Finding and Restoring Antique House Hardware

It is always exciting finding old hardware in your house that has been forgotten under layers of paint. Intricate Victorian designs in cast iron, brass and bronze give a house an incredible sense of character and it takes very little effort to refinish these antique pieces of your home.

Paint strippers can be used to quickly remove layers of paint. Make sure that you are familiar with the recommended precautions when removing old paint with a high likelihood of containing lead. Consult Health Canada and the Canadian Housing and Mortgage Company (CHMC) for recommended ways to remove lead paint in your home. Trisodium phosphate (TSP) dissolved in water can also be used to soften paint on larger items, such as heating grates, if left to soak overnight. Heating hardware in a utility pot of hot water to loosen paint is, perhaps, the safest, and most environmentally friendly, way to remove paint. Small tools can be used to remove paint from intricate detail.

Choosing the right antique or reproduction hardware will depend on the style and era of your home.

Strippers will not alter the aged patina on the metal and, in keeping with an old house look, items should not be highly polished when remounted. Some people may choose to highly polish items and lacquer them to maintain a bright finish. Lacquer may also be useful to prevent oxidization on cast iron items that are subject to a great deal of moisture, such as hinges on bathroom doors.

Antique hardware is often not any more expensive than good quality Victorian reproductions. Lost-wax cast reproductions of original designs can faithfully reproduce the intricate details and designs of Victorian hardware. Reproductions, however, lack the patina and soft finish of hardware that has been in service throughout the life of a century home. Reproductions can be matched with antique hardware that may have been damaged or has unfortunately been removed.

Choosing the right antique or reproduction hardware will depend on the style and era of your home. The final look will be far preferable to what passes for house hardware at the big box stores…

Glass Door Knob

Cast Iron Victorian Hinge

Art Nouveau(ish) Heat Grate Smothered in Paint

Brass Door Stop

Brass Latch on Beadboard

High Quality Brass Reproduction Hinge

Cast Iron Heat Grate in Clover Pattern

Cast Iron Victorian Heat Grate

Eastlake Style Key Plate

Entry Door Hinge

Cast Iron Window Pull in Windsor Pattern

Eastlake Style Bronze Escutcheon Plate with Swing Key Hole

Bronze Interior Eastlake Style Mail Slot

Exterior Mail Slot Plate

Unrestored Iron 1880s Victorian Latch

Unrestored Iron Spring Hinge Commonly used on Screen Doors

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