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September 25, 2009
Toning Shiny Fixtures Down
So, the old owner of my house installed oodles of very shiny "brass" light fixtures...it's going to take me time and $$$ to replace. In the meantime, is there anything I can apply to the metal that will "antique" the finish so it's not so brassy?
Comments
This is a good question for www.apartmenttherapy.com if you don't get a response here.
Posted by: fawn at September 25, 2009 1:48 PM
Take it down and spray paint it with a silver or other color?
Posted by: InsertSnappyNameHere at September 25, 2009 1:48 PM
http://houseofantiquehardware.com/s.nl/sc.13/category.145/.f
brass antiquing solution should work
Posted by: Frederick Law Homestead at September 25, 2009 1:54 PM
HW stores have a thing called 'dulling spray' just for thet.
Posted by: denton at September 25, 2009 2:00 PM
They have likely been lacquered which is why they remain bright. Not sure if any ove the above will work on the lacquered finishes.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 25, 2009 2:04 PM
Yeah... I don't know what "dulling spray" is, but for regular spray paint application, you'll need to sand the lacquered finish a bit. Basically, so the spray paint has something to adhere to. (Make sure you get all of the dust off before painting)
Posted by: tybur6 at September 25, 2009 2:13 PM
block or brown shoe polish? obviously this isnt a good idea for anything that is close to the eye or likely to be touched, but might be a quick way to faux-age shiny brass without being permanent. if the brass is "laquered" as it likely is, brass treatments wont work without removing the protective coat.
Posted by: BHS at September 25, 2009 2:26 PM
ppl on apartment therapy will just tell you to paint it hot pink
Posted by: duckumu at September 25, 2009 2:30 PM
You need to strip the lacquer off the brass before any aging will happen(most paint strippers will do). Steel wool will dull polished brass.
Posted by: dubstey at September 25, 2009 2:35 PM
are they solid brass? if they are and they are still shiny, it's because there is a lacquer finish.. if they are inexpensive, brass like things.. all the finish could come off and in that case, they would need a finish added after roughing up the surface.
Posted by: janeinteriorsnyc at September 25, 2009 2:55 PM
Replace the freakin' things! Have a yard sale and get rid of them if you don't like them instead of doing all that work!
Posted by: oceanfree at September 25, 2009 3:04 PM
It really depends on the quality of the stuff. If it's good quality I'd live w/ it until you get new things & then sell it - they can be expensive.
If it's rubbish, the "lacquer" will be thin & easily permeated - probably even w/ just a coat of that dulling stuff & no labor on your part. As the instructions always say, try it in a small, out of sight, area first.
Posted by: Arkady at September 25, 2009 3:04 PM
hammerite paint can give you an interesting finish that will not look like a bad faux finish.
just google hammerite. it's for rust prevention, but some of the products like the black hammered metal finish are great looking
Posted by: binnyG at September 25, 2009 3:10 PM
Here's the link to dulling spray...
http://www.krylon.com/products/dulling_spray
Posted by: denton at September 25, 2009 4:28 PM
Agree with binnyg- I've used it and it's quite cool in certain applications. Dulling spray or a coating of matte acrylic varnish will work too (rough up the surface. Golden makes a great one. YOu can antique over that. Won't last 100 years but I have the feeling you won't be keeping the fixtures 100 years :-)
Posted by: bxgrl at September 25, 2009 5:45 PM
As my sister so often says: You can't spell brass without "ass."
Posted by: lucille at September 25, 2009 7:25 PM
Try Van Dyck Restorers (sp?), Renovators' Supply - google them, they're online sources. In one of them I know I've seen "antiquing" fluid specifically for this purpose, and perhaps also a separate fluid to strip the lacquer. Maybe this is the same as the "dulling" spray others have mentioned, but I think it might be a different product and perhaps worth a look. If you don't feel like doing the work yourself, I once spoke with a guy at www.antiqueplumber.com who said I could ship him any fixture and he would change the finish - e.g. from chrome to antique brass in my case, so very likely they could help you.
I hate shiny brass too - at least in houses where everything else looks old. I had to look high and low to find an uncoated brass faucet that would age attractively. My dad thinks the idea of buying something that will tarnish ON PURPOSE is nuts.
Posted by: StuyMom at September 25, 2009 8:23 PM
Note steps 5/6 at the bottom of the page:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4499916_remove-lacquer-finish-from-brass.html
Also:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2126150_use-ammonia-clean-tarnished-brass.html
Posted by: kelly at September 27, 2009 9:35 AM
There are common solvents to remove lacquer, the commonest of which is called lacquer thinner aka acetone. As for dulling, many agents will work (besides expensive "dulling" solutions -- just an excuse to charge you up the wassoo) and I've always been happy with the results I've gotten from using -- no kiddin' -- oven cleaner.
Posted by: grand army at September 27, 2009 9:29 PM
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