Bringing Old Window Hardware Back to Life

Written by our guest blogger Scott Sidler of The Craftsman Blog

Nothing beats the solid bronze and brass window hardware you typically find on old houses. And the patina of antique bronze? Get outta here! It is solid stuff that can stand the test of time much better than the cheap plastic and pot metal stuff you find more common today.

Granted, most of that amazing hardware has been covered by decades of paint and some of it has gone missing, but there are solutions to both of those problems to help you bring your old hardware back to life.

scott sidler installing window hardware

Problem #1 Paint on Window Hardware

Lazy painters are no longer a problem! What you need to get decades of caked-on paint off without damaging the window hardware is nothing more than an old Crock-pot. Use an old Crock pot that you don’t plan to cook with ever again. Fill it with water and just a bit of dish soap. Turn it on high and toss the hardware in for about 4-6 hours.

Put some gloves on and pull the hardware out one at a time and scrub them with a stiff bristle brush until you’ve removed all the paint. If the paint isn’t coming off with ease it may need another soak for a couple more hours.

This works far better than scraping and chipping the old paint off because you can retain that beautiful, old patina hiding under the paint.

Once it’s clean, give it a little buff with some 0000 steel wool and you are good to go.

Problem #2 Missing Window Hardware

Yes, occasionally the good stuff is gone. Take a moment to mourn its loss then head over to House of Antique Hardware or VanDykes Restorers online to find some new historical window hardware.

These new items are made very well and can often match the original stuff in construction, but what do you do about matching that awesome patina? Stay clear from any of the painted finishes because they inevitably chip off and fail, unlike the real thing.

What you can do instead to match your finish almost exactly, is use a product I created called The Patinator. This is something I developed to help age new hardware to look like the old stuff.

Why would you choose this over any other ager? Well, it is specifically formulated to work at the right pace so you can carefully match the level of patina on your hardware. Other agers you have to dilute to the right amount or they work so quickly that you blow right past mild patina into ultra-dark hardware. The Patinator gets you to the same place at a manageable pace with no complex mixing.

before window hardware

Here’s how you use it. Start with un-lacquered brass or bronze (the lacquered versions will not age because they are sealed). Pour some Patinator in a plastic container that will allow you to completely submerge your hardware. Fill another container with water and grab a couple rags.

Submerge your window hardware in The Patinator and watch it closely (it starts working immediately and will likely need somewhere between a few seconds and a minute to reach the patina level you want.)

As soon as it’s the color you want, switch the hardware to the container with water to stop the aging process. Then, wipe it down with a rag and you’ll be left with a perfectly aged piece of hardware that has a natural living finish that won’t scrape away like the painted finishes.

after window hardware

Good luck and happy “hardwaring”!

restoring old hardware for windows

About The Author

Scott is the author of the informative and widely-read Craftsman Blog. He is also the author of Old Windows Made Easy and Living in the Past. He lives in Orlando, Florida where he restores old wood windows and homes for a living.

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