Old love doesn't rust? A gardener who loves his garden relies in particular on rusting objects as decorative material. With the help of the ideas presented on this page, convince yourself that a layer of rust is by no means a reason to dispose of old objects.
Rust gives garden decoration that certain something
Set the scene for rust accessories
Rust gives your garden a special charm. Due to its natural appearance, it fits wonderfully in cottage gardens, but also harmonises with the so-called industrial style of modern gardens and the popular "shabby chic". Even in English gardens, the look is quite appropriate. If you want to emphasize your rust decoration, it is best to place it
- in front of walls
- in front of green hedges
- at ponds
- in front of bushes
Make rusting decorative items yourself
How is rust formed?
Rust is the result when oxygen, water and iron oxidize. This is not just a layer on the material surface. Rust eats into the iron, so to speak, and makes it porous. You should therefore proceed cautiously when working with elements that are already rusting.
to rust iron
You need:
- ferrous metal
- swimming pool cleaner
- 10% hydrochloric or acetic acid
- sandpaper
- First you need to cut the galvanizing of the metal.
- To do this, mix 0.25 L of swimming pool cleaner with 0.75 L of water.
- Soak the metal in the solution for a few hours.
- Rinse the metal well.
- Roughen the surface with the sandpaper.
- This will speed up the oxidation.
- Spray the metal with hydrochloric or acetic acid.
- After that, wash it off again with water.
- Wait for a layer of rust to form.
You can either use objects that have already been formed when making grates, or you can rust simple metal and later process it into balls or figures.