Before/After

The Wonder of Spray Paint

8/30/2010

My cousin Erika posted this great idea on her Facebook page:
She took Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint to the brass knobs in her house. GREAT IDEA! I am already buzzing with different applications to use it on…hardware, knobs, pulls, light fixtures, lamps, frames… and how about those chrome builders grade bathroom fixtures ?… the list could go on and on…

I think I’ll go purchase some today to add to my arsenal of spray paint. Thank you Erika for the inspiration!

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94 comments

  1. Anonymous12:56 PM

    Did she take the hardware off before painting?

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    1. Anonymous2:16 AM

      Hi I went to home depot but they had lots of colors can u tell me the color u used in the picture .?

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    2. Anonymous8:48 AM

      Isn't the Rubbed Bronze the color?

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  2. Anonymous1:48 PM

    Yes I did:)Best thing is to let them COMPLETELY dry for a full day or 2. I love the drastic change it has made~

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    1. Anonymous1:34 PM

      Did you do your front door and back door? Couldn't really leave the knobs off of the doors for 2 days

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  3. Anonymous12:45 AM

    Has the finish worn off? I've thought of doing this but was afraid.

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    1. Anonymous11:45 AM

      I have done this several times in our home. The finish started to rub off the inside of the kids bathroom door after about 5 years, no problem ... Just sprayed again :-)

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  4. Anonymous8:14 AM

    I'm also wondering if the finish has worn off.

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  5. Anonymous8:17 AM

    I have done this for the hardware on our pantry pocket door-those handles are expensive! It looks great, and is holding up just fine, even in the kitchen. I also did light fixtures that were yucky rusty brass, they look fantastic. Ah spray paint, my new best friend!

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  6. Looks Awesome, I Love It !!!

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  7. All of the knobs in my house are bright brass. I'm just wondering how to navigate the lock on the bedroom door? I've been reading and contemplating doing this to the shower surround (also bright brass). I, like the others, am wondering how it's held up?

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  8. We did ours about 4 years ago. most of them haven't chipped at all. We did our light fixtures, shower trim, all doors, hinges, kitchen cabinet pulls and hinges, towel racks etc. Our pantry door has chipped but that's because we put a child lock on it. Our door to the garage also chipped but i think it's from keys being in hands. Other than that they've held up REALLY well. If I remember correct we used a spray primer too. Take your time and do it right. Also, if you're doing door hinges, number them cause they don't go back on correct unless they're in the exact place. I think i'll pull the worn stuff off this weekend and respray it. Not bad for 4 years!

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    1. How did you paint your shower trim?

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  9. Anonymous9:15 AM

    I have also painted all the brass in my house--ceiling fans-dining room lights--showers-hinges-knobs-no more brass!!! I did not take off the hinges--I sprayed the paint in a metal cup and painted the SPRAY PAINT on with a brush--works great!!!!

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    1. Anonymous12:24 AM

      That's an awesome idea! So easy!

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    2. Anonymous9:43 PM

      I have bronze colored trim around the ligt fixtures, would it work on that or is it just for shiny brass?

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  10. Anonymous11:56 PM

    Does this work on faucets? I have wondered about that. I sprayed by cabinet pulls and it is fantastic! It actually gave my cabinets an updated look! yay me!

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  11. Anonymous11:50 PM

    Did you put any kind of primer on before, and if you didn't, do you wish you had? Any tips that you learned along the way to help? Thanks!

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  12. what a fantastic idea, and thanks for the comments as well...this is going to improve my house so much!!

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  13. This is such a great idea! Thank you so much for sharing. They look great!

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  14. Love the idea of spraying the paint in a cup and painting it on the hinges and such.

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  15. Anonymous6:57 AM

    Do you have to sand everything before spray painting?

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  16. Anonymous11:52 PM

    I spray painted all my brass kitchen knobs with the oil bronzed finish to match my new kitchen faucets and they look beautiful. And it was so easy!

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  17. Anonymous10:37 PM

    I saw this on Pinterest & had to check it out. Amazing transformation!! Thanks for sharing such a great idea.
    - Julie

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  18. how many coats does it take? also, how many door knobs can you get out of one can?
    thanks so much! :)

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  19. Anonymous11:39 AM

    I am statrting to this but ran into a problem... the bristles grom my paint brush are coming off into the paint. What type of brush or technique was used to prevent this and streaking?

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    1. Anonymous12:42 AM

      Its a spray paint..u dont use a brush.

