Upcycled Brass Door Hardware to Oil-rubbed Bronze

Anne Zellner Pettijohn
by Anne Zellner Pettijohn
6 Materials
$23
4 Hours
Easy
We just finished the foundation for our new home that the two of us are going to build. Some things (like toilets) we both want totally new! Other things (like door hardware) we are willing to buy used and make them like new. On Craigslist, I found a family selling their entire house’s worn and outdated brass door-hardware for only $90! Since I figured that for a savings of around $700, I surely I had more time than money, so...to work I went In my temporary camper space!
Using a wet, soapy medium grit sanding block (soapy water causes the block to work better in my opinion), get the shine off of the hardware. I don’t want to have to re-do ANY paint in a few years, so I went the extra mile and added dark gray primer.
This just shows the difference between the dulled sanded top and the still shiny brass at the bottom. You want to “dull” the entire surface.
Prime-time! Follow the manufacturer’s directions on dry time, and don’t rush the process on any of the primer or painting steps!
I started with the glossy black paint to get the “effect” that I wanted. You may also start with the metallic paint as your bottom coat, and when you put the black top coat over it, you can do a “wipe-off”, exposing the metallic paint on the edges, but I was going for an all-over effect, so I started with black.
Don’t forget to lightly sand between coats. I used fine steel wool so I wouldn’t get any unwanted scratches.
Finished first piece! Now to get the rest of that house’s door-hardware out of my back seat and start on the rest! Cha Ching!!!
For added protection on this outdoor hardware, I will be adding either automotive clear coat or maybe a marine clear coat to protect it from sun and rain. No real need to do that extra step on my interior knobs and hinges.
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