As brass hardware ages, its surface oxidizes, which leaves a layer of tarnish over the hardware. Brand new brass hardware, such as drawer pulls, door handles, or towel bars, stays shiny and bright for decades because of a protective lacquer coating on the surface. However, by removing this protective coating and applying either ammonia fumes or brass ager to the surface, you can “age” your brass hardware to give it a pleasing tarnished look.
EditSteps
EditRemoving the Lacquer Coating
- Disassemble your hardware so you're only working with brass. During the aging process, you’ll only want to be working with hardware made of brass. Remove your hardware from where it’s installed and make sure the brass you’re working with is not attached to a part of the hardware made of another substance.[1]
- For example, if you're aging a brass candle sconce that has a glass hurricane cover, remove and set aside the glass cover.
- Wipe the brass hardware clean. Use a clean, dry rag to remove any dust or foreign materials from the hardware. If your hardware is new or uninstalled, you might be able to skip this step.
- Whether you need to clean your hardware and how you should go about it will ultimately depend on how dirty it is. Use soapy water and a washcloth if your hardware is particularly dirty. If it’s only a little dusty, just using a dry rag should suffice.
- Be careful not to use an abrasive scrubbing cloth, as this might damage the brass.[2]
- Create a hook from a wire coat hanger. Snip of wire from a coat hanger and use your needle nose pliers to bend a hook onto one end of the wire.[3]
- If you don't have a wire coat hanger, any form of malleable metallic wire will do.
- Soak the brass hardware in lacquer thinner for 12 hours. Pour lacquer thinner into a plastic bucket and use it to soak your brass hardware. Place enough thinner in the bucket so that you can completely submerge your brass hardware pieces in it. Leave the hardware in the bucket for at least 12 hours.[4]
- Don’t inhale the fumes from the lacquer thinner; they can easily make you feel nauseous or lightheaded.[5]
- Remove the brass pieces from the lacquer thinner and dry them. Use the wired coat hanger to fish the brass out of the thinner. After removing the pieces from the lacquer thinner, blot the brass pieces dry and lay them over a separate clean, dry rag.[6]
- Avoid getting the thinner on your skin, as it can cause the skin to dry out and peel. Use rubber gloves and safety goggles if possible.
- Don’t just pour your excess thinner down the drain once you’ve finished. Instead, dispose of it by throwing away the rags you used in a sealed metal container and taking the leftover thinner to a hazardous household waste collection facility.
- Reassemble and reinstall your hardware. After you’ve cleaned and dried the brass hardware and you’re satisfied with how the aging turned out, reattach the brass to the fixture or area you originally removed it from.
EditUsing Brass Ager
- Isolate the brass parts of the hardware. You should only use brass ager on hardware that is made of brass and not another material. Make sure whatever brass you’re working with is not attached to hardware made of another substance.[7]
- Clean the brass pieces. Use a clean, dry rag to remove any dust or foreign materials from the hardware. If your hardware is new or uninstalled, you might be able to skip this step.
- Whether you need to clean your hardware and how you should go about it will ultimately depend on how dirty it is. Use soapy water and a washcloth if your hardware is particularly dirty. If it’s only a little dusty, just using a dry rag should suffice.
- Avoid using an abrasive scrubbing cloth, as this might damage the brass.[8]
- Pour brass ager into a glass container. Pour enough ager into the container so that you can fully submerge your brass hardware in the liquid. You can also use a plastic container to hold the ager.[9]
- Brass ager is a type of antiquing solution specifically used for brass. You can typically find brass ager at any department store and some online retailers.
- Be sure to wear protective gloves when handling or working with brass ager.
- Dip the brass hardware in the ager for at least 30 seconds. Use latex or rubber gloves and submerge the hardware completely in the ager. Leave it submerged for at least 30 seconds before removing it.[10]
- You can leave the hardware in the brass ager for longer than 30 seconds if you want to achieve a darker, more aged look. However, don’t leave your hardware in the brass ager for more than 10 minutes.
- Rub the brass piece with steel wool to remove unwanted discoloration. The brass ager will significantly age and darken whatever hardware you’ve submerged in it. Use steel wool to remove this discoloration on parts of the hardware where you would normally see wear.[11]
- For example, if you’re aging a brass doorknob, you may want the places where people’s fingers normally touch the knob to have more of a worn look instead of an aged look.
- Dip the hardware in cold water and then dry it with a soft rag. Dipping the brass hardware in cold water will stop the aging process. After it’s dried, it’s ready to be reattached.[12]
- Be careful not to use an abrasive scrubbing cloth, as this might damage the brass.