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    2. Wouldn't a foam brush work? You know the really cheap kind you can get for crafting?

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    3. Anonymous1:42 AM

      You might consider getting a little bit more expensive brush and just be sure to clean it really well after, or, pull on the bristles before painting to make sure you've removed all the loose ones. :)

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  20. I am so excited to do this. thanks

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  21. Just curious if the knobs turn well after being sprayed. Any issues with functionality?

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    1. Anonymous11:54 AM

      I'm wondering this too. I did read on another blog that you should leave your key halfway in the lock so the paint doesn't gum up the locking mechanism.

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  22. I found the metallic oil rubbed bronze...it this the same as you used or do I need to go to Lowe's or Home Depot instead of my local Wal-Mart?

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  23. I think I will give it a go...4 years is a long enough amount of time to stall the expensive investment of solid doors and new fixtures!

    If you are painting the hinges you should use a disposable sponge brush, no bristle marks or shedding of the hair!

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  24. Anonymous10:08 AM

    I've used this technique on a ceiling fan we found on clearance that was brushed nickel with white frosted glass. Right out of the box I took all the pieces and spray painted them in the oil-rubbed bronze. I also wanted the antique alabaster colored glass, so I took a rag and dabbed on some cream acrylic craft paint, followed by dabbing on some leftover cherry colored gel stain we used on some doors to give more dimension and also some sheen to it. Looks wonderful and no one believes it was a diy!

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  25. Anonymous4:29 PM

    I would love to paint the brass on my fireplace door but can't the it (the "surround" off)? Has anyone else done this? Or, do I just spray it while it's attached to the wall?

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    1. Anonymous7:52 PM

      I have done it and it was so easy! It was on an HGTV show once. Make sure you use the Rust-o-leum spray paint for high-heat application. I think there is a picture of a grill on the front. I turned off the pilot light and let the fireplace cool down. Then I tape-and-papered off the areas I didn't want affected (glass, tiles, wood trim) and sprayed a matte black in long even strokes. I was sure it was going to turn out splotchy, but it turned out perfect! You can't tell at all that it was DIY-ed.

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    2. Anonymous12:07 AM

      Spray it in the lid and paint it on :)

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    3. Anonymous3:58 PM

      We did our fire place too! It was do easy and it looks like we bought a new front. We did prime the brass by sanding it first. We also used spray paint for engines do it was heat resistant.

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    4. Anonymous11:34 PM

      My fireplace surround was brass. I unscrewed it and painted it with heat resistant paint. That was about 7 years ago. needs to be done again as I think the kids scratched it, but worth it. I have also sprayed my kitchen cabinet handles. what a change it made to my kitchen. I didn't sand first but you should wipe down with rubbing alcohol first to degrease. Great idea on the door handles. I will definitely do that. thanks

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  26. Anonymous11:55 AM

    Do you think it would work on my kitchen faucet and the sink????

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  27. Anonymous12:29 AM

    This is such a great idea - did you have to take the locks and hinges off to spray them? I love the idea, but don't want to make extra work for myself!

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  28. Anonymous12:10 PM

    Really cool! I used Krylon brand because I couldn't find Rustolium and it works good too. Oh and I used empty toilet paper rolls to prop them on so I could see if I missed a spot!

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    1. Anonymous1:00 AM

      I used the Krylon brand also.It worked great! I used spray paint lids to hold the knobs up. I painted one one the door and took the rest off, they look better and it was easier to paint.

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  29. Anonymous10:20 PM

    My current handles on my cupboards are a combination of brass and porcelain. Has anyone tried spray painting something like this?

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    1. Anonymous11:33 AM

      I have the same kind of handles in my kitchen I just taped the porcelain with painters tape and spray painted the gold with a rustoleum oil rubbed bronze! They came out fantastic and a lot cheaper than buying all new hardware!

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  30. Anonymous7:10 AM

    Found you thru Pinterest and now I'm a new follower--love your stuff! I'm sitting here thinking what I can update this way!

    I'd love to know how it works on shower doors too, as someone else asked. I anyone has had success, please post details. :-)
    Terri in FL

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  31. Anonymous3:56 PM

    in my experience it flakes off in a short amount of time. is there a way to stop that from happening?

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  32. Anonymous6:48 PM

    I also used that rustoleum oiled bronze paint on my things. Kitchen pulls and hinges, furniture handles in front room and bedroom, ceiling fans, taping off the tear drops with blue painters tape, brass lamps and statues as well as my drapery rods. Hadn't thought of the water areas like bathroom and kitchen sink tho. any nitches get hit with a paintbrush and spraying the paint in the cap.

