How to Rust Tin for Primitive Crafts

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Learn the different ways of how to rust tin for your primitive craft projects in this tutorial. From rusted safety pins to rusty jingle bells and keys to tin stars there’s many tins items you can take from shiny new to distressed and rusty. You’ve probably seen crafters turn tin cans into rusty containers with pip berry stems and handmade sunflowers filling them.  These recipes are tried and true by experienced primitive artists.

How to Rust Tin Tutorial

Light Rusting Instructions

Supplies Needed:

Apple Cider vinegar (MUST be apple cider)
All Metal Cookie Sheet

1. Pour apple cider vinegar into an all metal cookie sheet. DO NOT use Teflon coated, glass or plastic containers.

2. Lay tin into apple cider vinegar making sure it is completely covered. Leave the tin in the vinegar for approximately 30 minutes.

3.Lift tin out of the vinegar and stand up to dry on a protected space. DO NOT WIPE VINEGAR OFF. The tin will rust as it is air drying. The rusting could take anywhere from 30 min. to 3 hours depending on the humidity in your area. The longer you air dry, the more rusty it looks.

When tin is completely dry, it will turn a copper color with uneven streaks and swirls.

Heavy Rusting Instructions

Supplies Needed:

Apple Cider vinegar (MUST be apple cider)
All Metal Cookie Sheet
Household Bleach

This MUST be done in a well ventilated area or outdoors.

1. Poor 2 cups of household bleach and into a metal cookie sheet with sides. Add l cup of apple cider vinegar and mix thoroughly.

2. Lay tin into apple cider vinegar making sure it is completely covered. It will start to rust immediately in the solution. It takes approx. 2-3 min.

3. Lift tin out of the vinegar and stand up to dry on a protected space. Let air dry completely for approx. 1-3 hours or overnight. It will become very rusty. When dry you can wipe off some of the rusty dust if you want.

Tip:

You can sometimes find little tin pots and watering cans at Target in their dollar section or at dollar stores. These are great to turn rusty and use in your prim crafting.

You can also rust keys, bells, nails, bottle caps, safety pins, tin cans, etc.  Please Note: this above method does not work on galvanized tin.

How to Rust Tin with Paint

You’ll need Rustoleum satin cinnamon spray paint and  also their texture spray paint. Working in a well ventilated work space, cover the floor or table to protect them from being sprayed.

Spray the surface of your tin objects with the cinnamon paint and allow to dry. Then spray the texture paint over the surface and allow to dry. The combination of the two paints creates a rusty look. It’s a nice alternative to our other two methods when you’re working with larger items. This also works on galvanized metal items which the others wouldn’t.

Thanks to Ahl Cooped up for this method! You can read their complete tutorial Here.

When You Don’t Want the Mess

Don’t want to mess with making your own rusted tin? There’s several places you can buy rusted tin:

Amazon – Many rusty items, including some from Factory Direct Craft

Etsy

Factory Direct Craft – They have many, many rusty craft supplies like cutouts, wire, floral sprays, bells, and more.