Fire Pit Finish Options

Our goal is to create a simple and safe finish that is free of toxins and can be easily maintained by our customers. Most alternative fire pits use variations of paint and powder coating that tend to chip and rust over time and degrade when exposed to high temperatures of fire, UV rays, and outdoor weather. These modern finishes can be difficult and expensive to repair, leading to a poor and sometimes disappointing customer experience. This is why here at Entrada, we chose to utilize a well known and dated "Black Smithing Trick" that has been around for many decades and has stood the test of time.

Every fire pit and most of our fire pit accessories we build gets hand-rubbed with an FDA Approved polymerized linseed oil blend to provide a safe and natural finish to protect the raw steel from moisture and is designed to delay the natural rusting process. This initial coating of oil combined with the natural "mill scale" of the steel will offer protection from moisture during the shipping process and initial setup. After the first burn in your Entrada fire pit (once cooled down) it will be necessary to apply a light coating of oil to the surfaces to begin the "seasoning" process of the steel. We ship a container of this special blend of oil with each and every pit.

Entrada's proprietary finish is very similar to cast iron cookware. The repeated coats of oil and the process of heating the steel will oxidize the oil coating to continue to build layers of protection to form a naturally hydrophobic coating. Simple chemistry shows us that oil and water don't mix and the unique design of our fire pits help it shed water easily and dry quickly.

When it comes to your Entrada Fire Pit Finish, you have two options to choose from, please see below...

Option 1:
Maintaining Your Fire Pits Hand-Rubbed "Blackened" Finish

If you wish to preserve the look of your new fire pits original appearance then it will be necessary to periodically inspect and reapply the oil as it will degrade over time due to UV exposure from the sun. Simply clean the steel with a dry cloth or warm water if necessary. Allow to dry completely. Use a staining pad or cloth rag to apply a very thin layer of our Good Ol' Fashioned Metal Rub (we send a bottle of this with every new fire pit purchase). Thoroughly buff when done to remove excess oil to prevent a gummy finish. The entire process can be completed in less than a few minutes. Following these steps, after a few burns in your Smokeless Fire Pit you should begin to notice a "Blackened-Steel" appearance.

What happens if you missed a spot and surface rust begins to develop? No worries! Simply use a piece of steel wool or an abrasive scrubbing pad to remove the surface rust and wipe clean with a dry cloth. Apply some oil over the area and you're done! The thickness of the steel means it will never "rust through" and it's never too late to make it look like new again!

Option 2:
Choose a Natural Modern Patina Look

It's important to understand the nature of raw steel and the unique ways in which it will age over time. Patina is a natural weathering process which occurs when metal is exposed to oxygen and moisture that will gradually change bare steel from a bluish gray color to a dark reddish brown. This natural process varies the appearance of each piece making every Entrada pit unique from the next.

Patina vs. Rust

This is a bit like geometry where a square is a rectangle but a rectangle is not a square. It's true that rust is a part of the patina process but whereas rust has a well-deserved negative connotation a mature patina is actually a natural protective coating that will preserve the integrity of the underlying metal. Our fire pits are constructed from heavy-duty thick plate steel that is three to five times thicker than grills and fire pits from other manufacturers. The surface rust that forms in the early stages of the patina process will not rust through the thicker steel of your fire pit as it would on other thinner metal pits. It will gradually convert into an aesthetically pleasing protective shell that will last for many years to come.

*One thing to note is that water runoff during the early stages of the patina process can stain wood, concrete, or other light colored surfaces so keep that in mind when selecting the location for your new Entrada pit.

 

Accelerating the Patina Process

While patina is a natural process that can take months to complete you can choose to accelerate or delay the changes. If you decide you want to accelerate your results, please closely follow these steps:

1. Degrease your steel using a strong detergent or dish soap and water solution, wipe clean.

2. Make sure to tape off, or protect any areas that you do not wish to kickstart a patina finish on. Place cardboard under your fire pit to prevent unwanted staining of your surface below.

3. Using a spray bottle, spray a thin coat of white vinegar over all areas you'd like to patina (do not wipe). Repeat this once more after the first coat has dried on it's own. This will help to pickle the steel and prep it for the patina mixture in next step.

4. Mix 4 oz. of White Vinegar, 16 oz. of Hydrogen Peroxide, and 1 Tablespoon of Salt in your spray bottle. Generously spray your fire pit surfaces with the mixture and let dry on it's own. Repeat this step until your desired result is obtained. Any inconsistencies should even out once exposed to some weather, enjoy :)