COR-TEB CORTEN Steel, Making From Regular Steel?

[300sniper]

Is there a chemical process that could create the CORTEN effect with standard mild steel shapes?

 

[Dethmachinefab]

Rust then clear over it is the only way to get the effect. A606 t4 and a588 steels over time develop a very tight rust surface that eventually seals itself. Many shapes are available in a606 t4 and a588 grades, what are you looking to do?

 

[300sniper]

Rust then clear over it is the only way to get the effect. A606 t4 and a588 steels over time develop a very tight rust surface that eventually seals itself. Many shapes are available in a606 t4 and a588 grades, what are you looking to do?

I’ve got a railing that’s just about built that I thought would look cool if the framework had the “patina”. If I’ve got to clear it after it rusts, then I think I’ll just paint it.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Edit: Didn't catch the "it's almost finished being built" part.

Is corten steel not available in anything buy sheet? In other words, why not just build your railing form corten steel?

I think actual wrought iron has glass mixed in so it rusts until it hits a layer of glass then stops...another possibility, although I don't know how available wrought iron is.

Edit: yes you can get corten tubing...

https://www.corten.com/corten-tube-ASTM-A847.html

and wrought iron:

https://www.realwroughtiron.com/

 

[tracyb]

i use a copper sulfate, battery acid, water solution (will turn bare steel copper color) sometimes with a bottle i cant remember the name (it darkens and turns black ish)

even cor ten weathers and looks like red rust around here. I do a muratic acid bath then spray on sulution and sometimes penetrol to seal it a bit. it gives the dark rust look people are after but depending on use and location care need some care from time to time. ever brite and penetrol i use most for sealing coating, they dont flake and can be reapplied easily.

 

[Kyfriedhb]

Somebody is bound to have some ancient dot 3 that you could brush on that railing and seal up.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

There's also this option, if you haven't seen it already.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8zz5rTr7CQ

 

[I HATE PONIES]

I wonder if gun bluing would work.

 

[2big bronco]

Not a good thing to build railing out of as the "patinq" will ind up on your hands/clothes/ ect

 

[Clemson13]

Rust then clear over it is the only way to get the effect. A606 t4 and a588 steels over time develop a very tight rust surface that eventually seals itself. Many shapes are available in a606 t4 and a588 grades, what are you looking to do?

Out of interst, does the corten rust stain concrete? I always see pictures of your pad and am amazed you dont have rust streaks down the walls. I have been thinking of using corten to weld up a fire pit.

 

[tracyb]

Out of interst, does the corten rust stain concrete? I always see pictures of your pad and am amazed you dont have rust streaks down the walls. I have been thinking of using corten to weld up a fire pit.

depends on the climate, corten is intended for climates that wont produce rust staining. generally if metal rusts darker its a tighter rust more resistant to staining or running.

if a fire pit is used often enough and has proper drainage holes it shouldn't stain concrete. the heat also helps to create the tighter rust pattern. i would think the corrosive nature of ash and what not would make design (enough holes, that ash washes out) would matter more than mild steel vs corten.

is any case a little muratic acid will take rust off concrete quick, just don't over do it.



when iget a chance i'll try to snap a picture of a local building that is sided in corten. above the awning area the corten is redish... staining the signage and running down the building, under the awning its the nice brown color you want and no staining at all. its a good example of where corten should and should not be used (at least in my area). we are surrounded by salt water, and i believe corten isn't inteneded for use within 20mi of a coast line, or somthing to that effect.

 

[Dethmachinefab]

Out of interst, does the corten rust stain concrete? I always see pictures of your pad and am amazed you dont have rust streaks down the walls. I have been thinking of using corten to weld up a fire pit.

Absolutely it will stain concrete until its mostly matured. There is some staining on that pad, but it was poured 2yrs after the siding went up. Ive stained it far worse by doing metal work on it than the siding has. It also is quite diluted because most of the water that hits the pad is roof runoff. The siding panels have a kick out at the bottom that is far enough away that the water never hits the concrete wall.