You down with ORB? Yeah you know me.
The job is finished. After nearly two years of planning to replace every old brass doorknob in the house, we finally did it. We removed, prepped, and refinished the knobs in oil-rubbed bronze (ORB), and the transformation is worth celebrating.
In total we pulled 19 knobs with the intent to refinish them. Earlier, we tested this approach on a few exterior knobs, a handle, and a doorknocker to see how the finish would hold up to weather. After a year and a half those pieces still looked great, so we felt confident tackling the interior knobs.
The interior knobs looked much better after refinishing. Here’s the process we followed so you can replicate it.
Steps we followed:
- Removed all 18 interior knobs with a screwdriver, keeping each set paired so reinstallation was straightforward.
- Sanded each knob with high-grit sandpaper (400 grit) to lightly scuff the surface and help the paint adhere. Small surface scratches are fine — they’ll be covered — but avoid low-grit paper that can leave deep scratches.
- Wiped each knob with a liquid deglosser and arranged them on cardboard, standing them upright so the spray could reach all exposed surfaces.
- We used a universal all-surface spray paint in an oil-rubbed bronze finish. It has a built-in primer and adheres well to metal; if you use a different brand, you may need a separate primer.
- Applied multiple light coats from all angles to avoid drips. We let about 10 minutes dry between thin coats — it took roughly five light coats to build an even finish. Keep the can moving and rotate the knobs while spraying so every exposed part is covered.
- Allowed the knobs to cure for a full 48 hours before reinstalling to avoid marking the finish. We left them outside for about 12 hours on a warm day, then moved them indoors to a sunny room overnight so cooler nights wouldn’t interfere with curing. Check the spray can for recommended temperature ranges before you start.
Time breakdown: about 30 minutes to remove the knobs, two hours to sand and degloss, roughly one hour to spray, and about 30 minutes to reinstall after drying — totaling approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes of active work, plus two days of curing time.
We used a single can of spray paint (leftover from a previous project), making this far cheaper than buying new ORB knobs. Replacing everything at retail price would have been significantly more expensive. The project was easier than expected: remove a few screws, keep track of matching pieces, and reinstall after the finish cures.
An installation tip: use painter’s tape while reinstalling to protect the new finish from scratches; remove the tape when finished.
Regarding hinges and strike plates: many of our hinges had already darkened with age or were painted, so they didn’t clash with the new ORB knobs. If your hinges are bright brass, you can swap them out inexpensively. We didn’t spray paint hinges because they experience friction and wear, which could cause the paint to peel over time.
Some strike plates had naturally darkened while others remained bright brass. For the shiny ones we bought replacement strike plates — they were inexpensive and more durable for repeated contact than a painted finish would be.
This project was one we kept postponing, but finishing it had a big visual impact: every door and closet looks more refined and less dated. Small updates like this can make your whole home feel refreshed. If you have a long to-do list, this is a manageable project that delivers a noticeable improvement.
Update – Want to know where we sourced items or what paint colors we used? Click the button below.
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