Oil Rubbed Bronze
A deep chocolate brown with warm copper showing through on the edges. The most requested patina for door hardware, faucets and lighting, and the easiest to match across a whole house.
Color With Character,
Aged by Hand
Aged by Hand
Oil rubbed bronze, antique brass, verdigris, statuary brown and black patinas, hand applied and relieved on solid or freshly plated metal, then sealed so the color you approve is the color you keep.
Certified, Approved and Verified
Patinas
The Look of Time, Without the Wait
A patina is a color that grows on the surface of a metal. Nature creates one slowly: bronze statues turn brown, copper roofs go green and old brass hardware darkens where hands never touch it. In our shop we start that same chemistry on purpose and guide it, so a part gets decades of character in an afternoon.
Every patina is built in layers. The metal is cleaned until the solution can react evenly, the color is brushed, dipped or heated into the surface, and then a finisher relieves the high points by hand so edges and raised details catch the light while the recesses stay dark. That hand work is what separates a real patina from paint.
Patinas work best on copper, brass and bronze. Steel, zinc die cast and aluminum can wear them too: we plate those parts in copper or brass first, then age the new layer. Once the color is right we seal it with lacquer or wax, or leave it open to keep changing if you want a living finish.
Send us a photo of the part and, if you can, a photo of the finish you want to match. We will tell you which patina gets you there, whether the part needs plating first and what the job will cost in a written quote.
What We Do
Patina Finishes
Six patina families cover almost every request we receive. Each one can be made lighter, darker, more relieved or more uniform to suit your project.
Antique Brass
Brass toned down to a soft, aged gold, darker in the corners and brighter where hands would wear it. Perfect for period homes and pieces that should look original.
Verdigris Green
The blue green crust of old copper roofs and coastal statues, built up in controlled layers. Sealed to keep it from rubbing off, or left open to keep evolving outdoors.
Statuary Brown
The classic finish on cast bronze, from light honey to almost black. Raised lettering and sculpted details are hand relieved so they read clearly from across a room.
Black Patina
A rich, hand rubbed black that is softer than paint and shows a hint of metal at the high points. Popular for modern hardware, railings, fireplace tools and accent trim.
Antique Nickel and Pewter
A gray, gently darkened silver tone applied over fresh nickel plating. It gives lighting and hardware a cool vintage look that sits between bright nickel and black.
How It Works
How We Build a Patina
A patina is part chemistry and part handwork. This is how a raw part becomes an aged finish you can count on.
1
Share Your Target
Send photos of the part and of the color you want, or tell us the finish name your designer specified.
2
Review and Quote
We confirm the base metal, decide if it needs plating first and send a written quote within 24 business hours.
3
Ship or Drop Off
Mail the parts with your quote number or bring them to our Oceanside shop, along with any sample to match.
4
Prep and Color
Old coatings are stripped, the surface is polished or plated, then the patina is built up in layers.
5
Relieve and Seal
Highlights are rubbed back by hand, the color is approved against your sample and the finish is sealed.
What We Can Finish
Metals That Take a Patina
Some metals react on their own, others need a plated layer before the color can grow. Either way, the right preparation decides how even the patina looks.
Copper
The most reactive metal we patina. It goes brown, black or green with very little coaxing, which is why verdigris and deep browns start on copper.
Brass
The base for oil rubbed bronze and antique brass. Solid brass hardware, fixtures and lighting can be aged directly once the old lacquer is removed.
Cast Bronze
Plaques, sculpture and architectural castings. Bronze takes heat applied patinas beautifully, from honey brown to statuary dark.
Steel and Iron
Steel can be blackened directly, but for brown, brass or green tones we plate it in copper or brass first, then age the new layer.
Zinc Die Cast and Aluminum
These metals do not color well on their own. We give them a copper or brass base, filling pits along the way, and patina that coating.
Nickel, Silver and Others
Nickel can be darkened to an antique or pewter tone and silver can be oxidized. Other alloys are reviewed case by case before you ship.
Patina Catalog
Patina Colors and Options
Every patina color, base and protective finish we offer in house.
Browns and Bronzes
- Oil Rubbed Bronze
- Venetian Bronze
- Statuary Brown, Light to Dark
- Antique Brass
- Antique Copper
- Tuscan Brown
- Hand Relieved Highlights
Greens, Blacks and Grays
- Verdigris Green
- Blue Green Coastal Patina
- Hand Rubbed Black
- Gun Metal Gray
- Antique Nickel
- Pewter
- Oxidized Silver
Bases and Sealers
- Copper Plated Base
- Brass Plated Base
- Nickel Plated Base
- Clear Lacquer, Matte or Satin
- Paste Wax Finish
- Living Unsealed Finish
- Custom Sample Match
Real Transformations
Before and After
Drag the handle on any photo to see the part as it arrived and after its patina.
