Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems. |
Reply |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
How to restore polished brass fixtures
The plumbing and light fixtures in my main bathroom are polished brass -
quality varies from Moen to Sears to unknown. They've been in place about 15 years. ALL of them show ugly brown spots under the seal coat, and I'd like to get them back to shiny new. Any suggestions? I have really, really, REALLY hard water - could this be a factor in the pervasive discoloration? Thanks - |
#2
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
How to restore polished brass fixtures
nj_dilettante wrote:
The plumbing and light fixtures in my main bathroom are polished brass - quality varies from Moen to Sears to unknown. They've been in place about 15 years. ALL of them show ugly brown spots under the seal coat, and I'd like to get them back to shiny new. Any suggestions? I have really, really, REALLY hard water - could this be a factor in the pervasive discoloration? Thanks - Most brass fixtures these days are "laquered" brass, which means that after polishing the fixture at the factory, they put clear coat over top of it to keep the brass from tarnishing and keep it's nice shiny finish. The problem with this is that the clear coat eventually gets tiny cracks in it which lets in air/moisture which is what creates the dark spots you see. The only thing I know of to remove the dark spots is to completely remove the clear coat finish (say with chemical stripper and/or steel wool), and then polish the brass with some sort of metal polish. But now your clear coat is gone, so the brass fixture will now start to tarnish again immediately, but this time it will tarnish more uniformly. And this only really works when it is a solid brass fixture. Many inexpensive fixtures are brass plated plastic or pot metal, with a very thin layer of brass. Removing the clear coat and polishing can easily rub right through the thin plating. I live in an older house with a lot of original brass fixtures. Some of the fixtures have what appears to be some sort of clear finish on them (like the door knobs on the insides of closets that get very little use). Other fixtures are made out of brass but were factory painted. Other fixtures have so many coats of homeowner-applied paint I can't tell what the orginal finish was. For all of these fixtures I've been stripping off all coatings and polishing, and then leaving them to naturally tarnish over the years to come. Whenever we get some new brass fixture, I always get the "unlaquered" finish, if it is available. For some things where I have a new laquered finish, I'm getting the brown spots. At some point when it annoys me enough, I'll strip the laquered finish off of those things and just polish like normal. Ken |
#3
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
How to restore polished brass fixtures
Are you sure they are real solid brass or some crappy brass coating
that will rust away and most likey come off if you try to clean it good? I buy the stainless steel fixtures instead. Avoids the whole problem. |
#4
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
How to restore polished brass fixtures
|
#5
Posted to alt.home.repair
|
|||
|
|||
How to restore polished brass fixtures
But now your clear coat is gone, so the brass fixture will now start to tarnish again immediately, but this time it will tarnish more uniformly. It if brass isn't subject to wear you can "clear coat" it with a a spray can off "Clear coat." Even if it is subject to weak, the clear coat might help. The wear may take off the coating but the handling often postpones the crud formation. And this only really works when it is a solid brass fixture. Many inexpensive fixtures are brass plated plastic or pot metal, with a very thin layer of brass. Removing the clear coat and polishing can easily rub right through the thin plating. Plated sheet steel is more likely. |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Replacement Brass Tub Drain | Home Repair | |||
Clear finish on polished brass..????? | Metalworking | |||
5/8inch polished brass towel bar | Home Repair | |||
Pressing drill rod into brass. | Metalworking | |||
melting brass padlocks | Metalworking |