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  33. There was an annonymous comment a few up asking about brass and porcelain cabinet pulls. I painted mine, worked great. You just have to sand the shine off the porcelain. Here's a link to my blog where I explain all of it: http://www.ljjonescircus.blogspot.com/2011/10/epic-fail-followed-by-successi-think.html

    I love the idea of painting the door knobs and hinges. I started replacing a few...pfew! Way expensive. I think I'll try to pain them. Thanks for the idea.

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  34. Anonymous9:03 PM

    I have done this to all of the door handles in my house including ones with locks. I have had no problem with the functionality at all and I love the way they turned out! BUT the door handles we use the most have started to rub off some :(

    I took them all off the doors and poked them through cardboard boxes, even the screws and spray painted it all! And I did use the Rustoelum Brand.

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  35. Anonymous12:08 AM

    WILL THIS WORK ON AN OUTDOOR GATE?

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  36. I'm fairly certain rustoleum is for indoor/outdoor use. my brother-in-law sprayed his fireplace gate and it's held up great!

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  37. Anonymous8:55 AM

    What about bathroom and kitchen sink fixtures?

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  38. Anonymous8:47 AM

    I love this and I am so not trying to be a smart@$$ but it looks a tho the knob was put on backwards when u got thru painting it. Just wanna let everyone know that it has to go on the same way or it won't work! Forgive me! I have always noticed the little things...

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  39. I did this project a few weeks ago on my bathroom door knob, looks great so far! I'm planning to do the rest of the fixtures in that bathroom as well! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Linked back to you from my blog- http://allgrownup2011.blogspot.com/2012/05/quick-fix-for-mis-matched-door-knobs.html

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  40. I have done this for years. The rustoleum brand is perfect and well worth it......I will soon door ceiling fans and chandeliers ...

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  41. I have done this for years. The rustoleum brand is perfect and well worth it......I will soon door ceiling fans and chandeliers ...

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  42. I have done this for years. The rustoleum brand is perfect and well worth it......I will soon door ceiling fans and chandeliers ...

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  43. I have done this for years. The rustoleum brand is perfect and well worth it......I will soon door ceiling fans and chandeliers ...

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  44. Anonymous5:40 PM

    I actually used this on a fireplace surround---it was a weird cross between a bronze and a brass and kind of a greenish tint that I didn't really like. We're going to upgrade to a wood-burning stove eventually and the fireplace is damaged and won't ever be used for a real fire (we have an electric log set in there) so I just went ahead and spray painted it. Looks magnifique!!!

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  45. Anonymous3:38 AM

    Did u have to take off the old finish first or just paint right over it?

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  46. Anonymous7:30 PM

    If you're worried about chipping or flaking off, I brush on Polycrylic by Minwax. It's clear and water based for easy cleanup. I only had to use it on my faucets and shower door. But it definitely protects the paint and really easy to apply with a small foam brush.

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    1. FINALLY! A response about using it on faucets! Thank you SO much!

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  47. Anonymous12:01 AM

    If you get a small chip in the paint, fill it in with a Sharpee pen in a matching color. Works like a charm.

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  48. I used Hammered Nickel spray paint to update the hardware on my kitchen cabinets in our old house. Worked very well!

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    1. Nice!.I was wondering about other colors. Seems like the oil rubbed bronze is already getting a little dated looking, but the brushed (or hammered ) nickel might stay current a little longer.

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  49. Anonymous10:48 PM

    I love this idea....but all of our trim and doors are a lighter oak color. Does anybody know if the darker knobs, handles, etc. would look okay with a lighter colored trim?

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  50. Anonymous12:18 PM

    I just used the oil rubbed bronze on a couple inexpensive brass light fixtures that I was trying desperately to replace. Replacements were too cheap looking or incredibly expensive, they don't get touched much and I thought painting them was a good idea, actually it was a wonderful idea. I am more than happy.

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  51. Anonymous12:02 PM

    Has anyone tried this in a silver color on gold door knobs was wanting to try but didn't know if there was a silver color

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  52. Anonymous3:16 PM

    I'm thinking about painting my door knobs. Do I have to sand them first? They have the gold color just as it looks in the picture from pinterest... Thank you

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  53. Anonymous10:06 PM

    I just painted my old 90's brassily light fixtures with ORB spray paint last weekend. What a difference! I actually found the exact chandeliers online in ORB for over $200. My cost: $10 in paint. Love it!!

