Vintage Ford Metal Sign

Care Instructions

Leavenworth Metal Company signs arrive to you bare metal. We have not put any coating on the signs or metal cut outs. This gives you, the customer, lots of options.

1. You could leave the metal sign alone and it will naturally rust or give you a nice patina. Most of our customers prefer this option. One question we get from time to time is, if left outside will it rust though. LMC uses 14-gauge steel which is pretty thick. So, if your sign rust though in your lifetime please send me a photo and I will send you a replace of the same sign or metal cut out for free.
2. When you leave your sign outside and you like the patina, you can clear coat your sign to preserve that particular patina. We have had good luck using Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch Clear Paint+Primer Spray Paint. Most all hardware stores will carry this brand.
3. Spray painting your sign. Please follow all safety instructions, with proper ventilation, a respirator and clothing,  First clean your sign really well with mineral spirits. After cleaning, spray the paint evenly throughout the sign, for best results try and keep your spray can moving so you don’t get any runs in the paint. Lastly, apply multiple light coats, give time to dry and tack up between coats.
4. Some helpful hints to spray painting your sign. Again, LMC has had great results using Rust-Oleum 2X painter’s paint. It come in many different colors and finish options. Another helpful hint is to dry the sign outside on a hot day if possible. Having the sun bake the paint between the coats give a more durable product when finished.
5. If you are going to leave your sign inside and out of moisture. You could wipe a mineral oil or Linseed oil to protect from corrosion.
6. Last question we get is, why do your signs look black. This is from mill scale. Mill scale is a type of iron oxide that is formed on the surface of the steel during the hot-rolling process. If left untreated our signs will still rust. We have great results spray painting directly on the mill scale.