If you want to age aluminum, there are several ways to do so.
You can spray your aluminum with bleach and leave it in the sun to give it an aged look. Alternatively, you can wrap the aluminum in foil and run it through the dishwasher after adding powdered dish detergent and trisodium phosphate to the dispenser. Alternatively, you can soak your aluminum in cold water and an oxygen-based cleaner to create aging and patterning. Whichever method you use, you'll create a cool aged aluminum look that's great for decorating and crafting. The following is the detailed operation process.
1. Bleached aluminum
Roughen the surface with sandpaper. If you want a really aged look. New aluminum, roughen the metal surface with 80 grit sandpaper.
Spray the aluminum with bleach. Wear a mask and protective gloves when working with bleach. Do this in a well-ventilated area so the smoke can spread easily. Put regular bleach in a spray bottle and spray it on the aluminum.
Put the aluminum in the sun for a few hours. Put the aluminum sheet outside in the sun for a few hours. Sunlight speeds up the process, helping the bleach corrode the metal. Soon, the chemical reaction will make your aluminum look old.
Rinse off the bleach. Rinse the bleach off the aluminum sheet under running water, or soak the aluminum sheet in a container of water for a few minutes. If you have electronic parts or something on your aluminum sheet that prevents you from rinsing or submerging in water, use a clean white cloth to wipe the bleach off the surface of the aluminum sheet.
2. Put Aluminum in the Dishwasher
Wrap the aluminum sheet in aluminum foil. Lay your aluminum sheet on the foil with the shiny side facing away from the aluminum sheet. Fold the aluminum foil over the aluminum sheet, but not airtight. Aluminum foil deforms on aluminum due to heat and chemical reactions.
Put the aluminum flakes in the dishwasher. Keep the open end of the foil facing up so water can flow into the package. Stack your stuff on the washing machine's dish rack.
Add laundry detergent and TSP to the dispenser. Add laundry detergent to the dispenser, followed by 1 teaspoon of trisodium phosphate (TSP).
Let pots and pans cycle. Aging aluminum by running the dishwasher on pots and pans. Also turn on the dry cycle.
Take the dish out of the dishwasher. After the cycle is complete, carefully remove the aluminum sheet from the dishwasher. Be careful as they can be very hot. Remove the foil around the aluminum sheet.
Repeat the process to add more patina. If you want to add more patina or increase the aged look of the aluminum, wrap the pieces in foil in different directions and run them through the dishwasher cycle again.
3. Use cold water and oxygen cleaner
Spray an oxygen-based cleaner on the bottom of the container. Choose a container large enough that your aluminum flakes can be completely submerged in water. Sprinkle a few spoonfuls of an oxygen-based cleaner (such as Oxi-Clean, CloroxOxyAction, AllOxi-Active, or ShoutOxy powder) on the bottom of the container. You can make your own oxygen cleaner by mixing 1 part sodium percarbonate (dry, powdered hydrogen peroxide) and 1 part sodium carbonate (washing soda or soda ash). Be careful not to confuse these powders with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda).
Place crumpled aluminum foil in the container. If you want your aluminum to have a pattern as it ages, you can do it with aluminum foil. Roll up a few pieces of aluminum foil and place in the bottom of the container, on top of the oxygen cleaner. Press them flat against the bottom of the container, and add a few tablespoons of oxygen-based cleaner to the foil.
Place the aluminum sheet on top of the aluminum foil. You can put templates, gears, or other items on top of the aluminum that will keep the covered parts from aging if you want to make designs or shapes out of the aluminum.
Sprinkle more oxygen-based cleaner on the aluminum sheet. A few tablespoons should suffice. Spread the cleaner evenly on the aluminum, trying to avoid building up a lot of powder on the aluminum.
Put something heavy on top of the aluminum. To keep your aluminum sheet from floating in the water, place a weight on top of it. You could use another piece of metal, like a weight or gear, or even a packaged dinner plate.
Pour cold water into the container. Pour cold water into the container until the entire aluminum sheet is submerged. Add 1.3 cm of water above the aluminum plate to ensure that the aluminum is completely covered.
Tilt the container slightly to allow the detergent to flow. Carefully tip the container to one side and then the other to allow the oxygen-based cleaner to flow. If the container is too heavy to move, use a long spoon to gently stir the mixture
Add a few more tablespoons of oxygen-based cleaner to the water. Swirl the mixture to run the powder through the water. Oxygen bubbles from the cleaner are what oxidize the aluminum and turn it discolored
Let the aluminum soak for at least 24 hours. While you may start to notice discoloration of the aluminum after 4 hours, for best results you should let the aluminum soak for at least 24 hours. If you want a deeper color change, you can leave it on for two days
Remove aluminum from water. Remove the aluminum flakes from the water. Use a razor blade or the edge of a plastic card (such as a hotel room key or credit card) to remove heavy crusts left on aluminum from oxygen-based cleaners
Rinse aluminum with water and vinegar. Mix 1 tablespoon (14.8 mL) of distilled white vinegar with every cup of water. Pour the mixture over the aluminum or soak the aluminum in the mixture for a few minutes. Then rinse the aluminum with clean water.
Let the aluminum dry. If the flake is small enough, place it in a drainer to dry; if the flake is large, place it against a hard surface to dry. This aging process creates a fluid gray tone in the aluminum.
