How To Polish Brass FAST … I’m So Happy I Tried This! | A Dated Glass and Brass Coffee Table Gets an Updated Finish | YouTube Video
Hi, #sifamily, I hope you’re doing amazing. I picked up this glass and brass table from my local Restore thinking I was going to polish the brass with one product – but then used another… and I’m SOOO happy I tried this. It made polishing brass FAST and EASY and the best part is you may already have it in your home. If not, it’s super inexpensive and costs pennies per polish. Just wait until you see the results!
It’s also Furniture Fixer Uppers Day and I’m joining my FFU crew and sharing links to their projects below. I hope you join me in visiting their before and afters. I can’t wait to see what these talented ladies do.
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Here’s the dated glass and brass coffee table table I started with.
Both pieces of glass were intact (although the bottom piece is not shown here) and the wood was also in okay condition although I wasn’t crazy about the stain finish.
But the big seller for me was the brass. I find the brass detailing on this table very interesting!
THIS POST IS SPONSORED/CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS I USE. YOU CAN SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Brass and Glass Coffee Table – SALVAGED
White Lightning Cleaner
Sand Pads | Shop Towels
Bahco Carbide Scraper (18% OFF as of writing!)
Bosch Sander
Paint Brushes
Bar Keepers Friend
Dried Sage Chalk Mineral Paint
Gator Hide Topcoat
BRASS AND GLASS COFFEE TABLE
Here’s how this square coffee table came together. I’m going to start with how I cleaned and polished the brass. Then I’ll share the rest of the makeover. I can’t wait to hear what you think.
CLEAN/PREP
The entire table was cleaned with this White Lightning. I wiped it down a few times and then used clean water to remove any residue.
REMOVING BRASS
I started by removing the brass elements on this coffee table. A long screw held together the brass frame. The bottom railing required my impact gun to remove the screws. I made sure to put the pieces back together so I would know how to reassemble the table once the wood portion was finished.
CLEANING AND POLISHING BRASS
My go-to brass cleaner has always been Brasso. I’ve also used these three (3) Homemade Brass Cleaner Recipes which have worked well. But after trying this product BAR KEEPERS FRIEND I’m never going back! This works amazing and it’s so EASY to use.
All you need is a soft cloth, some Bar Keepers Friend, and your brass. Pour a little product onto your soft rag and rub the brass. The YouTube tutorial below shows how amazing it removes all the dark patina and staining. Once the old dark patina is lifted, give it a little buff with the clean part of your rag and it’s shiny new!
Check out how awesome these look! Super quick and cheap. I buy my Bar Keepers Friend from my dollar store for $4. I used maybe a dollar’s worth to clean all the brass on for this table.
SANDING
Once I had the coffee table taken apart, I sanded the flat areas with a 120 grit sand paper and my Bosch Sander. This prepped the wood for the paint wash I was about to use.
CARBIDE SCRAPER
Remember this Bahco Carbide Scraper that I used on this side table makeover? It was 14% off as of writing the last post and now as of writing this post you can find it here for 18% OFF. It just keeps getting cheaper!!
STRIP STAIN WITH A CARBIDE SCRAPER
For all the flat edges I used my sander and for the routered edges I used the carbide scraper. I took my time working in sections trying to keep a smooth motion so I didn’t gouge the wood. Full disclosure – I did gouge some of the wood. I found some areas tricky to get a smooth even though I was adjusting the angle and pressure. I needed to give everything a good hand sanding afterwards.
PAINT WASH
To give the wood frame of this table an updated look I decided on this Dried Sage Chalk Mineral Paint. I mixed a 50/50 mix of paint to water and then applied the paint wash with a chip brush. Using a shop towel, I wiped off the excess. I’ve used Dried Sage on plenty of furniture makeovers. It has gray/green tones and can be used as a gorgeous neutral in any setting. I have a full tutorial on How To Apply A Paint Wash here.
FINISHING DETAILS
For the finishing details, I brushed on two coats of durable top coat. If spraying this topcoat I usually do three coats but when brushing, it goes on thicker so two coats works really well. Gator Hide is water-repellant and tough enough for a high-traffic piece so perfect for this coffee table! Once my top coat had dried, I reassembled the table back together.
