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Q&As since 1989
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How can I paint a brass drawer pull and get the paint to stick?
I need help. I have a new grandbaby on the way and I have bought a used chest for his (it's a boy) room. The chest is cherry wood with brass drawer pulls and it is in great shape. But the brass pulls seem dated and I would like to paint them. What is the process I need to do to get the paint to stick to the pulls. Please help me the baby will be here soon.
Judy Yates
a grandmother - Brandenburg, Kentucky, USA
2007
I want to report that something is broken and I can not receive the answer to my question because of this. My question is #46283 and I have been waiting patiently for this answer. Thanks, Judy
Judy Yates
a grandmother - Brandenburg, Kentucky, USA
2007
![simultaneous replies]()
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A. Hi, Judy. Although things on the site can occasionally break, there's nothing broken in this case. Rather, none of the readers has taken the time to answer you. Sorry! The most likely reason is that readers consider your question repetitive; it and very similar questions have been answered more than a hundred times here, so the people capable of answering it are probably a bit fatigued.
But, in short, use
lacquer thinner [on
eBay or
Amazon] or
acetone
[on
eBay or
Amazon] if the pulls are lacquered. Then get the pulls clean with detergent and a brush (add
pumice [on
eBay or
Amazon] if you have some). Because this is a high wear and finger oils situation, rather than an object you just look at, adhesion will be an issue. So very lightly sand them and then brush on or spray on a
Self-etching primer [on
eBay or
Amazon]
made for brass.. Then you can put pretty much any paint made for metal on it.
Some of those previous letters were:
16430 and
35944, but patient work with the search engine will find many more. Good luck.
![Ted Mooney, finishing.com]()
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
A. Judy,
Remove the pulls and clean them with alcohol or lacquer thinner [on
eBay or
Amazon] to remove any old polish, lay out the pulls on newspaper and then spray them with Krylon spray paint gray primer (Walmart carries Krylon as does True Value). After the primer dries (10-15 minutes because it's a lacquer base) simply spray with whatever Krylon color suits your fancy.
Do everything in a well ventilated area such as the garage because the fumes are flammable.
Stephen Mann
- Palm Springs, California, USA
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