# weathering PVC candles?



## Dminor

Does anyone have any tips on how to give PVC flicker candles a weathered/old look?

The look fine at night, but I'd like them to look yellowed and worn during the day as well.


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## Lilly

I would try staining them..


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## dutton

I Would spray paint em


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## JohnnyL

I'd possibly look into spray painting them with a satin/semi-gloss base paint (beige in color) and then use a dark-brown/gray wood stain on them (use an old rag to rub it on them and whip it off).


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## bolt

I haven't seen anyone here mention this product, so I'm going to suggest floral spray. It is like spray paint, but transparent - perfect for aging just about anything. You should be able to buy it from your local florist or floral supply shop. Look for the colour "frosty woodtone", it adds warmth, age, and life to just about anything.


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## Hallowennie315

here is a picture of a cool candle... it might give you some inspiration...


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## Dminor

JohnnyL said:


> I'd possibly look into spray painting them with a satin/semi-gloss base paint (beige in color) and then use a dark-brown/gray wood stain on them (use an old rag to rub it on them and whip it off).


The pipes began as black pvc and were then spraypainted white with Kilz primer. Then I did the hot glue "wax" treatment. I had actually done the drips and then painted it, but it didn't look realistic enough for me. The gloss of the glue has the realism that I'm looking for.

I was thinking about getting some sort of stain and a spray bottle of water to see if I could get the stain to run. Does that sound like it might work to you?

Unfortunately I have not been able to find any good tutorials online for weathering fake candles.

Thanks to everyone for their help though!


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## krough

To get this look I did the following:
After adding the hot glue to the PVC I airbrushed the entire thing a creme color with acrylic paint. Then using a thin wash of brunt umber FW ink I airbrushed the shadows under the drips. Using the same wash I added a few drops of sepia FW ink to the airbrush and painted very light shadows on the front on the candle and the larger drips to add depth in a few places.


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## pyro

thats looks so sweet krough thanks


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## GrimleeFeindish

You do great work Krough. I just saved this picture so I can try and copy it (hopefully get something close).


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## Sickie Ickie

Krough, is it alright if I use your pic and info on my hot glue site?


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## dubbax3

Yeah great work there krough. Gotta love the washes. Two of the easiest and most effective paint schemes the dry brush and the wash. I have to try working with those inks.


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## Lord Homicide

Dminor said:


> Does anyone have any tips on how to give PVC flicker candles a weathered/old look?
> 
> The look fine at night, but I'd like them to look yellowed and worn during the day as well.


I know this is an old post but I found this thread to inspire my fake candles. Krough does exceptionally nice work which I wish I had the finesse and equipment for but I don't. Maybe this will help someone like it helped me.

The quickest way I got the gunky grime look underneath the drips was using a black Martha Stewart glaze. Here are the materials & steps that I did:

Material:


3" electrical conduit (cut accordingly)
Spray Primer - Grey
Spray Paint - Heirloom White (Home Cheapo)
Martha Stewart Black Cocoa Glaze (I think that is the color)
Hot glue system
4" paint brush
Paper towels
 Steps:


Prep conduit accordingly and do the hot glue treatment to create your own style of fake candles
Spray Primer & let dry for 24 hours (repeat as often as you like)
Spray Paint fake candle(s) Heirloom White (use any color you like) & let dry 24 hours
Get glaze on paint brush
Turn the candle over and, while holding it, dab/stipple/daub the glaze into the cracks and crannies of the hot glue, try to get it everywhere underneath all areas of hot glue treatment.
Flip the candle right side up
Paint the rest of the hot glue with glaze, cover it
Continue down the candle a ways if you want a grungy/discolored look
Now, with a paper towel, try to wipe all the glaze you can off the candle in a downward motion. If you cannot reach it all, don't worry it is the look you are going for!
Let dry
Repeat steps 5 - 10 if desired
 ** Notes:


Candle & burn dynamics:
It helps to understand how candles burn and wax melts. With a little common sense, you can make some good looking fake candles
I usually hot glue drips on the inside of the conduit as well because my candle flames will be placed below the rim.

