How To Clean Brass Trim On An Old Trunk

When you run into an old trunk at a garage sale for $10, don't enquire questions…. just buy it! Yous can effigy out the next steps (like how the heck to clean it up!) after it'due south yours.At least that'due south what I thought when I first saw this old, GOLD trunk at a garage sale for $10! No, it's non actually gold…. I think it's brass (?)…. but I knew when I laid eyes on it, I had to bring it dwelling house (much to Matt's disapproval). I knew he couldn't see past the rust, stains, and wear & tear of it, the vivid gold finish probably didn't help either. To be perfectly honest, I didn't even care what kind of shape it was in considering information technology was such a unique slice; I really don't think I've e'er seen a gold trunk. And for $x?! I needed to at least endeavour to clean this baby up and meet what I could do with her. And LITERALLY, the night before I was scouring the internet for a petite coffee tabular array for our office. I couldn't seem to find the perfect piece and subsequently A LOT of searching, I was almost forced (and willing) to spend a pretty penny to go my hands on something that would work. I'm very glad I didn't settle because the adjacent morning fate stepped in and delivered me this beauty. (Definitely another lesson in shopping with intention & waiting for the PERFECT piece).

Plus ten bucks was just too skillful of price not to at least TRYYYYYYY to brand it piece of work. Matt rolled his eyes, pulled out his wallet, and cursed under his jiff equally he hauled this shiny treasure to our car. But who am I kidding? I inappreciably noticed considering I was already scheming……

We got dwelling, unloaded the body and brought it straight to the part. It was like this body was made for this space. I was SOLD, just Matt still needed some serious convincing. Like the best husband that he is, Matt hauled it dorsum out to the garage and allowed me to get to work… immediately.

I ran out and picked up some Brasso, very fine steel wool, & goo gone (but to remove the sticker that was on it– non necessary if you don't take anything sticky on the surface). I also take a stock of old T-shirts that I pulled up to use as rags.

Equally I learned equally I buffed this thing out, go along with EXTRA circumspection when using the steel wool. Fifty-fifty the finest grade steel wool slightly scratched the surface/dulled the gilded sheen. I tried to stay away from using that as much equally I could. But to be perfectly honest, I would rather lose the sheen in some of the areas and use the steel wool to remove/lessen some of the heavy rust spots instead of assuasive them to stay without using the steel wool. I judge I would just advise to test ALL products (peculiarly the steel wool) on the lesser of the trunk. This fashion if it does scratch, discolor or ruin the surface, no one will be able to run into the mistakes and y'all'll know not to utilise that combo on the other parts of the torso.

That's exactly what I did. I started on the bottom of the trunk as a "examination drive". Then I moved to the back and sides. By the time I hitting the front end and top, I knew the "tricks" and what worked all-time for this project.

I rubbed brasso all over the surface and really used some musculus on the nail heads and the locks.With a clean, old T-shirt, I rubbed clockwise to remove all of the brass. I was left with a shiny (not perfect!) surface that looked much amend than when I started. I saw the biggest difference on the locks and blast heads. The top made a pretty dramatic come back likewise.

Fifty-fifty though the trunk looks 100% better, information technology's definitely NOT perfect but that'southward okay with me. I still beloved information technology!!

Simply earlier I added it to the office permanently (and before Matt saw the inside), I needed to clean out and makeover the inside of the trunk. #eek

I mean talk about an amazing storage solution for our small home. I recollect I programme on putting my winter clothes in here to shop throughout the summer and summer clothes in here to shop throughout the winter. Yet undecided merely either manner, it definitely needed some TLC earlier I did that.

I used the marble contact paper we often use for our photos (this paper to be exact — sticky on one side), measured, cut and stuck it the sides & lesser of the trunk.

Easy plenty, right?

And finally, my favorite function….

Styling our new "coffee table". Because the top of the table isn't perfect and because I like this look anyway, I added layers of books, decorative boxes and trinkets to the tiptop of the table. Not merely is this solution fashionable, it's also very functional. Each of these boxes is domicile to something random (cords, jewelry, office supplies– more storage is ever a win in my playbook).

And the All-time office of this entire project– Matt came in the office afterward the trunk was styled and the room was put together and said these exact words…

"Wow, I hate to say it just that trunk makes this room" <—- {insert me picking my jaw up from the floor}

SAY WHAT?! When I can win over Matt with a $ten shiny gilded body makeover…. life is good corking.

Bridget

Source: https://thediyplaybook.com/cleaning-old-trunk/

Posted by: mcclanahanlitend1940.blogspot.com

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