Best Guide to Maintaining Bronze Furniture

Bronze is among the most popular alloys of copper. Although sometimes mistaken with brass because of almost similar characteristics, this metal is the result when copper and tin are combined, copper being the principal element. Copper and zinc, elements that make up brass, both produce gold-like surface, making them excellent materials for architectural finishes and furniture. Bronze is usually used to make statures and permanent ornamental objects.

Owning a bronze statue or furniture at home can be quite daunting. Unlike tin and copper as separate metals, this alloy is heavy and somewhat difficult to handle by a single worker. However, if laid permanent, the only trouble faced when maintaining it is tarnish. While ferrous metals rust upon exposure to oxygen through moisture and wetting, non-ferrous metals, such as bronze, do not rust, although they acquire a special form of tarnish.

Copper, as the primary component of bronze, creates a green film when continuously exposed to climatic elements, such as rain and wind. That is why most buildings having copper roofing do not require painting, as the roof’s surface will eventually turn green in the long run. Since bronze has copper within it, the green tarnish also appears on its surface after many years. Although an effective natural protection against further damage, this tarnish makes the bronze object unsightly.

Several things should be prepared and done before cleaning an architectural bronze. Among the most important are latex or rubber gloves, soft and clean chamois cloth, soft-bristle brush, skewer and paste wax. All these are important in cleaning and polishing the bronze object. Dirt and stain cover the surface of the object. Removing the dirt first will make scraping off the tarnish easy.

Prepare soap and water solution and dunk the brush in it. Brush the surface until the tarnish is completely extracted. While the green film is only produced by the reaction of the surface to moisture, scraping it off will expose the deeper layer, which is newer. Dry off the architectural bronze using a sponge.

Then, wax the surface of the bronze by scrubbing it with the chamois cloth. Waxing is typical for any metal with copper content. Even a brass distributor will recommend the same step in polishing a brass ornament. Polish carefully and buff off excess wax to obtain the optimum result. Repeat the process periodically to keep the beauty of the furniture alive.