- Polish the hardware and repeat this process if you don’t like it. If you don’t like how the aging turned out, it’s no problem! Simply polish the hardware completely and start the process over from the beginning.[13]
- To polish the brass, simply use brass cleaner and a microfiber cloth.
- Put the hardware back together then reinstall it. Once the brass hardware has been cleaned and dried and you’re satisfied with how the aging turned out, reattach the brass to the fixture or area you originally removed it from.
EditAging Brass with Saltwater and Ammonia
- Take off any parts not made of brass. Disassemble the hardware and remove the brass pieces. This method should only be applied to brass hardware; using it on materials made of plastic or glass may leave those pieces discolored.[14]
- Remove any dust or dirt from the brass. Use a clean, dry rag to remove any dust or foreign materials from the hardware. If your hardware is new or uninstalled, you might be able to skip this step.
- Whether you need to clean your hardware and how you should go about it will ultimately depend on how dirty it is. Use soapy water and a washcloth if your hardware is particularly dirty. If it’s only a little dusty, just using a dry rag should suffice.
- Be careful not to use an abrasive scrubbing cloth, as this might damage the brass.[15]
- Punch a hole through the center of a coffee can lid. Use a hammer and nail to punch a small hole in the center of the coffee can lid that is big enough for the coat hanger wire to pass through.[16]
- Run the hanger wire through the hole and secure it to the lid. Once you’ve made a hole in the coffee can lid, poke your hanger’s unhooked end through the hole and bend it into a right angle so it can hold itself in place.[17]
- Once the wire hanger is secured to the lid, make sure it’s able to hold the weight of your brass hardware before you actually use it. Hook your hardware onto the wire and hold the lid up to make sure the wire doesn’t fall through the hole in the lid.
- Mix saltwater in a plastic bucket and dip your brass piece in the liquid. Combine of water and of salt in a clean plastic bucket. After the salt has dissolved, use the hook end of your lid-hook configuration to dip your brass hardware into the liquid and hold it there for 30 seconds.[18]
- Pour of household ammonia into a metal coffee can. Avoid overdoing it on the ammonia; you only need to pour enough in the coffee can to produce fumes and don’t want it to actually be touching the brass hardware.[19]
- Note that the coffee can you use needs to be metallic; cans made of plastic or other materials can’t be used to safely hold and heat ammonia.
- You can buy household ammonia at most mass retailers and certain grocery stores.
- Use your lid-hook configuration to hang the hardware piece in the can. Replace the lid on the coffee can so the hardware piece dangles inside the can. Make sure that the brass piece doesn’t touch the ammonia during this process.[20]
- Apply heat to the can's bottom area with a hair dryer for 2 minutes. This will release ammonia fumes onto the brass hardware and age it.[21]
- Remove the lid from the can after 2 minutes of heat application and rinse. Be sure you don’t inhale the ammonia fumes when you remove the lid, as it will burn and may cause lung damage. After you’re safely removed the lid, take the hardware off the wire hook and rinse it thoroughly with cold water.[22]
- Repeat as necessary. If you’re not happy with your results, repeat the process to further age the brass hardware. Simply re-dip it in the salt solution, place the lid-hook configuration back on the coffee can, and apply heat for another 2 minutes.[23]
- Reattach the hardware when you're done. Once the brass hardware has been cleaned and dried and you’re satisfied with how the aging turned out, reattach the brass to the fixture or area you originally removed it from.
EditVideo
EditTips
- If the brass hardware you’re aging is attached to a fixture with screws, make sure you age the screw heads as well, since they’ll be visible once you reattach the hardware.
EditWarnings
- If your hardware isn't solid brass, but is instead brass plated, proceed with the aging process with caution. The process may completely remove the brass plating. If you aren't sure if the hardware is sold brass, scratch it in an unnoticeable area, such as the back of a faucet or the top of a hanging hardware. If scratching reveals more brass or a yellow color, the hardware is solid. Colors such as red or white mean you're probably dealing with bronze, steel or another inexpensive metal.
EditThings You'll Need
EditRemoving the Lacquer Coating
- Clean, dry rags
- Wire coat hanger
- Wire snips
- Needle nose pliers
- Large plastic bucket
- Lacquer thinner
EditUsing Brass Ager
- Brass ager
- Glass container
EditAging Brass with Saltwater and Ammonia
- Metal coffee can with fitted metal lid
- Nail
- Hammer
- Household ammonia
- Hair dryer
EditRelated wikiHows
EditSources and Citations
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