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Changing a brass finish to a chrome or nickel plated finish

Q. I have brass fixtures in my bathroom--sinks and tub. Is there a technique I can use to change the finish to chrome or nickel plate?

Jane Larose
home owner - Mandeville, Louisiana
2006

A. Hi, Jane.

Unfortunately, your inquiry is a bit vague; but in the case of non-custom fixtures, it may be less expensive and more satisfactory to replace them. Plumbing fixtures are mass produced with very low unit labor cost; but re-plating involves onesy-twosy customized labor efforts and costs.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
April 2012

Q. I'd like to change my brass tub fittings to a silvery color. Problem is the inaccessible tub drain. Is it possible to strip off the brass finish safely? If so, is there a contractor in the Washington D.C. area who does this type of work? Then I can buy new nickel, chrome or steel faucets and spigot.

Elaine Shannon
homeowner - Chevy Chase, Maryland
April 7, 2012

Ed. note: Sorry, this RFQ is old & outdated, so contact info is no longer available. However, if you feel that something technical should be said in reply, please post it; no public commercial suggestions please ( huh? why?)

A. If this is an old high quality tub, the drain is probably solid brass, so there is no way to strip it to a silvery color. But it can be plated in situ by a brush plating service. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
April 11, 2012

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