Although antique faux’ finishes are still the most popular we do, “Industrial” finishes, along with more modern styles have been gaining in popularity more than any other style or design.
Industrial finishes include any finish that have a new “unused” look. They can be “powder coatings”, which is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. The main difference between a conventional liquid paint and a powder coating is that the powder coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension form. The coating is typically applied electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a “skin”. The powder may be a thermoplastic or a thermoset polymer. It is usually used to create a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint. Powder coating is mainly used for coating of metals, such as household appliances, aluminium extrusions, and automobile parts.
The popularity of Powder coating iron beds began back in the early 70’s when reproductions became popular due to the ease with which they could be applied and the durability they offered the public.
Other Industrial finishes we are asked to do are “Sandblasted” and sealed finishes that offer the public the actual unblemished iron, free of all impurities, rust and paint. Many people have the impression that iron is a black look. It’s actually a middle tone grey color. The advantage to such a finish is that it is free of any paint or pigment and allows the best clarity of the castings, or “chills” as they were referred to back in the 1800’s. After years and years of painted finishes the depth of a casting will become filled in and offer less and less detailing.
Other Industrial finishes can include simple washes. Our Black Silver Wash has a cleaner look even though it’s a black painted wash over a sprayed silver paint. It has less distressing of any of our other painted finishes because the undercoated color is a sprayed on silver and the top hand painted black is rubbed in and off with paper towels, leaving no brush strokes.
But ask yourself this, if you’ve gone to the trouble of searching out an original antique iron bed……. why paint it like a new reproduction? Allow it the character and respect it deserves with a “finish” that represents it’s historic past.
