Want to know how to get the perfect patina and polish for stained glass? For as long as I have been doing stained glass, I have only recently figured out how to get a nice, dark, rich, patina. As well as a polished shine that doesn’t take me forever and a day. Today I’m going to share what I’ve learned for this so you too can get the perfect patina and polish!
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If you follow the steps listed below you should get the perfect patina and polish every time!
Step 1: Dish Soap Wash
I use Dawn, but you can use any dish soap you have on hand!
This first wash is just to get it as clean as you can with soap and warm water. For this and step two you’ll want a scrub brush that can get into the crevices of your solder lines. Simly get wet and soapy, and scrub!
Step 2: Remove All Flux
In order for your patina to come out as black (or copper) as possible, It’s important to remove all of the flux. The tricky part about this step is that it can be difficult to know that you’ve removed everything just by looking at it since the flux is clear. The best thing you can do is:
- Use a product specifically for removing flux
- Scrub, scrub, scrub.
My goto product for this is CJ’s Flux Remover which is made specifically for removing flux. There is also the Kwik-Clean spray on flux remover that is great to have in the studio. I use this product for smaller projects, and as needed. You’ll see more about this product below.
To remove all flux from your stained glass piece, rinse it under warm water and scrub it down with CJ’s Flux Remover using a scrub brush. Be sure to scrub really well along all the solder lines – this is where the flux tends to stick.
Step 3: Abrasive Wash
This step makes a difference with how rich the patina color comes out because it removes any grime from your solder. I’ve seen some artists use other products for this, such as baking soda. However, I’ve tried a few things and steel wool has worked the best for me.
To avoid scratching your glass, you’ll want to use a #0000 steel wool or finer.
Once your piece is all rinsed from step two, take your steel wool and rub it along any metal. That includes your solder lines, and any lead came. The lead came is especially important for this step, so be sure to scrub it down really good!
Be sure to rinse your stained glass really well after this step to get all the tiny bits that may have broken off from your wool.
Step 4: Patina
Apply your patina as usual. Be sure not to use too much in one area. I’ve noticed with my black patina if I over saturate an area, or try to go back over the same area too many times, the color will dullen.
I’ve experimented with the patina results based on different methods of applying it, and haven’t found much difference. You can use a toothbrush, Qtip if it’s a smaller area, a wash cloth… any way that’s preferable to you is fine. I’ve recently started using an old paint brush since I ran out of my disposable brushes, and that works great, too!
Step 5: Remove Patina
Have you ever noticed that when you go to rinse off your patina, it no longer looks as good as it did right after you applied it? This could be because of your water. Not everyone will experience this, so if this sounds crazy to you then you’re in luck.
I unfortunately am not so lucky, and for a long time was perplexed as to why this was happening to my patina. Turns out there are metals in my water that interact with the patina and cause white, blotchy spots, as well as a dullened appearance.
To mitigate this I’ve started using the Kwik-Clean Flux and Patina Remover. It’s not as cheap as my faucet water, but at least it doesn’t mess up my patina.
You can also use distilled water if you like.
Step 6: Polish
A good polish will protect your piece from oxidizing so quickly, and keep it shiny for longer!
Over the years I have tried numerous products for this step, but there are only two that stand out as the best in my opinion: Clarity Finishing Compound and Feed-N-Wax Polish. I’ll cover this last step using each of these.
Using Clarity Finishing Compound
The Clarity polish is one you’ve most likely seen already. It’s specifically for stained glass and is widely used among stained glass artists.
I do really like this product, however, I’ve had to adjust the way I apply it so it doesn’t take me a lifetime to clean up! I’ll do my best to describe this method in words, but you can also see this in action in the video tutorial below.
How I avoid a longer clean up when polishing with the Clarity Finishing Compound:
- Instead of pouring the polish straight onto my piece, I instead apply a small amount onto a towel or rag.
- With the soaked end of the rag, I use my finger underneath to apply the product to ONLY the top of my solder lines. If any of the polish gets in a crevice, I immediately wipe it up while it is wet.
- Once all the solder lines have been covered, I let sit and then “wax off” with a dray, clean rag. Some will suggest a microfiber towel for this, but in my experience any towel or rag works just fine.
Using Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish
This polish is far more simple to use. Simply apply a small amount to a rag (any kind) and then apply all over stained glass piece.
This product is a wax as the name suggests, so it can leave a little something, something on the glass itself, but it’s super easy to clean up! To do this, I take a clean part of my rag and just wipe it all over. It’s so quick and easy to use!
You can even polish with the Clarity and then use the Feed-N-Wax as a general cleaner when your piece needs a new shine. I like to refer the Feed-N-Wax to my clients for cleaning any pieces they purchase from me.
See this full tutorial in video format:
