This section shows photos of our bronze-coated plaques and signs, Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. Invented at the beginning of the Bronze Age , around 3800 BC, it was used to make ancient tools, weapons and armor, bells and cymbals, ancient jewelry, and Chinese ceremonial vessels, It was used to make the gates of the Temple of Jerusalem as well as the carved bas-relief main doors into many cathedrals in Europe. Today it is used for strings for piano, guitar, bass and harpsichord, fine sculpture., and springs, bearings and bushings.
Durable and classically beautiful, our bronze coatings possess all the physical properties of solid cast bronze yet its composite matrix gives it the added benefit of being anti-corrosive – in other words, even after years of use and exposure to the elements there will be no corrosion, just a beautiful patina.
We coat our HDU and metal plaques and signs with a cold-casting bronze metal coating liquid spray (using a spray gun or airbrush). We use a proprietary blend of real bronze particles and a binder (similar to epoxy resin for fiberglass) that we cold-spray onto virtually any substrate, including High-Density-Urethane,(HDU) (most common), acrylic, aluminum, and steel, to create the look and feel of solid cast bronze. Our bronze-coated carved plaques use as a substrate 30 lb/ft3 density (about the density of wood) High Density Urethane (i.e.,Precision Board from Coastal Enterprises) for improved polishing and extra durability; this has twice the density and strength of HDU that most other sign companies use for their HDU signs, which has a density of only 15 lb/ft3 and less than half the strength..
The bronze veneer has a living finish and will age naturally over time. The bronze veneer is applied as part of a proprietary seven-step process by our craftsmen. At an average 10-mil thickness (metal electroplating is less than 1-mil thick), our metal-coating process adds less than four ounces of weight per square foot, provides the durability of solid cast metal, and is non-corrosive. Our metal-coating veneer and HDU substrate has a Class 1-Class A fire rating. Metal-coating is expensive because of the cost of the material ($800 to $1000 for a gallon), and the extensive labor required to hand polish and burnish the metal to a high shine (as much as 8 hours for a large plaque). Our metal-coated plaques cost $162/ft2 (retail) , compared to our bronze metallic painted HDU plaques with a price of $87/ft2 .
Our proprietary metal-coated HDU substrate may be used for on both interior and exterior locations. The bronze vene will not chip, flake, bubble, or peel and will last a lifetime. The metal veneer is impervious to ultraviolet light, non-corrosive, non-conductive of electricity and can withstand a force of 2,364 psi without detaching from the HDU substrate. These coatings can be applied with a patina, spot-polished, or high-polished. Samples of these colors and textures are shown in the photos in M7002 . The variations for each material are achieved by the mixture ratios of the coating material and the amount of polishing on different areas .
To see over 100 metal -coated and gilded plaques & signs, you can go to the Gallery 7 (metal signs & plaques ) page by clicking "Return to List" below right.
