How to refresh vintage hardware
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Ok! Happy Halloween Everyone!
Today I wanted to share some knowledge about refinishing, or polishing your vintage hardware. Not a super long post because it is really not that difficult to do!
Now, I have done all of it. I have added hardware to pieces that didn’t have hardware in the first place. I have kept the vintage hardware with a refresh, and I have completely changed out the hardware look and size on a piece.
I honestly believe that the hardware is the frosting. The glitter. The jewelry. The cherry on top. Ok. You get it.
Here is a beautiful vintage French provincial dresser. I absolutely love the original hardware on these pieces.
Don’t worry, I am not just going to refresh some hardware and leave you hanging on the finished piece! DON’T SKIP TO THE END THOUGH!
List of Supplies:
Drill or Screwdriver
White vinegar
Water
Cooking pot large enough for all the hardware.
Spray Paint or furniture Wax in the colour you would like to finish the hardware in.
Wax Brush if using wax as a finish.
Ok lets go.
I actually like the Original colour on these pulls. The thing was that they were filthy. Obviously if you are putting in all the work on the rest of the piece, don’t half ass it with the hardware!
So, first you will remove your hardware. I like to put the backings back on once the hardware is removed so I don’t lose the screws during the project.
Once you are at the point in your project where you are preparing your hardware, remove the backings and set them somewhere you can find them - Hello red solo cup!
Place the hardware in your pot and fill it half way with water. Then get your white vinegar and top it up.
Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium high so it can boil the original finish and grime off. Leave it to boil for about 10-15 minutes. Remember to turn on your hood fan - this can get quite stinky. Not gonna lie - I really dislike the smell of vinegar.
It also helps if you are using a pot that will not be used again. I have been doing this long enough that this became my sacrificial hardware pot.
Remove the pot from the element and drain most of the water. run cold water into the pot to cool it down a bit. I usually let it cool for about 30 minutes or where it is cool enough to handle.
Grab your wire brush and get scrubbing! Depending on the finish you want, you may find that your hardware has a beautiful vintage gold colour, so you will probably scrub more off. Otherwise, you are really just scrubbing off any unwanted textures and finishes to get it super clean. The wire bristles also help to create “teeth” in the metal to assist with your new finish to stick better.
Now you have a clean slate to work with!
Wait until the hardware is dry, and then get ready with your finish.
Ok, so one time I went overboard for a client with a French Provincial piece offering all the different options I had. But, the reality was, it gave me a reference for the future for customers to see what I can do with the hardware!
I can say that the top one is black spray paint, the second one is gold wax, third and fourth are spray paint, the fifth one is a copper wax and the last one is an aging wax.
Pro tip - After she decided which one she wanted, I had to start the process over again with the pieces that were spray painted and it was TOUGH to get off. So if you doubt the durability of spray paint on hardware, it is quite durable!
As for the wax ones, they weren’t even close to being cured, so a couple squirts of mineral spirits, and it came right off.
So which one did she pick? Well, you will have to wait and see!
Totally just kidding! Here it is! We went with the copper wax. It looked so rich on this piece and the contrast was so incredibly elegant. If you are asking yourself “Oh my God, WHAT is that amazing colour??” The answer is Cast Iron by Fusion Mineral Paint. It is one of my favourites and never fails me. The top is stained with Jacobean stain by Minwax.
Here is another piece I did where I spray painted the hardware in a flat black spray paint. It’s honestly the best brand I have used.
This is another Stunning piece that my client kept the vintage hardware. These are also a copper wax.
I would love to know what you think of this blog! Did it help you with your project? Do you have any other questions? Drop me a line below!