INFORMATION UPDATE
I recently talked to a staff member at DecoArt to see what they recommended to use on tin before I added a base coat. I was told I should use Adhesion Medium as it was more durable than the Multi Purpose Sealer is on tin. So I am updating my instructions to include how I use the adhesion medium to prep my tin before the adding the basecoat color. Adhesion medium was developed to use on any "shiny" surface. It will work on plastic, candles, tin, glass and any surface that is shiny.

Your drying time is longer for the Deco Art Adhesion Medium than it is for the DecoArt Multi-Purpose Sealer that I used previously. While I have good luck with the Multi Purpose Sealer I will use the Adhesion Medium since it is supposed to adhere better than the Multi Purpose Sealer. The drying time is longer for the Adhesion Medium. So If I do not have the luxury of time to allow the Adhesion Mediums extra drying time I know that I can use the Multi Purpose Sealer.

Since the DecoArt Adhesion Medium is more durable it is a better choice. I will have to factor in the drying time. I have been using it since I received this information and it is slower, but not so much that it makes too much difference. Do not rush the process, allow it to dry completely.

I use a wide 1/2" or 1" brush to first add a coat of Adhesion Medium.

(NOTE: Be sure to clean your brush well and not allow your good brush to dry with the Adhesion Medium or the Multi Purpose Sealer in your brush.)

When the first coat of Adhesion Medium is dry you are ready for the next step… base coating. Use your clean brush and pick up your base color and some Adhesion Medium from your pallet and add one coat of this mix to your tin. Remember, it will take longer to dry. When the paint feels cold to the touch or "tacky" it is not dry or cured.

Adhesion Medium will not be added again. Add 3 coats of the base coat color only. You need opaque coverage of you base color and the 3 coats will allow you to have a tough durable skin to protect your tin.

I normally wait a day before I apply my pattern. This is insurance that you will not scratch the surface using your stylist to apply the pattern.

Grey Primed Tin - This does not require sanding. It is ready for the next step "as is". I add Deco Art Multi Purpose Sealer to my base coat color for the first time and paint one coat of the mix on my tin piece. Then I add 3 coats of acrylic paint (more if the coverage is not opaque) nothing added to it until I have opaque coverage.

Old Tin with some rust… Tin is a great surface to paint on and has been my surface of choice for years. It is important for you to know the proper way to prepare it before painting. First and foremost you should know that if there is any rust on the surface it must be removed. Rust will continue to "grow" beneath any layer of paint, sealer and even a rust inhibitor if it is not removed. The instructions for preparing old, new tin and primed tin before painting are not the same. I do not paint on tin that is rusty. If it has a very small amount of rust that can be easily removed and has not breached the integrity of the tin then I will consider it, if I love the piece. If the integrity of the tin has been invaded I would not paint a design on it, ever!

If you are painting on a piece of tin that has a very small amount of rust it must all be removed before you begin your base coating. Use commercial products that will remove rust and possibly a wire brush to remove all, not some, all of the rust. Remember, if you do not remove all of the rust it will continue to rust beneath your paint and eventually the tin will deteriorate and flake away.

When the rust has been removed follow these steps:

1. Wash the tin with soap and water to and remove any dirt, grime or grease after you have removed the rust. Wipe with a cloth soaked in Vinegar to insure an oil free surface. Water collects in the seams so allow ample time for the water to dry and evaporate.

2. Important: If it had rust on it and you removed it you must seal it with a chemical that will prevent it from returning. It will return even if you sanded it all away. Using the RustOleum Spray Auto Primer will keep it from returning. I use grey as it is a neutral value and will cover easily regardless of what your base coat color you are using.

3. When your RustOleum has dried thoroughly you will apply the base color + DecoArt Multi Purpose sealer. Using a ½" or 1" brush mix DecoArt Multi-Purpose Sealer + your base coat color and apply it to your tin.

Note: I am recommending that you use the Deco Art Multi-Purpose Sealer as I have not used the Adhesion Medium with the RustOleum. Since Adhesion Medium has a longer drying time and it seems to have a "tack" too, I am concerned a chemical reaction could happen between the two products.

Follow that with three coats of your acrylic base color and allow it to dry well before applying your pattern.

Old Tin with no rust…
Wash it just as you did the tin with rust. Spray it with RustOleum and follow steps 1., 2. and 3. found in the instructions for "old tin" with rust.

I cannot emphasize enough how important all the steps should be closely followed. All types of tin are not prepared the same way. The paint will adhere and will not peel or scratch if you use my instructions.

Should there be any stickers or labels on the Old Tin remove them and make sure all the residue from the sticker is also removed. (Goo Gone or lighter fluid can be used to remove the glue left after a sticker is peeled away.)

Wash tin well with warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly to remove any residue from the stickers. Wipe with a cloth soaked in vinegar to make sure that any trace of oil is gone. Since tin has seams it is important that you allow proper time for it to dry naturally.

Use the same drying time information for the other tin finishes above.

NEW GALVANIZED and RAW TIN
(Prep Before Base Coating)

Some of the tin products produced by Folk Art Tin™ are made of galvanized tin and some raw tin. Galvanized tin will not rust unless it is scratched or cut. Raw tin should be primed or it will rust if it is scratched. It will rust if water is left in it as the water will cause the rust to occur around the seams. They are both prepared the same way. The galvanized tin needs the same procedure to make the paint adhere well, not to prevent rust. Raw tin needs protection to a provide a moisture barrier so it will not rust and to make the paint adhere well.