THE FINISHED LOOK
Here’s the finished look!
I was going to stage and style against my staging wall but then decided it might be fun to try it in my living room.
What do you think of the brass details with this Dried Sage paint wash?
I feel it has a modern vibe now!
Here’s a close-up look at the polished brass. You can see I didn’t polish the brass to perfection yet it looks soooo much better than it did. It shines. And honestly, I like a little leftover patina. I feel it adds character.
Looking at it styled in my living room, I kinda like it. It’s a bit of a funky/different vibe. Hmmm, sell or keep??
Do you see what I see? A little supervisor watching me through my DIY Terrarium? 😂
She’s making sure I don’t slack on the job!
PIN FOR LATER 🥰
YOUTUBE TUTORIAL
Here’s the full step-by-step video tutorial. Our #siyoutubefamily is already a community of 48K so don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t done so! So exciting, thank YOU!
And now for some FURNITURE FIXER UPPER FUN!
You’re going to LOVE what my creative FFU ladies do! Below are the BEFORE photos. Visit the links to see the amazing AFTERS and learn how they did it! I’m heading over to take a peek as well!
1. PETTICOAT JUNKTION
2. CONFESSIONS OF A SERIAL DIYER
3. A RAY OF SUNLIGHT
4. SALVAGED INSPIRATIONS (HAPPY YOU’RE HERE!)
5. MY REPURPOSED LIFE
Here’s another look at this coffee table before and after. I hope it inspired you and gave you some ideas for your upcoming furniture painting projects.
Thanks for joining today’s FFU and let me know what you think of this Brass and Glass Coffee Table. I’m curious about YOUR go-to Brass Cleaner and would love to see you stopped by. I always love hearing from you, it makes my day! 🙂
Happy painting my friends!
Denise x
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MAKING DATED FURNITURE DESIGNS DISAPPEAR
HOW TO WHITEWASH WOOD
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Can not believe the difference! Normally I would say a hard no to gold highlights, but this is gorgeous!! Great eye and a great job!
Thanks so much CC!🤗
Denise,
In the before photo, I had trouble making out the brass parts. Wow! What a difference the cleaning made.
Your table is looking so much better!
pinned and shared on FB
Hi Gail, I know, right?! That brass was so dark and tarnished. Thanks for the share my friend. XOXO
Love, love, love! The brass is divine! It looks beautiful in your living room! Looks like a keeper to me 😁
So happy you love it Susan and I’m pretty impressed with how good the brass looks too! Thanks so much! xo
I love how you transformed the glass table. The brass looks so elegant! KEEP!
Yay, thanks my friend. I’m liking it’s ‘vibe’ as well! 😉
I’ve used Bar Keeper’s Friend to remove gray utensil marks off of Pfaltzgraff dishes, but I didn’t realize how helpful it is on brass!! Thanks so much for sharing that terrific tip!
I’m a green enthusiast, so absolutely L-O-V-E your color choice – and your vision for this uniquely designed coffee table!!
Oh my gosh, this stuff can be used for everything…🤣. I’m so glad you love the color and table makeover Marcy! Thanks for chiming in. Hugs
I’m not a fan of glass tables — something about them makes me tighten up and feel wary, as if they might spontaneously shatter. But your transformation of THIS glass table drew me in despite my aversion. The shiny brass and soft sage wash and wonderful way the table fits in your room make it a winner.
I used to dislike glass tables because they reminded me of the heavy duty one we had in our l/r growing up. I hated it…lol. But ya, good we keep an open mind, right?!🤣 So happy you like the makeover Cyndel!
So fun to see this makeover. I purchased that model of table in 1978 and always enjoyed it. The brass was never the bright finish that you have created and it gives it an entirely different look.
Oh my gosshhhhh Christine, 1978! I was wondering what year this table was from. Thank you soooo much. I wonder if it was made in Canada as well? I don’t see any markings on the back.
I wouldn’t have given this table a second look yet you turned it into a gem Denise! I vote KEEP, it looks beautiful. I’ll bet the adorable supervisor agrees! 😉
Hi Nicki, thank you I’m so happy you like it! I think my supervisor likes and agrees with just about everything, she’s pretty laid back!🤣
Ohhh Ohhh Ohhh ! This is an amazing transformation. I’m soo glad you saw it’s potential. (not sure I would have)
I think this is a keeper. Looks great in your living room.
