Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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How Do I Seal a Brass Bed After It's Been Restored?
Q. I have a piece of hardware that is chrome on brass. I'm going to cut it, exposing the raw brass. This area will not be seen. My objective is to seal it so it doesn't bleed patina. The raw section will only be about 1" x 3/4". It will be sandwiched between another piece of chrome on brass. Therefore I'm not at all worried about the cosmetic effects. I'm only wanting the strongest way to seal the brass.
Brad WheelerBusiness owner - Sugar Hill, Georgia
October 27, 2021
Vintage Brass Beds & Parts on eBay [affil link]
A. Hi Brad. Brass lacquer is made for the specific application of protecting brass, so I doubt that there's anything more practical, but I think epoxy would be excellent as well. I actually repaired a burst outdoor brass faucet with J B Weld and shocked myself that it held for years.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
October 2021
⇩ Related postings, oldest first ⇩
Q. My dad is cleaning my very old brass bed, and we did that with diluted acid and Brasso ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Now my problem is, what do we finish and seal it with? It seems like we've heard of something made just for brass. My dad is afraid that if we use a lacquer or polyurethane it will yellow after time.
Elizabeth G [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- New Albany, Indiana
2001
A. For protecting a finished brass surface, Polished, satin, scrubbed, bead blasted ... whatever! Lacquer is the way to go, or oven baked epoxy (type of lacquer) If your cleaned or restored surface looks just like you want it, lacquer will keep it about like that, maybe with a slight shine or wet look the higher the polish. This has been used on band instruments forever -- almost:)
Jon VanBurenNoteworthy Piano Service - Holland, Michigan
2002
Q. I would like to know what could be painted/sprayed on cleaned and polished 1/2 inch copper pipe that is being used in an outdoor decoration that will preserve the shiny copper color.
Thank you
Anthony Namlick- Easton, Maryland USA
2003
Q. WHAT IS THE BEST METHOD TO SEAL THE BRASS BED AFTER ITS BEEN POLISHED?
LON L [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]homemaker - REINBECK, IOWA
2004
A. Hi Anthony, hi Lon.
As Jon suggests, Brass lacquer is probably what you're looking for. For large quantities, you could look to G.J. Nikolas [a finishing.com supporting advertiser]. If you just want a spray can or two, you can try brass lacquer ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] .
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004
A. I agree with all said here, regarding lacquer. However a couple of important steps were missed.
1. After it has been polished there will be some residue left it is important to remove this, in warm to hot soapy water.
2. Gloves (I find the surgical type is best) must be put on, this is important as any finger prints will be seen after the Lacquer is applied.
I find at least 3 coats should be applied. The slightly warm fitting will allow the lacquer to dry more quickly.
- Sydney Australia
January 7, 2010
Q. Hello,
Brass "knuckles?"? I am a disabled Veteran who uses a walking cane. I purchased one with a brass eagle head and over time the finish has worn off and the brass is turning my palm green. Recently I sent it to a plater who refinished it and said they would also apply a sealant of some type to prevent it from turning my hand green, but after several months the finish has worn off again and it is turning my hand green. I was wondering if I could paint it with something and then seal it myself to keep this from happening. I understand the sweat from my hand is what is causing the reaction. Any ideas on the matter?
Thank you,
Hobbyist - Woodburn, Kentucky
April 24, 2011
A. Hi, Manolo.
You can strip the old lacquer with lacquer thinner ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] Warning! highly flammable! , then apply new lacquer. An automotive clear coat would be longer lasting than lacquer, but requires a spray gun that most consumers wouldn't have. Good luck, and thank you for your service to our country.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
April 25, 2011
Q. Hello,
"Polishing for Love". My parents purchased two brass wood boxes ( 18x18x12) in Germany about 60 years ago. I have them placed at either side of my fireplace. Over the years they have been polished over and over and are now looking very sad. I can clean them again but I want to put something on them to keep them looking good for the further and beyond.
I await with bated breath for any advise or help.
