Cold Casting Powders

Cold Casting

"Cold Casting" is a simple technique using fine metal, stone or wood powder (usually -325 mesh) to create objects that duplicate the look and feel of "hot" foundry castings, without the expense and danger of working with molten materials in a foundry. Cold casting bronze, copper and tin are the most popular metals used for this purpose. However, cold casting s can also be done using porcelain, limestone, wood and marble powders. These are popular for a stone or ceramic finishes, with wood flour being used for a wood effect for furniture and moldings as well as antique repairs.

The cold casting powders are added to a resin binder such as KastEZ or AquaClear resins. Small objects are cold cast and cured in a suitable mold normally created using two-part RTV silicone rubber, but other mold materials can also be used. The mix ratio is usually 1 part cold casting powder to 2 parts binder. To conserve these cold casting powders when casting larger pieces, the mold surface may be dusted, slushed, brushed, spread or sprayed to create a thin coating. The mold can then be back filled with resin or fiberglass, iron or steel shot, sand or calcium carbonate to increase weight. After curing, the surface of the cold cast must be abraded or burnished with "0000" steel wool to remove the microscopic binder on the surface exposing the pure filler powder beneath.

The object will now have the authentic look and feel or true hot metal, stone or wood. Because the surface is true metal, it will naturally oxidize unless sealed, or it can be artificially oxidized using a variety of patina acids to provide a range of artistic effects.

Wide Choices of Cold Casting Powders

This cold casting product category offers a diverse selection of fine metal, stone and wood powders for cold casting. We offer bronze, copper, brass and tin for metal casting. Use tin to achieve the look of pewter, aged iron, nickel silver, or stainless steel. We also offer marble powder and limestone to reproduce stone statuary as well as porcelain and pecan shell powder to create simulated wooden carvings, moldings, cornices and appliques as well as bas-reliefs.

Cold Casting Instructions

You can download a simple Cold Casting Instruction PDF sheet here. For an excellent set of instructions on cold casting to duplicate antique wooden knobs, metal and glass hardware you can download a PDF cold casting instruction sheet here. You will be pleasantly surprised about how easy cold casting is to create.