Amaco Rub 'n Buff - The Antiques

Of the 17 different colors of Rub 'n Buff currently available, three of them are 'antiques'. They add an aged look to any surface. They range from metallic to flat to bright and colorful. They can coat a surface fully or add a translucent finish. Checkout the descriptions below to find the one best suited for your next project.

Antique Gold

Antique Gold is primarily a true gold with a bit of reddish-brown. On my wooden test block, it wound up middle of the pack for the golds as far as luster. Like all of the antique Rub 'n Buff shades, there is a bit of 'tarnish' built into Antique Gold. It doesn't look dirty, just a little dark and old. Little known fact: gold does not react with oxygen meaning that it does not actually rust or tarnish on a chemical level. Gold 'tarnish' is just the darkening of shiny surfaces over time due to exposure.

Antique White

Antique White is a relatively flat white-wash with just a bit of shine to it. It is similar to Antique Gold in that it has a bit of 'tarnish' built in which makes it look a little grayish. But it isn't uniform. No idea how they do it, but it has a little bit of a 'mottled' look to it. A word of warning - this is the most difficult of the Rub 'n Buff colors to work with. I did all of the test blocks at the same time, and I did the white about half-way through. My fingers were already a mess, and it was impossible to keep the white pure. The block I wound up with was my third attempt, and even after scrubbing my hands to get as much of the other colors off as possible, there is still a small smudge of red from the Ruby on one side.

Patina

Patina can refer to several different things. On glass and wood, it is a rainbow sheen that builds up over time. On bronze and other metals, it is a film of oxidation that builds up over time as the metal reacts with oxygen in the atmosphere. It is bluish-green in color, and it is that color that is replicated by Patina Rub 'n Buff. It is a deep blue-green in color, and it has a medium luster. It is somewhat translucent - you can still make out the wood grain through the coloring. Little known fact: bronze is commonly used for sculptures because the initial layer of patina protects the metal from further corrosion, making it a durable material for outdoor statues.

The Antiques may not be quite as exciting as the golds or the jewel tones in the Rub 'n Buff spectrum, but they serve a purpose. They add an aged look to your projects that can't be duplicated.