Metal finishing Q&As since 1989



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Spray painting brass plated? end tables

I have end tables from the early 1990's. The base of the end tables are brass and the top is removeable glass. Quite popular in the day and you may have seen them around during that time frame. I tested it with a magnet, which stuck, so I'm assuming the base is iron with a brass plating. The brass is discolored and my husband wants to get rid of them. These are $375.00 tables which I cannot see getting rid of. I have seen in previous postings a reference to "oil bronze finish". This sounds intriguing and I wonder if I might be able to accomplish this look with my tables. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Roberta Gillespie
Homeowner - Seattle, Washington, USA
December 16, 2010

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December 30, 2010

Howdy,

For spray painting, as with most any DIY (Do-it-yourself) project, the details are in the preparation work. And, in this case, spray painting brass, requires a lot of prep work and making sure you have a primer that adheres well to the surface.

However, in reading your post, you seem more interested in obtaining an oil bronze finish with your brass table. For that result, I would think you need to remove the protective coating on your end tables, then cleaning and buffing, followed by more cleaning, then rubbing your tables down to achieve the look you want, followed by stopping that chemical reaction immediately, some more wiping down and TLC, finished by a clear coat to seal and preserve your handiwork.

That is the process in a nutshell. Materials needed will be some great rubber gloves, clothes you don't mind never having to wear again, goggles, a nice sunny day or two (doing it outdoors is a great, well-ventilated area) rags, cloths, #0000 steel wool [on eBay or Amazon] (fine, fine grit) a case of elbow grease, lacquer thinner [on eBay or Amazon], antiquing solution, non-reactive buckets, perhaps a kiddie pool or rain barrel to immerse your table, warm water.

Putting it all together...
Okay, so we start off by working in our well ventilated area, dressed for success and safety, dab a clean, soft cloth in lacquer remover and work to rub off any protective finish from the brass. Then buff to try and get a uniform look with some fine steel wool. (This will be work to try and get those discolored parts to match up a bit better.)

Being that we're dealing with some large pieces, in a rain barrel or like container, dilute the antiqueing solution to warm/ambient temperature water as per package instruction. Submerge the piece in the water, making sure to shake it about under water slightly so bubbles don't stick/form to your piece. The bubbles will result in spotting and will color differently - then again, this may be the shabby/chic look you desire.

Remove the table from the water once it reaches that desired color/look you're going for. Immediately rinse it with hot water (hence the sunny day, leaving the charged garden hose strung out on the lawn.) This is to stop the aging process started with the antiquing solution.

Wipe dry with a soft cloth and remove any powdery residue. Dry as best you can evenly to prevent uneven coloration (again, having started with something a bit uneven, depending on how uneven it is you started with, determines how to best dry and keep everything "even" as you want. Hey, this is a labor of love and people pay good money for distressed things.)

Now that it is dry, and "oil rubbed bronzed" the way you have desired, cleaned, and perfect as is, seal with a clear coat for the finishing touch! Success is yours! Congratulations. Show us your finished picture once completed.

J.D. Prowse
Gadfly, Renaissance Man, Historic Home Owner - Everett, Washington, U.S.A.