Thanks,
Rhoda
retired college professor - Cumming, Georgia, USA
June 16, 2011
A. Hi, Rhoda.
Brass Lacquer is designed for this particular purpose and, unlike some clear coats, it's easily removed if you change your mind. If you think that's unlikely, then you can apply an automotive-style 2-K clear coat ⇨
But if you don't like it, it's hard to get off.
The third option, which would require more frequent maintenance, would be wax .
Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 2011
Lacquered brass candle holders are grainy and not smooth
Q. I am refinishing a brass floor candle holder from our church. It has a mirror shine and have spray lacquered twice. The finish is not smooth, but grainy in places. I stripped and tried again. Having a very difficult time acquiring a smooth finish. Is there a way to remedy this?
Mary Ann Koetter- beech grove Indiana USA
November 28, 2014
A. Hi Mary Ann. Brian suggests 3 coats, and the manufacturers of high end chandeliers apply 6 coats or more. Are you sure your coats are light enough, that the application conditions aren't too dusty, and that the lacquer is not old and expired? What kind of lacquer are you spraying on it?
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
December 2014
Q. The information on here sounds like it will handle the brass tray I want to seal, but I am interested in what has been used on my brass daybed. I bought this solid brass daybed 32 years ago. It was advertised as having a self sealing finish that would not allow tarnish to spread beyond any scratches. It has been scratched over the years and no major amount of tarnish. What is this product? How would you clean up any tarnish and reseal the areas? Is it something that can be done at home?
Norma Whitehead- Huntsville, Alabama U.S.A.
March 22, 2016
A. Hi Norma. The professionals who frequent this forum seem to believe in using only high quality products, and applying them properly, but they (or at least I) don't believe in miracle products. You don't have some magic clearcoat, you just have a properly applied finish used in a benign environment. The brass was probably given a tarnish fighting treatment with benzotriazole ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , followed by brass lacquer. I am not sure if benzotriazole is easily available to consumers as a separate product, but some brass lacquers, includingIncralac ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] or Permalac [adv: Permalac on eBay], incorporate it into the lacquer.
If there are just isolated sports of tarnish, you can remove it with #0000 steel wool ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] (the finest grade) and re-apply brass lacquer. Read the previous advice that 3 thin coats are required (to blend in well with the existing finish with no lumpiness -- this would seem to be especially important towards getting a nice feathering).
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I am refinishing my brass bed After all the tarnish is removed, most advise coating with lacquer but I have read some advice that recommended some sort of neutralizing before the lacquer. Any advice on this.
Dana Dapolito- Great Barrington, Massachusetts
March 15, 2018
A. Hi Dana. It's hard to comment on "read some advice that recommended some sort". It seems that it would largely depend on what you are removing the tarnish with. If vinegar ⇦in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] or another acid is involved, I'd say, yes, you probably should neutralize it with baking soda [in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] .
If you're removing the tarnish with Brasso, you probably want to remove the oily or waxy remnants of the Brasso with lacquer thinner ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] Warning! highly flammable! if you are going to lacquer the bed. If you're removing tarnish with 00 steel wool ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] but no chemicals, you probably don't need to do anything beyond dusting before applying the lacquer. Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
March 2018
February 11, 2019
Q. Hi I have a highly polished brass cup and a highly polished brass cuff bracelet that I want to seal. They are both a bright mirror finish. They were both cleaned with a wax/grease/silicone cleaner, until the black stopped coming off, using a new clean white micro fiber cloth. Then they both were re-cleaned with a new white micro fiber cloth and a good quality acetone ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] Warning! highly Flammable! , after rubbing for a few minutes the cloth is white or almost white, at this point I consider the brass clean. I applied a good 2K urethane Clear coat, and it looked and felt great. Until the Clear Coat came off like a snake skin :-(
ACRONYMS:
DTM = Direct to Metal
Here is the Question: What clear coat can I use that will adhere well to the very smooth and shiny & clean Brass. And if I use oil base clear Lacquer first (DTM) can I then apply the oil base 2K urethane clear Coat to the top of it to give it a hard skin.
I could sure use your Help. Thanks.
