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Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Getting rid of the gold plating on hardware

I have a house full of cheap gold plated hardware. I'm sure it's not real gold. Any way I want to paint ar treat it so I can give it a new look. I think an antique black tone or a metallic brushed or burnished look would be good. How can you alter to this kind of gold finish?

Jerry Lathrop
designer - Boise, ID, USA
2005

Unfortunately there probably isn't a good answer for you Jerry. Some of this stuff may be vacuum metallized, some electrophoretic lacquered, some titanium nitride, some brass plating. On top of that, you may be able to paint something sufficiently well to function as a drawer pull or hinge, but not as a faucet or entry door hardware. I'd replace what is easy to replace, and experiment with the fancy designer spray paints on the rest, but forget the idea of painting plumbing fixtures.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2005

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