Rub and Buff can turn anything into the look of beautiful brass, gold, or other metals. Follow this simple step-by-step tutorial to use Rub ‘n Buff to give any item a metallic transformation!
Rub ‘n Buff is such an incredibly easy way to add a little luster to anything in your home. Learn how to use this inexpensive product and give your accessories the look of antiqued brass!
I love mixing textures and finishes in my home – layering these elements creates warmth and depth. Metallic items add dimension and are considered a shiny neutral. Brass has always been one of my favorites because of its level of shine and warm luster and vintage burnish.
My first choice is always to purchase true brass, like my brass kitchen lantern lights. However, sometimes it isn’t available. For example, it may not be affordable at certain times or the item I want isn’t sold in that finish.
It is those times that I use Rub and Buff! It is the next best option to real brass. I have given a lot of items a brass makeover easily, quickly, and inexpensively. You can turn practically anything into beautiful brass!
I have no fear of spray paint, but it’s not always feasible. For example, some objects like curtain rods and picture frames with permanent glass cannot easily be sprayed. And I like a more realistic metallic finish that spray paint can’t always replicate.
Buffing to a beautiful brass – or any other metallic finish you want – is simple with my easy tutorial.
I found these gorgeous butterflies for just $9 each at a shop many years ago! It seemed so inexpensive for such one of a kind art. They came in little black frames, which are the opposite of my color palette.
I didn’t hesitate to buy them, though, because I knew that I could make the frames look like brass in a matter of minutes. I shared an image on Instagram and couldn’t believe the response.
These picture frames turned out beautifully, but frames aren’t the only use for Rub and Buff. With its ability to adhere to almost any surface, you have a house full of items that you could use Rub and Buff on.
It opens up a whole new world for thrift store finds that you love but are the wrong finish – all you have to do is rub and buff them. It’s also so easy to update outdated items in your home and give them new life.
Here are some other ways to use Rub and Buff, although it definitely isn’t a comprehensive list. I’d love to hear about your project. Share in the comments how you have used Rub and Buff!
If brass isn’t on your color palette, Rub and Buff has several other finish options to choose from. They all go on the same way – by rubbing and buffing – but some of them, like silver, have a slightly different spreading consistency.
Gold
– five different finishes are available. For the frames pictured here, I used Antique Gold.Ebony
Pewter
Silver
Copper
We’ve renovated many homes during the last 20 years, and I am always thrilled to pass along the knowledge we’ve gained along the way. See the complete Before and After tour of our St. Louis home here, and our modern Table Rock Lake Cottage as well.
Washi or painters tape
Latex gloves (to keep your hands clean)
Rub ‘n Buff
White cloth or Viva paper towels (because they are soft, thick & don’t tend to lose their fibers)
Make sure your project surface is clean and dry.
Tape your glass, if necessary.
Put on gloves to protect your hands.
Using a finger or soft cloth, gently dot Rub and Buff (a small dot goes a long way) onto frame.
Spread around to cover surface.Immediately buff it off in rough areas with a soft cloth. See photo below for an example before buffing.
Allow to dry and remove your tape.
My new brass-looking frames are the perfect border these butterflies and matched my home decor perfectly.
Using a soft cloth, buff until you think the shine is how you want it. The more you buff, the more it shines. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to finish a small project. Sometimes you may even like the look of your project without buffing.
Does Rub n Buff need to be sealed?Rub n Buff does not need to be sealed. The waxes in the product serve that purpose.
How do I use Rub n Buff on a big surface?If you’re doing a large surface, it might be helpful to use a liquid deglosser or paint thinner with the Rub n Buff. Spray some on the surface of your project and then start spreading the Rub and Buff. This will extend the dry time of the finish, to allow you to evenly coat the whole project before it dries.
Use this rub n buff tutorial to turn anything into the perfect antiqued brass shade, like these Gilded Frames! You can also learn all about my favorite Brass Polish, too.
Rub n Buff Antique Gold
Antique gold is what’s used in this post, and my favorite match for a slightly aged brass finish.
If you’re not an Amazon shopper, you can also find it at Walmart.
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Have you ever wanted to add an antique brass finish to a newer looking metal?
Sometimes you find that near perfect piece – except it’s not in quite the metallic finish that you’d prefer.
That’s what happened with a cute simple $10 picture lamp I picked up from IKEA a while ago.
