Exterior Copper Protection?

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Framar

Framar

WOW Framer
Joined
Jul 24, 2001
Posts
26,420
Loc
Buffalo, New York, USA/Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
I made the most amazing discovery today! I was scraping down the window frame and surrounding area in my front doorway and I discovered that the window frame is actually solid copper!!!!!

Of course it has six coats of cracking paint not to mention putty on it. And it is dirty and oxidized.

I am not going to touch my big front windows but just this little one that is the first thing a person sees when they enter my door. I will repaint the wooden areas, but I would love to see nice shiney copper gleaming in the entryway.

Is this possible? Can I put a coating on it after I polish it to a gloss? I have both Defthane varnish and Spar Polyurethane. Neither labels mention metal. I know for interior use lacquer is usually used, but lacquer does not agree with moisture.

This entryway is facing North (no sun ever) and fairly well protected from the weather. Any suggestions?

Or do I just keep polishing it two or three times a year? Or maybe a wax coating?

Thanks!!!
 
Of course we know there's no lght in the north...
I would think that something on the order of Spar Varnish would take of your problems.

If that doesn't work, it's Kits fault. No doubt these are Canadian mosquitos, in origin.

Just remember:
When ter-mites start swarmimg
Be sure to take warning
Call Otto the Orkin man

[ 09-23-2004, 04:25 AM: Message edited by: CharlesL ]
 
OOPS! Disregard everything from the suggestion of spar varnish on down!

Had another thread in mind, and combined the two without realizing it until it was too late to edit it !
 
I have spent the last three days scraping the many layers of paint off of the copper window trim on a 2 foot by 6 foot window. Plus repairing, scraping, sanding and priming the wood trim.

It is lookin' real good! The UPS man told me today that another building in the next block also has copper trim. I phoned the business owner today and he said he spent SEVEN MONTHS refinishing his windows! So now I have to do my big front windows - but maybe I'll wait til next year when my poor cramped fingers recover! (Of course for a BIG job I would invest in some of that cool new green paint stripper!)

The guy down the street told me he used spray sealer. So I sprayed mine with Krylon crystal clear. So far so good. Tomorrow (if the weather cooperates) I'll put the top coat (similar to Crescent's Crimson) on the wood parts and then attempt to caulk! (I hate caulking!)

I also bought a really cool doormat - one of those thick rubber ones with the scrolly cut-outs. It looks like a wide ornate frame with a mosaic in the center! And it matches the copper and brick perfectly!!! (This doormat will spend nights in the shop - am taking no chances of it being stolen!) (Bought it at Canadian Tire Store!)
 
Mar,
THIS stuff will virtually take the paint off all the way to the copper in no more than two applications. There are some 'tricks' that are very heplful in using it. (Ahem...I have used many gallons of it, and will be happy to tell you what I've learned.)

And THIS stuff will polish AND leave a light coating on the copper.

Email me if you're interested in more facts..
 
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