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Using furniture stripper on my brass bed...should I?

December 11, 2008

I am in Minneapolis and I can't find a company to restore my brass bed.

I have a brass bed that is an old family piece - very simple lines and beautiful. I believe that it has a lacquer finish that finally gave out. In my dreams I was just going to take it outside, use spray cans of paint stripper, lightly rub it with a soft cloth, and then hose it down in the driveway. After a soft rub polishing, I was going to use either a polyurethane spray can (lots of em) or lacquer. I also thought about bringing it to a professional spray painter to have the finish applied.

I have done this with old painted brass light fixtures and so far they have held up for 11 years.

Please let me know if you think I am a dreamer.

Richard Lang
- Minneapolis, MN, USA

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December 12, 2008

Hi, Richard. If it worked on brass light fixtures I see no reason it won't work on a brass bed.

Regards,

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

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Be careful as some of those old "brass" beds are solid brass and can be restored beautifully, but some are brass plated steel and cannot be restored except by replating. Check with a magnet - if magnetic it is plated steel. check all the parts, sometimes some parts are solid brass and some plated steel.

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina
December 15, 2008


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