Tarnished, pitted, or peeling brass can look beyond saving, but in the vast majority of cases it is not. Before you pay to replace hardware, fixtures, or railings, it is worth understanding what restoration can do and when replacement is actually the better call.
When to Restore Brass
Almost all brass can be restored. Even heavily tarnished, lacquer-failed, or lightly corroded brass can be stripped, polished, and re-lacquered to a like-new finish. Because the underlying metal is solid and durable, age alone is rarely a reason to replace it. Restoration also preserves original and historic hardware that simply cannot be matched by modern reproductions.
When Replacement Makes Sense
Replacement is occasionally the right choice: when a piece is structurally broken beyond repair, when it is thin brass plating that has worn through to the base metal, or when a client wants an entirely different style. Even then, a quick assessment tells you for certain.
The Cost Difference
Restoring brass typically costs a fraction of buying and installing new hardware or fixtures, and the result keeps the character of the original. For lobbies, historic buildings, and quality fixtures, the math strongly favors restoration.
Not Sure? Send Photos
We will tell you honestly whether a piece is worth restoring. See our brass restoration and polishing service, or explore all of our metal restoration work across DC, Maryland, and Virginia, then send photos for a written estimate.
Get a Free Assessment from Rose Restoration
Tell us about your marble, stone, terrazzo, or concrete and our senior technicians will recommend the right restoration approach. Family-run and trusted across Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia since 1978.
Call (703) 327-7676 · Email info@roserestoration.com · or send us photos.
Restore. Don't replace.
47 years of polishing marble, terrazzo, concrete, and tile across Washington DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland. IMF, Four Seasons, Smithsonian, and the Virginia State Capitol trust us — you can too.