FAQ
Where can I buy exclusive tile lines?
deniseSiegelbronze and New Bronze Age Tile, Inc. tiles are available at more than 50 fine showrooms across the country. Visit our tile gallery at New Bronze Age Tile to see our full catalog of exclusive tile lines or to find the location nearest you.
How eco-friendly is deniseSiegelbronze?
deniseSiegelbronze is committed to leaving as small a carbon footprint as possible. We only use bronze made from local, recycled metals, melted down in efficient induction furnaces in an OSHA compliant facility. None of the metal is wasted and all scraps from each tile are re-melted and reused. We further pledge to continually expand our knowledge of “Green” production through literature, seminars and meetings with green leaders, and put the healthiest environmental practices in place throughout our business.
Among our other “green” activities:
- * Our office, studio and warehouse use shredded, discarded paper for packaging
- * Our products ship in recyclable boxes
- * We recycles all plastics, cardboards and paper and use no plastic or paper products in our kitchen
- * All our rooms use low energy lighting
- * We are redesigning our office from our warehouse with floor-to-ceiling walls that will significantly improve energy efficiency.
- * We are participating in an energy audit utilizing U.S. Department of Energy software to determine our current carbon footprint and will then determine how to make improvements to continue to lessen our impact.
Is it easy to care for bronze?
Yes! Bronze is beautiful, durable and a perfect choice for installation indoors, outdoors, in wet or dry areas. Bronze will become even more beautiful with age.
deniseSiegelbronze tiles and other bronze products are patinaed (colored), sealed and waxed. Expect the patina to grow darker and richer over time. Our bronze products are sealed with a high quality solvent lacquer that contains corrosion and ultraviolet, or UV, inhibitors. Over the lacquer, an eco-friendly high quality wax is applied that also protects from corrosion and UV.
Are bronze tiles easy to clean?
Yes! Keep them free of dust as you would any other surface. Clean them with a cloth and/or soap and water or use a non-abrasive household cleaner. Avoid cleaners or strippers containing acid, vinegar, bleach or abrasives.
Doesn’t bronze turn green?
The lacquer and sealer coating on deniseSiegelbronze pieces can prevent oxidation, or greening. However, tiles installed in high humidity, high salt environments might begin to green. But greening is easy to recognize and remove. Simply rub the tiles with a Scotchbrite pad, rinse them with water, dry them completely and reapply a solvent lacquer sealer made for bronze, such as Permalac. Then apply a thin layer of Butcher’s or paste wax.
Does greening destroy bronze?
Absolutely not! The greening that occurs is the oxidation of the copper in bronze. Oxidation is not deterioration. It is instead merely a coating of copper oxide. The metal itself is not weakened by oxidation. The surface simply develops a patina, which protects the metal.
How do I prevent greening in wet or high humidity areas?
Applying a thin layer of Butcher’s or paste wax with carnauba wax or twice a year will help prevent greening of your bronze pieces, even in wet or high humidity locations.
Apply as follows:
Using a ½- or 1-inch brush, apply a very thin layer of wax to the surface. Let sit two hours. Buff the tiles using a terry cloth towel. If tiles are in a high traffic or wet area, apply two coats of wax to increase protection. Let the first coat dry for two hours before applying the second coat. After the second coat, buff as directed.
What if I prefer greened bronze?
Some clients do, preferring the look of ancient bronze statues. With that in mind, deniseSiegelbronze offers a rich verdigris patina finish. Just mention you would like this look when you contact us.
How will my bronze age?
Beautifully! Over time, bronze in high traffic areas may burnish to a rich gold, highlighting the relief sculpture. Besides the normal lustrous darkening of bronze, this is another elegant way that this “living” metal shows its age.
Bronze, primarily made up of copper, is considered a living metal because it tends to darken and enrich over time, whether or not it’s patinaed, finished with a sealant and/or waxed.
How are bronze tiles installed?
It is recommended that an experienced contractor/tile installer install bronze tiles.
Because the tile patina (color) can be scratched if the surface comes in contact with a sharp metal edge, prior to installation keep the tiles from rubbing against each other by layering them with plastic, as they were when they were shipped. If you are installing tiles yourself, use care with metal cutting and installation tools to avoid scratching the patina.
deniseSiegelbronze tiles should be installed using a thinset or epoxy adhesive. Tiles can be cut using a metal cutting blade (band saw, jig saw or hack saw). Do not cut the metal tiles using a dry masonry blade. The heat from the blade may discolor the metal.
If the tiles are cut to fit an installation, the cut edge should be sealed to avoid greening. After cutting, wipe the cut edge with a damp cloth to clean residue, dry completely and then seal the cut edge with any clear shellac.
The recessed areas of deniseSiegelbronze tiles are as important aesthetically as the high areas and are meant to be seen. That why we recommend that they be installed so that no grout is visible on the high- or low-relief areas. Remove surface grout from the tile while it is still wet. Use a toothbrush or similar soft bristle brush and a lot of water to safely remove wet grout from tile surfaces and recesses without scratching the patina.
What is your design process for custom work?
Client and artist working together. Between the initial meeting and finished bronze comes the design phase when clients collaborate directly with artist Denise Siegel to interpret their vision. Ask Denise how to get starting bringing your vision to life.