Antique furniture is a valuable investment and should be properly cared for. Brass, silver, pewter, chrome and many other metals are beautiful but prone to tarnish and discoloration. Often, owners of antique bed frames hire professional restoration companies to refinish their antiques. Hiring a professional is recommended if you are at all uncertain about your abilities to complete the job. However, with the right tools and careful execution, you can get the job done without the expense of paying someone else to do it. Before you begin the project, make sure you are working with solid metal and not a metal-plated frame. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Remove any existing lacquer from the surface of the bed frame. Use paint stripper to expose the metal surface beneath the topcoat. Apply the paint stripper with a brush. Allow the solvent to soak in according to manufacturer's directions, usually five to 10 minutes.
2. Use steel wool to remove the softened lacquer. Run the steel wool across the metal bed frame in a circular motion. Remove all traces of paint stripper using damp rags.
3. Polish the metal bed with good quality polish. Simichrome is designed for use on brass, gold, silver, aluminum, magnesium, pewter, chrome, sterling, copper and stainless steel. Continue to rub in polish until all traces of tarnish or discoloration are removed.
4. Buff the bed frame to a brilliant shine with clean, dry rags.
5. Apply quality car wax to the metal bed frame. Multiple coats of wax will be best for maintaining and preserving the polish for longer periods of time.
Tags: paint stripper, metal frame, pewter chrome, steel wool, tarnish discoloration