Before
Brass Door Lever
A builder grade polished brass lever that clashed with a new interior. Stripped of its lacquer and aged to oil rubbed bronze, with copper toned edges where hands rest.
OIL RUBBED BRONZE
BRASS
WAXED
Before
Dedication Plaque
Sun and sprinklers had left the bronze blotchy and hard to read. Cleaned, recolored in statuary brown and hand relieved so every raised letter stands out again.
STATUARY BROWN
CAST BRONZE
LACQUERED
Before
Garden Lantern
A new copper lantern that looked too shiny for an old courtyard. Built up in layered verdigris and left with brown copper showing at the edges for a weathered, lived in look.
VERDIGRIS
COPPER
LIVING FINISH
What Our Clients Say
Trusted by Professionals
From custom builders to industrial manufacturers, our clients trust us to deliver the same result every time.
Who We Serve
Who Trusts Us With Their Patinas
Designers, builders, artists and resorts who want metal that looks like it has a story.
Casinos and Gaming
Railings, gaming floor trim, signage letters and bar fixtures aged to bronze, brass or black so the finish looks rich and stays consistent from one property area to the next. Trusted by casino resorts across North County San Diego.
Interior Design / Residential
Cabinet hardware, faucets and lighting finished to one designer specified patina for an entire home.
Architecture and Signage
Plaques, address numbers, door pulls and railings with patinas that hold up to sun and coastal air.
Hotels and Restaurants
Bar rails, door push plates and decor pieces that need an aged look that survives daily traffic.
Artists and Sculptors
Final patinas on cast bronze and copper artwork, including layered colors and custom tests.
Antiques and Restoration
Replacement parts aged to match original hardware so a repaired piece looks untouched.
35+
Years of Expertise
Take a Moment to Learn More
About Decorative Metal Coatings
Since 1989 we have been plating, polishing and coloring metal by hand. Because we plate in house, we can build the right base under every patina instead of hoping the color takes.
Free Estimates Available
Send a photo of your part and receive a no obligation quote within 24 hours.
Quality Guaranteed
Every part leaves our shop backed by our craftsmanship guarantee. If you are not satisfied, we make it right.
Ship From Anywhere in the US
A single fixture or a full production run, shipped to us from any state and returned insured.
Fast Turnaround Times
Most projects are completed within 3 to 5 weeks. Expedited Orders: 5 to 7 business days. Contact us for availability.
Choosing the Right Patina
Three Ways to Get the Look
The color you see is only half of the decision. What the part is made of and how much change you will accept decide which route we take.
Patina on Solid Metal
- Copper, brass or bronze parts
- Color grown in the metal itself
- Most natural depth and variation
- Hardware, plaques, sculpture
- Old lacquer stripped first
Plated, Then Patinated
- Steel, zinc die cast or aluminum
- Copper or brass plated first
- Pits filled before coloring
- Matches solid brass hardware
- Opens patinas to any metal
Living, Unsealed Patina
- No lacquer or wax on top
- Keeps darkening with time and touch
- Ideal outdoors and on art pieces
- Can be refreshed by us later
- Color will not stay exactly as delivered
Ship It From Anywhere
You don't have to live nearby to work with us.
Customers all over the country pack their parts and ship them to our Oceanside shop. We finish them, inspect them and send them back insured. It starts with a few photos.
Our Commitment
Patinas Done With Patience
A rushed patina looks blotchy and wears off in months. Ours take the time they need, one layer at a time.
Clean Start
Every coating, oil and fingerprint is removed first, because a patina only grows evenly on perfectly clean metal.
Hand Relieved
Highlights are rubbed back by a finisher, not a machine, so details read naturally and no two edges look stamped.
Matched to Sample
Color is checked against your sample or photo in daylight before sealing, and we send pictures if it needs your eye.
Sealed and Packed
Finished pieces are sealed as agreed, then wrapped one by one so nothing rubs through the color on the way home.