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  54. I have mostly brushed nickel now in the updated parts of the house but I still have gold doorknobs...do you think it would clash to do oil rubbed bronze on the doors and hinges or should I try a brushed nickel spray? Thoughts?

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  55. Camille, I think it would look great to do the combo! I did nickel on the wet bar in my basement and ORB on all door knobs and hinges.

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  56. I'm from Mexico and I would like to know if I can use another product similar istead of the Oil-Rubbed Bronze. I'm pretty sure I won't find it. Actually I'm not sure if is paint, oil, a type of color paint. Thanks...the result was great!.

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  57. Hi Adriana,

    It is a type of color spray paint. Could you buy it online? I know sites such as Amazon.com sell it. To do a similar effect you could brush on black paint and then use a copper/bronze color on top of the black and kind of rub it on. But spraying is easier and takes less time.

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  58. Anonymous3:14 PM

    Just finished painting my first door knob and I love it! Did you put any sealer on after the spray paint?

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  59. Anonymous8:56 PM

    Does this work on wood? Have a medicine cabinet I would like to change the frame.

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  60. Anonymous10:51 PM

    On the chandlers does it need a water bAse top coat? Very interested need some advise for light fixtures

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  61. Anonymous9:05 AM

    We are working on doing all of our (24) doors right now. Rather than take down the whole door or try to paint the hinges with a brush we tried to do all of the top hinges at once then put them back before moving on to the middle etc.

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  62. Hi I am a profesional painter and I been doing this for years using a variety of brands and metallics. Paint will always stick better to a surface that you have scuffed up a bit - I have found that a green scotch bright pad or steel wool works great. The more human contact the more important it is to do a bit of prep work. When doing a light fixture I just start spraying (no prep), but if I am doing a faucet or door knob I alway give it a quick scuffing to help with the addehesion and durability.
    As far as doing a finale clear coat - it is not necessary or preferable. You should never put a water base clear coat on top of an oil or enamel based paint. Clear coating will usually start to scratch or chip before the paint actually will.
    You also do not want to use spray paint in an enclosed room. Spray paint produces a lot of airborn over spray that will get on everything in the room.

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  63. Anonymous1:19 AM

    I painted all of the gold light fixtures in our house that wasn't selling, "looked outdated" according to buyers and our real estate agent thought we purchased new custom lighting fixtures. House sold 2 weeks later!

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  64. Anonymous12:46 PM

    My cabinet knobs are REAL oil rubbed bronze. The ones used most have had the "oil" rubbed off down to the brassy bronze. Will this match the original finish?

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  65. Anonymous9:24 PM

    I have medium Brown wood trim all thru the house. Do you think the bronze would look ok or could I spray paint them the nickel color? Thoughts?

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  66. Anonymous12:25 AM

    I had oil rubbed bronze fixtures in the shower and they needed to be done after getting ruined by bleach. I took them off, cleaned them well and then sprayed. They have lasted for over a year now in the shower.

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    1. Anonymous11:59 PM

      Been wondering about doing my faucets for over a year now. You gave me what I needed to hear! Thanks for posting!

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  67. We used brushed nickel spray paint on our bathroom door hinges and knobs over a year ago and they still look fantastic. We are going to do our whole house, it's amazing.

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    1. Anonymous2:36 AM

      What brand of brushed nickel did you buy and where did you buy it?

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  68. Anonymous11:25 PM

    All I could find was the metallic oil rubbed bronze...does it look nice or too shiny?

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  69. Anonymous9:12 PM

    I did this two days ago. My kitchen has 40 knobs and I still have paint in the can! I love it!!!!!!

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  70. Anonymous2:52 PM

    Great info! Thanks! I saw this pic on pinterest and want to do my fireplace frame (currently brass). I plan to tape and paper it off like another commenter mentioned.

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  71. Anonymous1:49 PM

    Did you have to sand the metal before applying the primer?

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  72. Anonymous1:56 PM

    I used this technique when we were refinishing our kitchen cabinets and it turned out great! I sprayed the handles and hinges on the cabinets and saved hundreds and they are not chipping or scratching. I used a clear coat spray over the top.

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  73. Anonymous11:10 PM

    i did this on a bunch of brass pieces.
    Mailbox, wall sconce, door knocker and next will be the door knobs. The finish is awesome, great product!! They look better than new!! thank you for sharing this!

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