Restore Old Statues at Home

These antique finish statues were very popular 20 years back. My parents had bought several of these...

These have rusted and lost the original color due to time. In this instructable, I will share how to restore them back to their original glory

Disclaimer : The method is for iron statues not copper or bronze

Step 1: What Do We Need ?

Material

• Old metallic statue
• Black Acrylic paint
• Bronze acrylic paint
• Paint brush
• Toilet cleaner
• Varnish

Step 2: Cleaning

• These old statue appear to be copper or bronze, but usually iron with zinc coating which gives it the green rust
• We need to clean the statue before we paint it
• I use toilet cleaner as it contains mild acid and that reacts with dirt and old paint
• Leave the statue for 10 minutes and then wash with water
• Immediately wipe the statue using dry cloth or paper towel

Step 3: Base Coat

• Make sure that the statue is dry
• Using thick paint brush paint the statue
• Make sure all groves are covered with paint
• Do thin coat

Step 4: Finishing

• Dry brushing, I am not an expert in dry brushing, so I use a sponge
• Apply very thin layer of gold/ bronze paint on the statue
• Donot cover any gaps, or grooves
• Let it dry for few hours
• Optionally : can coat with varnish
• When done, place it on a shelf

Please share your comments and suggestions