure Time?
How long do I have to wait for the coating to dry?
In normal conditions the coating will be touch dry after 60 to 90 minutes. It is best to allow 2 hours between coats.
Cure Time
The coating MUST be fully cured before prolonged contact with other surfaces; e.g. packaging, allowing water to sit on the coated surface, immersing in water or filling fountains, etc. In most cases, dew or rain does not hurt the coating once it is dry for 3 to 4 hours. But do NOT allow water to pool on the surface of the coating for a minimum of two weeks after coating.
Heat and air circulation hastens curing. Under normal circumstances and with good ventilation the coating will be well cured after 4 to 5 days. However the coating is delicate until fully cured, which can take up to 3 to 4 weeks depending upon the number of coats applied. You can shorten cure time by gently heating the coating AFTER it is dry to the touch. Smaller items like jewellery and fittings can be placed in a low temperature oven at 60°C – 80°C for 1 hour and will be cured when cooled.
Sinks and Water Features
Avoid pooling water, filling with water, or pouring boiling water in the sink for a minimum of two weeks after coating.
Sinks may take longer to cure. A deep sink does not get much air circulation. A hairdryer or heated fan can be used every so often to introduce heat and circulation to the area after it is coated to speed curing.
Ongoing Cleaning and Maintenance
Cleaning and After care
Do NOT use solvent or citrus based cleaners or abrasives to clean the coated metal.
Do NOT use cleaners with petroleum distillates.
Suggested cleaner: Mild soap and water.
Maintenance Recoats
Once coated the coating is easy to maintain. Inspect periodically thereafter to check if/when recoating is needed.
Keep an eye out for scratches/damage and recoat that area immediately before tarnish appears.
As long as the original coating is still intact, wash the surface with a mild soap and water, rinse off well and then dry thoroughly and then recoat. It is best to recoat before any tarnish or oxidation is seen or at the first sight of slight color change.
The time between maintenance coats is dependent on proper application of the coating, its environment, and general use and abuse.
FAQ
How many coats of Everbrite™ for exterior Bronze?
2 to 3 coats for all exterior bronze metals. Coastal areas – Minimum 3 coats
Which finish – Natural Gloss or Satin?
Everbrite™ coatings come in a Natural Gloss or Satin finish.
Natural Gloss is usually the preferred choice for highly polished items and when reflection is required. The Satin formula has a sheen but not a high shine.