DW is on my case to do something 🙂 She is on a house fix up kick since we have been talking a little about moving. The brass light fixtures by the front door are in pretty sad shape. About 8 yrs old. I think some of it may be due to the power wash guy a few years ago using harsh chemicals… Can I paint these? The way I’m looking at I have nothing to loose… see attached pic
BTW – I looked into new lifetime brass fixtures and they were about 750 clams for a pair of ones about the size we have.
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Like any metal painting, I'd rough up the surface with 220 grit paper and paint with an enamel primer and topcoat. If you are using a latex topcoat it might not be a bad idea to still use an oil based primer.
Best of luck
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
As Don says, rough them up & clean them well. I use pigmented shellac as a primer - it really grips. I have outdoor items prepped that way about 10 years ago that still look great - I sprayed them with either Krylon or Rustoleum.
On things that are already a little rough, I'm fond of the hammered or wrought iron finishes.
Good luck!
It will be hard to get those twist caps bacl on again.
I have some 9 YO just about same condition and age that I repaced last weekend with some cast AL painted ones.
What we had was thin stamped metal with brass plate which is worn off
you can paint them. about the only ccolour that I think would not look worse would be a flat black
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"750 clams for lifetime finish"
As an aside, I checked Baldwin Brass for some 3x3 Butt Hinges with that finish..one supplier locally wanted .....sit down, ..ok...ya ready for this?
75.00 a PAIR!
Further shopping, again locally..I ordered them for 56.oo$ a pair..but still, the non-lifetime finish were at 36.oo a pr. Brass is really pricy, I found out.
Good luck painting, I think rustoleum primer and then top coat with whatever color she wants will work fine.
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It looked like rust, are they actually brass--or brass plated steel? If there is actual rust, you might try a rust converter before painting. If it is jsut oxidized brass, you may try steel wool and acid etching and then lacquer or some sort of clear coat (someone metioned pigmented shellac, that sounds good too) and then Rustoleum or colored lacquer or enamel.
You can paint the fixtures,brass paint in a spray can works well. I suspect that your light fixtures are plated brass. Remove the fixtures ,clean the metal and tape off any areas that are not brass ( or plated).Spray lightly, when completely dry give it another coat.I bought a can at Lowe's a year ago, brass still looks good.
mike
It might be worth a shot with Brasso or similar. I believe many brass items are clearcoated to prevent oxidation, so if it cleans up, try recoating it to keep the color.
If it's just oxidation, homemade cleaners (eg ketchup) will remove it: http://www.everbrite.net/copper_cleaner.htm.
All considered, you'll probably get the best results if you LIGHTLY sand blast them, rinse in alcohol, let them get warm in direct sunlight, and spray paint. There are even paints that will look like brass!