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Shiny Brass Plated to Antique Brass

I have a new home with cheap shiny brass plated light fixtures and door knobs. I think I can use a faux paint finish to change the look of the light fixtures (any suggestions?). I think I'm looking for an antique brass finish, is there any thing that would work for the door knobs? They are constantly being handled.

Thank You,

Penni N [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Pinckney, Michigan, USA
2003

I was looking at another forum and someone asked the same question and was told to use an oxidizing solution to change from shiny brass to a more antiqued finish. Then, you could try spraying the door knobs and plates with a lacquer - I would use a satin finish. Seems like that should work as that's what commercial brass is finished with. Of course, I'm only an amateur. Good luck from the U.P!

Barbara W [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Ontonagon, Michigan,USA
2003

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2003

Hi, Penni. If the light fixtures are, as you say, cheap . . . then a faux antique spray paint finish would probably be the way to go. Krylon, Rustoleum, and other brands now offer a variety of "antique metal" finishes .

Hi, Barbara. For the doorknobs, if they are solid brass then a brass darkening solution [on eBay or Amazon] or liver of sulfur [on eBay or Amazon] could work (these are noxious, use them with care), after removing the lacquer with lacquer thinner [on eBay or Amazon]. If they are plated brass, it is less likely that they could be successfully darkened the same way.

But they may not even have any brass in them, it could be just a tinted lacquer or a zirconium nitride "lifetime" hard coat finish. Today's great new technologies have the downside that just because something looks like brass doesn't mean it is :-)

Good luck!

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

I am Sheila and regret to say that I got a little over zealous in cleaning my new antique brass sink and am now left with one sink that is antique brass and good looking and one right beside it that is shiny brass because I had to continue to remove the finish once I started. I am looking for a product I can Put over the brass to give it that antique look again that will be adequate for a sink. I am looking forward to finding out what I can do because I called a local brass restorer and since I can't bring the whole vanity to him, he has to come to the house and I can't seem to get him here. Thanks so much for your help with this. My vanity was made in China so I regret to say I can't return it. Thanks again. Sheila in Jacksonville Florida.

Sheila M [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Consumer - Jacksonville, Florida
2006

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The above-referenced brass darkening solution [on eBay or Amazon] or liver of sulfur [on eBay or Amazon] should work, Sheila. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007

I have taken down 10 year old wall sconces that are very nice shiny brass. The fixtures are good but the finish is not to my liking. What can I use to create an antique finish so I can recycle these fixtures?

Anne Fuller
home owner / remodeler / hobby painter - Little Rock, Arkansas
2007

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Although they are sconces rather than light fixtures or door knobs, I think the advice you've already read here is applicable, Anne. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2007

I just had some 1970's Stiffel brass plated lamps cleaned and re-lacquered. They are beautifully done but too yellow brass, rather than darkened bronzy brass, for my liking. They are mainly missing the darkened patina originally added to the recesses, showing off the detail. As well, the lacquer could benefit by being tinted. Does anyone know how I can accomplish this look without removing the lacquer again? The plating will never survive another cleaning. Thank you!

Jeff Nissen
- San Diego, California, USA
February 4, 2011

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Hi, Jeff. The darkened patina in the recesses is art imitating life, because what happens naturally is that everything gets oxidized but wear on the high points keeps them bright. What might work to darken a whole lamp that is already lacquered, yet allow you to buff the high points back to brightness is a "wax rub" (Rub'N'Buff [affil links]).

They are very inexpensive, so probably worth a try. If you do try it, please get back to us! Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February 4, 2011

Thank you for your reply. I've been reading some other posts. As a result, I purchased tinted lacquer used to darken brass music instruments. The lacquer will add a more golden tone to the too yellow brass finish of my lamps. However, I still need to darken the recessed areas of the etching. I think I will use the product you suggested, but try rubbing a dark color into the recesses, and leave some residue over top surfaces to mellow them. My only concern, will it lift when I spray over it with the lacquer or cause it to chip off later. Do you think they are compatible? I also saw someone recommend using leather dye. Any experience with that?

Jeff Nissen
- San Diego, California, USA
February 10, 2011

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Hi, Jeff.

Much of what I write here is just a reiteration of what other readers have offered on other threads; I haven't tried much of this stuff myself at all. Still, it's usually not a good idea to mix two different organic treatments like wax and lacquer because of possible reactions. The lacquer thinner [on eBay or Amazon] in the lacquer, for example, sounds likely to dissolve the wax. If you want to predarken brass before the lacquer, the best way is with an inorganic darkening solution [on eBay or Amazon] like liver of sulfur [on eBay or Amazon] -- but this cannot work through the existing lacquer.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February 9, 2011

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March 16, 2011

I'm the Maintenance Technician at Sanibel Library in Fl. We have kick plates and door pulls on our restroom doors that are brass with dark patina. The problem we face is that if I use Lysol or other disinfectant it takes some of the finish off and leaves it somewhat shiny. Do you have a solution that after cleaning that something could be done to darken it and then something to seal it so that it will retain the dark finish.

Thank You,
Steve

Stephen Duerr
Maintenance Technician - Sanibel Florida

I wrote a question about darkening polished Stiffel lamps; how I ended up antiquing them is using a tinted lacquer used for finishing cabinets. I only gave them a light haze, then after allowing them to dry coated them with a lacquer used for brass instruments, which had a more bronze tone to it. The lamps turned out looking like the original finish.

Jeff Nissen
- San Diego, California
March 26, 2011