Paint & Primer:
I primed the conduit grey so I could see the amount of base coat I had applied.

Glaze:
I do not know about glazing techniques but I think I figured it out so I assume these things:
Glaze dries relatively slow
A "coat of glaze" is really the residual glaze after wiping it off
Let glaze dry to a certain degree before wiping it off for a thicker coat/an older look

Brush size = level of detail.

Aging Process:
Nothing stays brilliant in color forever.
Any surface that cannot be touched easily should retain grime and gunk hence the age look you are trying to achieve.


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## VillaHaunter

With out an airbrush. Use acrylic paint in a cream or off white, brush over all make the last brush strokes up and down the candle body. when very dry, use a glaze or stain and apply with a rag. Then buff with a clean rag while still wet. this works well for aging any thing that looks too new.


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## Troll Wizard

I think if you haven't gotten a solution to your candles yet, you might try going and talk to a professional paint store in your area. They should be able to help you with your questions. You have to remember that PVC is a form of plastic and not all paints will stick to it. You would need to take the finish off of the outside, or take the glaze off the surface. It would feel like a smooth texture finish on the outside, and then maybe a primer coat, and then top coats. Then finish off with a clear coat finish on top of the top coat of paint. It can be whatever shine you want. 

Most of this can be done with spray paints and I believe that Krylon makes a paint designed for plastics now. So check with your Pro Paint store, a lot of them carry faux finish type of paint now as well. Other suggestions would be going to a near by craft store like Craft Warehouse, or Michael's also. They would also have specialty paints to use for what you are doing.


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## scareme

Do any of you have a picture of what the candles look like weathered? I'm afraid to start something, if I don't know what it will look like when I'm finished. I have some candles I would like to see look a little more weathered, but I don't want to ruin them trying.


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## CenCalHaunt

I spray paint them flat white and use a watered down dark brown acrylic paint. I brush the paint on them wipe it downward with a dry rag. It works great and is cheap and easy. If they are being used outdoors I throw in some moss green and use the same technique after the brown paint has dried to give them that mossy look. Don't forget to spray them with some matte finish clear coat after your done. Be careful, when you spray them with clear the paint all become smudge-able again until the clear dries.


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## Lord Homicide

scareme said:


> Do any of you have a picture of what the candles look like weathered? I'm afraid to start something, if I don't know what it will look like when I'm finished. I have some candles I would like to see look a little more weathered, but I don't want to ruin them trying.


Practice on TP rolls first. I made about 8 to get the technique down then after that you just have to go for it


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## Bascombe

Spend the extra cash on design master spray paint. Get a beige or color for a base coat. I suppose you could use a cheap brand for the base coat, but then over spray with design master glossy wood tone and wipe it away while it's still wet. then the brown will stay in the crevices and you will have a perfectly aged candle


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Krylon makes a line of spray paint called Krylon Fusion. It adheres to plastics better than regular spray paint. It is higher than normal spray paint, running around 5-8 dollars a can. But, a little goes a long way on small projects like this where you don't need multiple coats and desire more of a shading technique. I have used it and it works well. You can also coat it with a couple of coats of water based polyurethane after your paint dries if you will be using it outdoors or just want to seal it to better protect the finish.


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## Lord Homicide

i apologize in advance for two reasons: the pictures because i can't get them to rotate the right way and i didn't take progress/tutorial photos.

the pics below are the result of my steps listed above. this is the first time i'd ever did this - criticism and complements are accepted  i do have a 3" diameter cardboard insert that i globbed hot glue on to adjust the tealight height inside the candle.

primered candles









final result


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## dudeamis

awesome. What I do with mine is paint them black, making sure I get every nook, then I mask the flame, and spray white or whatever color from above and slightly from the side. It creates a similar but more pronounced effect to the above pictures.


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## Kraken

Just found this on halloweenforum:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/tutorials-step-step/68856-pvc-flicker-candles-38.html

Look for the tutorial about 1/3 of the way down the page.


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