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All of the finishes offered by American Tin Ceiling Co. are Powder Coated finishes. A Powder Coating is a polyester
resin that is baked onto the metal. It is a premium finish commonly used on appliances and patio furniture. There will
be certain applications where you may want or need to match our colors. These applications can typically be nail heads, acoustical
ceiling grids, molding, can light covers, A/C vents, switch plates or to touch up caulked areas. In applications where
you may need to match these colors, we do offer Automotive type lacquer spray paints (12 oz.) for some colors. Some
colors can be matched by simple faux painting techniques and some colors you will need to match locally on your own.
All home or automotive paint stores have electronic color matching systems which should get you very close. Our policy states,
if we cannot match the color exactly, we do not offer it. We have compiled the following suggestions to help
you with your color matching and faux painting needs. Many suggestions have come from our customers which we greatly appreciate.
If you are unsure about anything in this section please call us directly. It may also be in your interest to consult a local paint professional.
Preparing Unfinished Tiles
If you plan to paint unfinished tiles you must treat them before applying your paint. This requires a 'primer' which the paint will adhere to. Metal requires an 'oil based' primer.
When shopping for this product, make sure you purchase a metal primer that has a RUST INHIBITOR. If you do not use a primer with a rust inhibitor, chances are that the metal panel
will eventually corrode.
Clear Coat Unfinished Tiles
If you plan to seal your unfinished metal panels yourself as opposed to purchasing a silver finish powder coated tile from us, you can use a polyurethane suitable for metal to do so.
It is recommended to install a powder coated finish for durability, however some projects require they be finished in the field.
An oil based product must be used.
Caulk (recommendations)
If you do need to caulk, a good painter's caulk works best. Here are a few ideas for some of our colors.
Bright White Satin / Bright White Gloss
Sherwin Williams 950-A White
Creamy White Satin
Sherwin Williams 950-A Dover White
DAP Painters Acrylic Latex Caulk
Faux Painting (recommendations)
I will first start out by saying there are several beautiful metallic paints available in your local markets.
Modern Masters probably makes the nicest metallic paints and are available through many Benjamin Moore dealers.
Benjamin Moore also has their own line of metallic paints, as well as Sherwin Williams.
Two additional companies for metallic paints are Faux Effects International and
Blue Pearl Paints. Both have an extensive selection of metallic paints and are more reasonably priced.
You may find one of these colors to match very close for painting your grid, molding, etc..
Here are some ideas for the following colors.
Antique Silver Satin / Antique Silver Gloss
These colors are essentially silver with a light speckled antiquing. Start out with a Rustoleum Silver spray paint
( with the shiny silver cap). Spray your item and let dry completely. To mimic the speckled antiquing, use a can
of Rustoleum Black Enamel. Stand back approximately 16 to 18 inches and lightly dust your item to the desired
amount of antiquing.
Aged Pewter Satin
This color is essentially silver with a delicate black veining. This will not match exactly but the tone will
be very close. Start out with a Rustoleum silver spray paint ( with the shiny silver cap). Spray your item
and let dry completely. To match the tone of the veining, use a can of Rustoleum Black Enamel. Stand back
approximately 16 to 18 inches and lightly dust your item to the desired amount of antiquing.
Antique Gold
This color is essentially gold with a light speckled antiquing. Start out with a Rustoleum Gold spray paint
( with the shiny gold cap). Spray your item and let dry completely. To mimic the speckled antiquing, use a
can of Rustoleum Black Enamel. Stand back approximately 16 to 18 inches and lightly dust your item to the
desired amount of antiquing.
Antique Burgundy Satin
We do supply the base color in a 16 oz. Spray can. Spray your item with the base color and let dry completely.
To mimic the speckled antiquing, use a can of Rustoleum Black Enamel. Stand back approximately 16 to 18 inches
and lightly dust your item to the desired amount of antiquing.
The Basics of White Washing Tin
Many of our customers have a genuine artistic nature, and several of them have asked us how to
white wash our panels. It is our recommendation that if you are inspired to do this, you start with
one of our powder coated panels so that you are starting with a panel that is sealed and protected against moisture.
Also, by using a finished panel as the starting point for your project, you can use an acrylic based
paint as your top coat. Also for whitewashing our tin panels, finished or unfinished you do not want to
use latex based paint.
If you use a finished panel other than stainless steel gloss or brushed satin nickel use acrylic paints:
- Mix a 1 part white paint with 5 parts faux finish glaze (available at Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore paint stores).
- Dip a clean brush into the paint mixture and then wipe off excess mixture.
Pro tip: To get a softer, feathery effect wipe the brush off with a dry paper towel or cloth so the brush is drier.
- Brush the tin in random overlapping, crisscrossing short brush strokes. The more random and the more times you overlap the better the end result.
Pro tip: You may even add a third coat for a deeper dimension by following the same steps above except you would make your paint mixture 1 part paint to 15 parts faux finish glaze.
- To ensure a lasting finish, we recommend allowing the panel to dry for 24 hours and then using a clear coat (flat, satin, or gloss) on top of your panel.
If you use stainless steel gloss or brushed satin nickel and want the metal to show:
- Use the above procedure
If you use stainless steel gloss or brushed satin nickel and do not want the metal to show:
- Follow the Unfinished tin procedures.
To whitewash unfinished tin:
- You must use an oil based primer and an oil-based paint (unless you are using stainless steel gloss or brushed satin nickel finished panels then you may use an acrylic based paint).
- Paint the panel with a white oil-based primer and allow to dry for at least 24 hours.
- Use a complimentary color (like light blue or yellow), and allow this coat to dry for at least 24 hours.
- After the second coat is dry you will need to paint over this coat with a coat of white, and allow this coat to dry for 24 hours.
- When all three coats have dried you get to begin the whitewash treatment.
- Take a rag and dip it in denatured alcohol and then rub the tin.
Pro tip: To get a shallow reveal rub lightly and to get a deep reveal, apply more pressure as you rub. The best finishes always vary between light and deep rubbing.
- Remember to change rubbing rags when the rag gets tacky, or sticky from too much paint accumulation.
- To ensure a lasting finish, we recommend allowing the panel to dry for 24 hours and then using a clear coat (flat, satin, or gloss) on top of your panel.
Please note that you can whitewash with colors too, and that you may even add a third coat for a deeper dimension by following the same steps above except you would make your paint mixture 1 part paint to 15 parts faux finish glaze.
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