Sand in a circular motion with a piece of medium grit sand paper to rough the tin surface. Pay particular attention to the edges by sanding them well. Wipe all of the dust away. Sanding gives tooth to the tin and allows the primer and paint to bond well. Then you are ready for the next step.

Tin must be primed with a rust inhibitor to prevent any rusting. It also starts our process of creating a tough skin to avoid any scratching or peeling of the paint. I use RustOleum Gray Auto Primer Spray if I am preparing for large classes. You can use this on all your tin or tins with a shiny or slick finish. It is not my primary of choice, but I do use it when it is more convenient.

I go outside and set up an area to use it so that I do not have residue on the garage floor or grass. A large card board box sitting on its side helps to keep the wind from blowing the spray paint and protects the area around your "spray station". You can also spread a drop cloth on the lawn or patio to protect the area you are working in.

The weather is a factor too… rain, wind and cold weather mean you move into the garage or use another method. If the weather is really cold you should not prep tin on those days if you are out in the element.

BLACK POWDER FINISH - DECORATIVE TINS With SHINEY SURFACES
(Prep Before Base Coating)

When my business was started I did not have any tin that was primed. It was "raw and galvanized". Now, in addition to raw and galvanized we have tin primed with a "black powder finish" applied at the factory and tin with a "matte gray sprayed finish" applied by the factory.

These finish are slick and shiny and are prepared like Raw and Galvanized Tin. So the instructions for this area is almost the same instructions that you just read. It bares repeating as it reinforces your knowledge and you recall that some finishes are exactly or nearly like other finishes. They are easy to remember and we use all the same products.

Wash tin well in warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly to remove any residue from the stickers that you removed with Goo Gone. Wipe with a cloth soaked in vinegar to make sure that any trace of oil is gone. Since tin has seams it is important that you allow proper time for it to dry naturally.

These are all slick surfaces and I treat them the same way. I sand the surface with medium grit sand paper in a circular motion and remove the grit. Always sand the edges of your tin as this is the area that is most likely to be damaged. Sanding gives some tooth to the surface so the paint has a slightly rough finish and the paint should not "slip off" or "peel off" if you follow the steps that I use before adding your base color.

Questions Students and Customers Ask
My students and customers always ask why it is necessary to paint so many layers of paint on the tin. You can do all of the steps in these instructions more quickly than you can when you paint on a wooden surface. You sand, seal, sand again, paint one layer and sometimes have to sand again. Don't forget the cross cut edges…they are a pain to deal with and time consuming. Those have to be filled and sanded smoothly and repeated until it is perfectly smooth.. You base coat until it is opaque and the wood grain is covered.

When we prep we are adding layers to protect our tin. I can do this in a shorter amount of time than I use when I prep wood. It always took me longer on the wood than it does on tin. Paint adheres well to wood because it is porous, meaning the paint sinks below the surface of the wood. Tin does not absorb the paint. So we must apply the paint so it will adhere well and it has a "thick skin".

Compare it to a plastic drop cloth. Acrylic paint is plastic. If you buy an inexpensive drop cloth to place on the floor when you are painting a wall it will tear before you can pull it apart. If you buy a more expensive drop cloth you can unfold it, use it, fold it up and use it another time because it is thick and durable. You want a durable finish on your tinware... so don't skip any of the steps that I use.

RAW, GALVANIZED, BLACK POWDER FINISH, SHINEY and SLICK FINISH TIN
When I apply the first coat of base color I mix Deco Art Multi-Purpose Sealer with the paint. I use a ½" or 1" good flat brush to apply the mix.

Place sealer and your base color on the palette. A brush mix of these two products are applied first. I pick up more sealer than I do paint. The sealer helps to strengthen the bond of the paint. I apply one coat of this mix and allow it to dry. Your surface will feel cold until it has dried. Be very careful to not allow this mix to run. If it dries it is very, very difficult to sand.

THIS NEXT STEP IS VERY IMPORTANT - My students and customers always ask why it is necessary to paint so many layers of paint on the tin. You can do all of the steps in these instructions more quickly than you can when you paint on a wooden surface. Paint adheres well to wood because it is porous, meaning the paint sinks below the surface of the wood. Tin does not absorb the paint. So we must apply the paint so it will adhere well and it has a thick skin.

Compare it to a plastic drop cloth. If you buy a drop cloth to place on the floor when you are painting a wall it will tear before you can pull it apart. If you buy a more expensive drop cloth you can unfold it, use it, fold it up and use it again, because it is thick and durable. You want a durable finish on your tinware... so don't skip any of the steps that I use.

Next apply three coats of acrylic paint with medium or sealer added; sealer is added to the first coat only. It is important to have a good base coat on the tin. Be certain to apply the paint smoothly and avoid any runs or ridges.

Allow ample drying time between each coat of paint. Allow the paint to dry completely before applying the next coat. When the paint feels cold to the touch it is not dry or cured. It will be warm when it is dry.

Updated 2014© Della Wetterman

Prep For All Types of Tin - You may save or print the article if you wish.

Back to Della's Painting Tips Index