I get asked a lot how to look after a piece of metal wall art or NZ garden art once it's installed. The honest answer is that steel art is about the lowest-maintenance thing you can hang, but a little care keeps it looking its best for decades. Here's how I care for each of the metals I use.
Everything I make is cut from one of four metals, and each behaves a little differently outdoors.
Powder-coated steel and aluminium. High-grade steel or aluminium sealed under a baked-on colour coat. It won't rust or fade in normal use, indoors or out.
Corten (weathering steel). Made to rust into a warm, stable patina. The rust is the finish, so there's nothing to maintain once it has settled.
Brushed marine-grade 316 stainless. The coastal choice, left brushed for a clean modern look that handles salt air.
Wipe them now and then with a soft, damp cloth, and skip anything harsh or abrasive, since scourers and strong cleaners can scratch or dull the coating. If an edge ever gets chipped down to bare metal, a small dab of matching touch-up paint seals it again.
Corten looks after itself once it has weathered. While it's settling in the first few months, keep it off pale surfaces so the early runoff doesn't mark the concrete or plaster below it. After that, leave it be. There's no need to seal or clean it, the patina is meant to keep evolving gently.
Brushed stainless just needs the occasional wipe with a damp cloth, following the direction of the brushing. Near the coast, a rinse of fresh water now and then keeps salt from building up.
For anything mounted outside, it's worth a quick look at the fixings once a year to make sure everything is still solid after a season of wind and weather. Two minutes now saves a piece coming loose later.
If you're ever unsure how to care for a particular piece, just ask, or have a look at my full installation and care guide. You can also browse the outdoor and garden art range, all made to last out there.
A soft, damp cloth is all you need for powder-coated and stainless pieces. Avoid harsh or abrasive cleaners, which can scratch the finish.
No. Once it has weathered, corten looks after itself. Just keep it off pale surfaces while the patina is forming so the early runoff doesn't stain.
Not in normal use. The baked-on coating protects it from sun and rain. If it's ever chipped to bare metal, a dab of touch-up paint reseals it.
Wipe it occasionally along the brushing, and give it a rinse of fresh water now and then to stop salt building up.
Once a year is plenty. Just check the fixings are still firm after a season of weather.
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