That brass looks great – but especially with the sage green wash> I’m loving this color and wash effect.
I’m also loving the unique style you have created with the brass.
Now it’s definitely a statement piece. I hope you let us know if you decided to keep it.
Your design is definitely an inspiration for me. I will be purchasing this dried sage paint asap.
This soft sage wash is a beautiful neutral and I’m excited to try it. 🙂
I LOVE Dried Sage and I think you will too! I’ve used it on soooo many projects now – as a wash and a full coverage paint finish and the pieces always sell really well/fast. I’m going to keep the table where it is for the next couple of weeks so I can decide.😊😃
Great looking table! I’m a big fan of barkeeper’s friend. It’s the only product I’ve found that will clean metal pan marks off my white porcelain sink. It’s a great value!
Hi Gayle, thanks! And YES, its a GREAT value. I started using it when I saw this video from Rajiv Surendra (who I love!) because up until recently I didn’t have a dishwasher. I know, I’m odd…lol. But I’ve used Bar Keepers Friend and have loved it ever since!
Looks beautiful! Yes, Bar Keeper’s Friend is amazing, and works great in the bathroom too!
Works SUPER good in the bathroom, the stuff is amazing! Thanks Leslie! xo
Oh my gosh girl! What a labor of love. You are truly talented when it comes to all things paint and furniture.
Aw thanks my friend! The first part of removing the finish with the carbide scraper went smooth and easy. The second part not so much. There was a minute there where I wish I had just painted it but I’m happy with the outcome.😊
It looks amazing, Denise! I thought it was huge and dated before, couldn’t imagine why you bought it. Just goes to show how paint (and a lot of hard work!) totally changes a piece. I use Bar Keepers Friend a lot, but haven’t tried it on metal yet – great tip.
Thanks Marcie! I use Bar Keepers Friend a lot too. Love the stuff to clean sinks and stainless steel pots and pans, tub etc but this is a game changer!! Just wait till you try it on brass Marcie!😃
Stunning change! I love what you did. It crosses time and is now timeless! KEEP!
Thanks Deborah!! I think it looks so much better now too… and it might be a keeper. In my l/r I have a set of round black and glass nesting tables but the one has turned loosy-goosy on me because it’s Ikea.😂
Looks way better!
Yay, thanks Jeanne! xo
You uncovered a diamond in the rough! What a great find and can I just mention you have a great eye for these unusual pieces. I LOVE this one, Denise. Perfection. 😍 xo, Do
Aw, thanks my friend! I hummed and hawwed when I saw this one but I loved the brass detailing so much I thought I’d give it a go. So glad you love it Do! XOXO
Oh my gosh Denise! Your coffee table makeover is so beautiful! KEEP IT!!! It goes perfectly in your living room! You did a fantastic job! P.S. I love your little supervisor as well😊. ~ Laura J.
So happy you like it Laura! I won’t list it just yet and maybe I’ll live with it for a couple of weeks to see what I think. I’m used to having black/glass coffee tables which go much better with the carpet. But I really do like this brass/glass table as well. And thanks re my supervisor…she’s more like a SNOOP-ivisor…lol. Love her to bits.🐾
Hi Denise. Awesome makeover. Love your little supervisor too!
Thanks Monique so glad you like it, and ya, isn’t she sweet?!! I love her.🐾💙
It looks great!! Love how shiny the brass turned out. Bar Keepers Friend is truly a miracle product. It will also polish stainless steel pots and pans back to new and remove those dark utensil scratches on plates and bowls. 🙂 I always keep it around!
Thanks Mariele!😊 And I agree, it IS a miracle product and it’s been around for years! I love using it for my stainless steel sinks, pots and pans as well. Also great for cleaning toilets and baths/tiles etc. The brass cleaning is an extra bonus and so much cheaper than Brasso which is what I always used.
What a cool table! I didn’t even notice the brass pieces in the before photo. I hope you decide to keep it…it looks so good in your living room! XOXO
That’s because that brass was so darn tarnished it was almost black!🤣 Thanks so much my friend! XOXO