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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing 1989-2025
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How to tell what my "brass" headboard is; how to clean and refinish
Q. I recently purchased a "brass" headboard. It has markings which have the appearance of water spots, small dots which look like brownish tarnish and then lighter silver areas which make me think that the headboard is plated metal. In reading numerous questions and answers relating to brass plating I have more questions than before. I placed a magnet to the headboard and it stuck. According to posting this means it's plated, correct? How would I then know what type of metal it is? Then how do I clean, refinish or revamp the piece to look good? I'm not set on it having a gold, or brass finish, any suggestions?
Thanks,
homeowner - Dickson, Tennessee
2004
Vintage Brass Beds & Parts on eBay [affil link]
A. The magnet reveals that it is made of steel. From your description of 'lighter silver' areas it is probably steel that was nickel plated and then brass plated. You can certainly send it to a plating shop for replating, but that may not be within your budget for this project.
Unless it looks really bad, I'd probably try to clean it with Brasso
⇦ this on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil links] or another polish and then spray it with brass lacquer
⇦ this on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil links]
and call it quaint.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I have a "brass type" headboard that is white. Can I refinish it in an antiqued black paint finish?
Naydine FrisonHomeowner - Chico, California, USA
June 18, 2008
A. Sure, Naydine. As long as the white paint is adherent, just wash it with detergent, very lightly sand what's easily reachable to scuff the surface a tiny bit, and paint it.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. What is the best type of paint to use?
Naydine Frison [returning]- Chico, California, USA
June 19, 2008
A. Any paint designed for metal ought to be fine, either brush-on or spray, Naydine. Think Rustoleum or Krylon; think the hardware store rather than the paint chip section. If you see a picture of wheelbarrows, or wagons, or metal chairs, or patio furniture on the can, you've probably got the right stuff :-)
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I have a badly tarnished brass plated head & foot board. I have asked around and have been told don't use an abrasive cleaner like Brasso
⇦ this on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil links] . I have also asked about painting over the brass plating and make it antique white.
Paint store said to sand lightly, XIM primer
⇦ this on
eBay or
Amazon [affil links]
and then paint. Is there a simpler way?
Thanks,
Tom Werling
- Silver Point, Tennessee
July 27, 2008
A. Hi, Tom. A simpler but much more expensive way would be to contact a plating shop and have them replate it for you. Then you would still have a brass bed.
Brasso
⇦ this on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil links] is not what I would call an abrasive cleaner; I can't think of a gentler or slower brass polish. Some people dislike it because it can take forever on very heavy tarnish. But if the plating was thin, and it's old and worn, a brass polish can do only so much.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. Hi have a brass headboard that was given to me, it is in very good condition. I am not fond of gold and want to paint it either white or bronze. A magnet does not stick to it.
What is the best way to paint it?
Thank you,
- La Habra, California, USA
May 5, 2015
Vintage Brass Beds & Parts on eBay [affil link]
A. Hi Sylvia. Brass has an earned reputation for being very difficult to paint, i.e., it can be difficult to get paint to adhere to it tenaciously. So you need to try a self-etching primer designed for hard-to-paint metals. The previously mentioned XIM primer ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] is one, but there are many.
After the primer, any paint of your choice should be okay. Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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