What We Do Differently
- We test the color on your metal before doing the whole order
- Non reactive metals get a real plated base, not paint
- Highlights are relieved by hand on every piece
- Sets of hardware are colored together so they match
- You choose lacquer, wax or a living finish
What You May Experience Elsewhere
- Tinted lacquer or paint sold as a patina
- Color brushed over old lacquer that then peels
- Flat, uniform color with no depth or highlights
- Pieces in one set that do not match each other
- Unsealed color that rubs off on your hands
Patina Care
A Finish That Should Never Be Polished
The biggest danger to a patina is good intentions. Metal polish, brass cleaner and vinegar remedies are all designed to remove tarnish, and a patina is controlled tarnish. One enthusiastic cleaning can strip a dark finish back to bare metal in streaks.
Lacquered patinas need only dusting and a soft cloth dampened with water. Waxed patinas like a fresh coat of clear paste wax a couple of times a year, buffed lightly with a soft cloth. Waxing also deepens the color a little and helps fingerprints disappear.
Living finishes are meant to move. Door handles brighten where hands grip them and outdoor pieces darken or green with weather. That wear pattern is part of the appeal, and most clients love how it looks after a year or two.
If a patina gets damaged or you want a different shade later, send it back. We can often recolor the surface without replating, and a waxed finish can usually be repaired in a single visit.
Project Gallery
Patina Gallery
Oil rubbed bronze, antique brass, verdigris and statuary brown, applied and relieved by hand on hardware, lighting, signage and art.
Nationwide Service
Ship Us Your Parts From Anywhere in the US
Designers, builders and artists across the country send us pieces to be aged and colored. Here is how to ship them safely.
01
Quote before you ship
Send photos of every piece and the patina you have in mind. You receive a written quote and lead time, usually the same business day. Wait for your quote number before you ship.
02
Wrap every piece on its own
Wrap each part on its own so pieces never rub together, with at least three inches of padding all around. If you are sending a color sample, bag it separately and label it.
03
Insure it and share tracking
Declare the real value with the carrier and email us the tracking number so we can log your parts the day they arrive.
04
Inspected, then shipped back
Once the patina is applied we photograph the pieces in daylight for your approval, then seal, pack and ship them back insured.
Visit Us
Our Location
Every patina is mixed, applied and relieved by hand in our own shop in North County San Diego.
Decorative Metal Coatings
Patinas, plating and metal finishing in San Diego County since 1989.
- Address 2613 Temple Heights Dr, Ste G, Oceanside, CA 92056
- Phone (760) 746 3378
- Quotes Send photos and get a price
Business Hours
- Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- Sunday Closed
Serving all of San Diego County and beyond
Bring your hardware or a color sample to the shop from Vista, Encinitas, Temecula, La Jolla or anywhere in the region and see the patina options in person. Outside the area? We accept shipped parts from every state.
Cities We Serve
Select your city for patina turnaround times and drop off options in your area.
North County San Diego
City of San Diego and South Bay
San Diego
Chula Vista
National City
Imperial Beach
Coronado
La Mesa
El Cajon
Santee
La Jolla
Otay Mesa
Riverside and Orange County
Patina Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What customers most often ask before sending pieces for a patina. Still have a question? Call the shop or send us a photo.
It depends on the metal, the size and the finish. A solid brass part that only needs its lacquer removed costs far less than a zinc die cast part that must be plated before it can take color. Sets and larger quantities lower the price per piece. Send photos and we return a written quote within 24 business hours.
No. A patina is a chemical reaction that changes the surface of the metal itself, so the color has depth and the metal shows through at the highlights. Paint and powder coat sit on top as a layer of color.
Usually, yes. Send one of the original pieces if you can, or clear daylight photos. Patinas are hand applied, so we match tone and character closely, and we color full sets together so every piece agrees.
Sealed patinas stay close to the color you approve and are best for indoor hardware and fixtures. Living patinas keep changing with touch and weather, which many people want for outdoor pieces, art and rustic decor.
Steel can be blackened directly. For brown, brass or green tones on steel, zinc die cast or aluminum we plate a copper or brass base first and then patina that layer. Stainless receives a nickel strike before plating.
Very close, but not identical, and that is part of its charm. Small variations in grain and highlight are natural in a hand applied finish. We keep a set within one consistent range.
Dust it and wipe it with a soft cloth and plain water. Never use metal polish, brass cleaner or vinegar, because they remove the patina. Waxed finishes benefit from a light coat of paste wax twice a year.
Yes. Request a quote first, wrap every piece individually, include any color sample, insure the box and email us the tracking number. We color, seal and ship your parts back insured.