How about a post on hunting for door knockers? Not that kind of knocker—this is the follow-up we promised yesterday about replacing and refreshing our door knocker and doorbell.
Here’s the situation we started with: a charming but clearly aged door knocker. Its biggest issue was that the previous owner’s last name had been etched into it (I blurred it a bit in the photo out of respect for their privacy).
We initially treated the engraving as a sign that the knocker needed to be replaced rather than restored, and hoped to find something distinctive that would make a statement. Our first stop was our favorite local hardware store, Pleasant’s Hardware, which carried several animal-inspired options that Clara adored. The designs were fun, but when we saw the price tags (seriously, $188?), Sherry and I decided to keep looking.
Next we visited a local architectural salvage shop, Caravati’s, which is always full of interesting finds. They had some great pieces—we especially liked a chunky ring-style knocker—but those too were pricier than we wanted to pay (that ring was around $185). I honestly hadn’t realized door knockers could cost so much.
We checked the big box stores next. Both Lowe’s and Home Depot had affordable options, but they were mostly the same urn-style knockers we already had, just smaller and less “original” in appearance. Replacing the knocker with one of those would have forced us to drill new holes and end up with nearly the same look, just scaled down.
On the internet we found some appealing, slightly less expensive choices at Restoration Hardware and Anthropologie. At about $50, those felt like bargains compared with the salvage options, but they were significantly smaller than our original knocker. On our two-story facade, we worried a half-sized knocker would look lost.
After exhausting those options, we returned to the knocker in our hands with fresh eyes. Someone at the salvage shop had suggested getting the engraving professionally buffed out, but we wondered if an at-home attempt might work. I grabbed my Dremel and some sanding attachments and figured we didn’t have much to lose.
We removed the knocker and I started with the coarsest sanding pad, aiming to erase the old name. At first I stopped, worried I might ruin the piece, but Sherry reminded me that a fresh coat of paint could cover any mistakes. Encouraged, I continued.
After removing the engraving with the low-grit pad, I switched to higher-grit attachments to smooth the surface and reduce visible scratches. The buffing left faint traces of its pattern, but the finish was much smoother and it even revealed a golden undertone—likely close to how the knocker once looked.
If we’d wanted to reveal and polish that original gold finish, we could have kept at it and worked each nook and crevice. Instead we decided to go with a coordinated, darker finish that would tie in with other porch hardware. Sherry used her favorite self-priming spray paint (Rust-Oleum Universal All-Surface) in an oil-rubbed bronze tone, applying three light, mist-like coats to avoid drips.
Once the paint cured, the de-personalized knocker looked right at home on our new blue door. The fresh finish reflects the front yard—and you can even spot a faint reflection of Sherry in the polished surface—but the area I sanded matches the rest of the piece in color and texture. Small victories for using what we already had.
Here’s a close detail of the door open, showing the smooth finish with less porch reflection.
While we were at it, we cleaned up the doorbell, too. We liked its shape, but previous over-painting had obscured that detail. A matching coat of oil-rubbed bronze instantly restored its presence and coordinated with the knocker and other dark accents on the porch.
Sherry’s trick for protecting the button was simple and effective: she pressed a small piece of sticky-tack over it (the same poster putty you might use to hang pictures). It was easier than trying to cut a perfectly sized circle of painter’s tape. After painting and letting the finish dry, she peeled the putty away and the button underneath was clean and unpainted.
So for the price of one $7 can of spray paint, we were able to update and preserve two porch fixtures that were etched and overpainted. The darker finish helps them stand out while tying together the door handle, the black planters, and the dark trim around the doormat.
Now if we could only tackle that bug-infested, crooked porch light next…
Update: Since our house didn’t include a wired doorbell, we installed a wireless Ring video doorbell ourselves. The installation was straightforward and took just a few steps.
Psst—Clara’s at it again, being funny and cute over here.