Jeweler - Laredo Texas, USA
A. I have had extensive experience clear coating mirror like metal surfaces (copper, silver, steel, aluminum) -- and applying 2K clear directly to these surfaces is not advised because these type of glossy clears are designed to go over a base coat -- so what I do is I first apply 2 coats of transparent mate ^ matte clear as base coats, the first coat is a light mist coat and the second a regular coat, I allow 24-48 hours to fully dry and then apply the 2k clear.
While I always try to use compatible coatings(by the manufacturer) I can't always find info on the coatings so what I do is test on a test panel/piece first to test compatibility.
- Managua Nicaragua
February 23, 2019
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Q. Thank you for replying Marvin, question when you say "transparent Jeweler - Laredo Texas February 27, 2019 A. Contact [a reputable lacquer company] and ask for [a high quality] lacquer. Problem solved!  Drew Nosti, CEF Anodize USA  Ladson, South Carolina  February 26, 2019 ---- |
A. Yes, Matte clear behaves more like a base coat than a clear coat, glossy clear coats will not stick to glossy/mirror finish metals because they need something to hold on to. Matte Clear provide a surface that is rough so the clear can hold to it. As to what product I can not recommend products but check with manufacturer for coating compatibility.
Marvin Sevilla- Managua, Nicaragua
March 1, 2019
Q. Marvin if I do that the shine and its mirror finish on the polished brass will be obscured by the underlying matte finish, it will have haziness. It may even look milky, is there another way?
Lastly, by product I mean Polyurethane, urethane, lacquer etc.
Thanks.
Jeweler - Laredo Texas
March 3, 2019
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A. You'll probably have better results by using acrylic clear directly over clean brass. Available everywhere in aerosol cans.  Jeffrey Holmes, CEF Spartanburg, South Carolina March 8, 2019 A. Mr. McGee This is actually a proven technique use on the automotive industry to seal decals and air brush Art work, in that industry the name of the coating is intercoat clear and the definition of an intercoat clear is: "Intercoat clears typically are comprised of the same types of resins and many of the same additives as basecoat colors. Of course they do not contain pigment or they wold not be clear" For more detail info on what are the advantages of intercoat check link: https://www.thecoatingstore.com/intercoat-clear-vs-topcoat-clear/ - Managua Nicaragua March 8, 2019 |
Q. Hi, I've finished the cleaning of my brass bed frame with a spray of lacquer but I have some runs. How do I fix those?
Andrea Spitz- Courtenay, Bc. Canada
March 16, 2019
Vintage Brass Beds & Parts on eBay [affil link]
A. Hi Andrea. I don't think there is a way to fix runs. If you really can't stand them, you'll have to remove them with lacquer thinner ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] Warning! highly flammable! and try to 'feather' in a repair coat of lacquer. The real trick is to avoid runs by using multiple very thin coats instead of thick coats.
I've heard that manufacturers of top quality brass chandeliers apply 7 thin coats and sometimes more! While, as a consumer, you probably won't have the freedom to dilute the lacquer with lacquer thinner ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] Warning! highly flammable! for 7 very thin coats like OEM manufacturers can, you can still spray as lightly as practical and use a couple or 3 coats to avoid runs.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
March 2019
June 10, 2019
Q. Hi there,
I have a brass cylinder (to store medicine) on my key chain, it is made of solid brass. The problem is that it tarnishes just as soon as it goes in the pocket (perhaps because of the moisture which comes in the pocket (the temperature here today was 46 °C); I am using Brasso
⇦this on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil links] for polishing it.
I am just going hopeless because when polished the case looks out of this world but it gets tarnished very very soon.
I have seen that Acrylic Lacquer clear coat (from Rustoleum - spray can) would protect it but I doubt that it will last.
The link is: https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/auto/general-purpose-paints/acrylic-enamel/
Can you therefore please tell if I should be using it? If yes how long would you think it last?
Thank you so much for your replies in advance.
- Lahore, Pakistan
A. Hi Ali. One-part lacquers are not as durable as two-part, but should last several to many months if the abrasion is not too bad. Most people would recommend dipping in benzotriazole before the lacquer if you have connections to get easy access to it, but it's not strictly necessary for a consumer.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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