(The exact one I got is no longer in stock, but they have a similar one in now, called the ARSTID – an LED light for $29.99 in a nickle plated finish.)
I loved the look of it, except for the shiny brass that screamed “I’m from the 80’s!”.
I knew that antiquing it to a antique brass or “brushed brass” feel would give it a more timeless look – perfect for my home!
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The idea of antique brass is to stimulate aged brass that’s been around the block a few times. Often this is done by chemically treating the brass to darken it to a medium brown without losing the beauty of the gold undertones.
But THAT doesn’t sound like a simple DIY project, so I’m really glad that I found another, much easier way to accomplish the same look.
*This post contains affiliate links to products I know &/or love.
The product I found to complete this “antiquing” process is called Rub n Buff by Amaco. It’s a must-have for any DIY supply arsenal.
I think this would work especially well on things like dresser/cabinet hardware, picture frames, or other smaller detailed projects like adding a contrast strip around the edge of a nightstand.
I’d stay away from applications that might need to withstand more wear and tear OR plan on doing some extra steps to prep those items, and finishing with a clear coat or some other protective finish.
This could also be really cute to use as a “dipped leg” for a chair or stool! Or for covering nail or screw heads that were taking away from an otherwise fantastic project.
This kit that I got comes with (5) 1/2 fluid ounce tubes in different metallic finishes:
I love that the set of 5 gives you options!
Jenna Sue over at the Jenna Sue Design Co. put together this great visual of the different colors all used on old spoons.
Don’t let the small tubes throw you off, either. They’re certainly small, but the product really works well even with just a small dab. As they say, “a little bit goes a long way”.
Rub n Buff also comes in other colors (like turquoise, black, and red), but those don’t come as highly recommended as the metallics. I’ve heard that the colors can look almost watered down and splotchy – leaning towards a DIY fail.
And we don’t want that!
If you’re curious about other possible ways to achieve this same look, the best alternatives I can think of are:
This Rub n Buff product gives the best texture and patina of the three options, in my opinion!
Gather your supplies:
Steps:
Step Number One | Protect your workspaces
I used cardboard for my outdoor space for spray painting, and a simple drop cloth for my indoor space while doing the Rub n Buff finish.
Step Number Two | Disassemble or prepare your item.
This can mean either disassembling the item or taping off areas you do not want painted.
Luckily this lamp came apart easily, so I went that route!
When I have not been able to disassemble items in the past, I have found that using painters tape generously, and then cutting off excess pieces with a razor blade or x-acto knife has worked well to get even harder to tape areas looking neat.
Step Number Three | Give the item(s) a coat of black spray paint.
This step doesn’t have to be perfect, but you do want the majority of the item to be covered well in the darker base color.
Or if you are going after something more like a mid-century satiny gold, you could potentially skip this black base coat step and simply use the Rub n Buff alone!
Step Number Four | Using your old makeup brush, tap and dab a small squirt of the Rub n Buff onto your item(s). It dries immediately, and won’t “spread” very well, so keep tapping and dabbing until it’s covered!
On the Rub n Buff website they mention that you can also use your finger or an old cloth, but I’ve found that the makeup brush works best!
Step Number Five | If needed, apply a 2nd coat of the Rub n Buff.
This depends on the finished look you’re going for! If you like the more textured look with some of the black base coming through, one coat is probably enough. Doing a second coat gives a more full and even coverage.
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I prefer a more covered look and chose to do a 2nd coat.
Step Number Six | Now, the second part of the “Rub n Buff” name – Buff!
Surprisingly, I found that dabbing and rubbing the product in with my old makeup brush did a decent job buffing – but you can use a clean soft cloth to buff your newly finished item until smooth and shiny if it’s not quite to your liking!
Step Number Seven | Carefully clean up with mineral spirits or paint thinner where needed.
You’re done!
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I’d love to hear from you if you’ve used this product before, especially in the other colors offered, OR if you’ve used it in “higher traffic” areas and whether or not it’s stood up to the wear and tear!
If you enjoyed this tutorial and you’re looking for more farmhouse inspiration, you can join me over on Pinterest where I have an entire board dedicated to Farmhouse Lighting and another dedicated to Farmhouse Paints!
You can also invest in your own interior design skills as well as build an incredible community with other home designers at my Bespoke Design Retreat!
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Until next time,