You down with ORB? Yeah you know me.
It’s finally finished. After nearly two years of thinking about replacing every old brass doorknob in our house, we actually did it. We removed and refinished 19 knobs to an oil-rubbed bronze (ORB) finish, and the results are worth celebrating.
We began by testing the process on a few exterior knobs, a handle, and a doorknocker to see how the finish would hold up to the elements. After a year and a half those pieces were still looking great, so we proceeded to tackle the interior knobs with confidence. The transformation is subtle but makes every room look a little more finished and updated.
Here’s the straightforward process we followed:
- Remove the knobs: We took off all 18 interior knobs with a screwdriver, keeping each set paired together so reinstalling would be simple and accurate.
- Sand the surfaces: Using high-grit sandpaper (around 400 grit), we lightly sanded each knob to give the paint a surface to adhere to. Small scratches aren’t a concern because the paint covers them, but avoid low-grit paper that can leave deep scratches that show through the finish.
- Degloss: Each knob was wiped down with a liquid deglosser to ensure a clean, paint-ready surface. We laid them out on cardboard with the front faces up; sometimes we propped them upright by letting the back posts pierce the cardboard so the paint could reach all exposed surfaces.
For the finish we used an all-surface spray paint labeled for metal with an oil-rubbed bronze shade. This type of spray often includes a built-in primer and adheres well to metal. If you use a different paint brand that does not include primer, plan to apply a separate primer first.
- Spray technique: We applied several light, mist-like coats from multiple angles, keeping the can in motion to avoid drips. Light coats spaced by about ten minutes of tack time worked best. In our case it took about five thin passes to get full coverage. We made sure to move around each knob so every exposed area was evenly coated.
- Drying and curing: After spraying, we let the knobs dry outside for about 12 hours on a pleasant day, then moved them inside to a sunroom to continue curing overnight—this avoided cold nighttime temperatures that could interfere with drying. Ultimately we allowed a full 48 hours of drying time before reinstalling to prevent marring the finish.
Time breakdown for the whole project was compact: roughly 30 minutes to remove all knobs, about two hours to sand and degloss, around an hour of active spray time, and a final half hour to reinstall after curing—so about 3.5 hours of hands-on work plus passive drying time over a couple of days.
Cost-wise it was economical. One can of spray paint covered the job (we used a leftover can), which was far less expensive than buying brand-new oil-rubbed bronze hardware. The result is a unified, updated look throughout the house without the hefty price tag of replacing every piece.
Installation tips we learned along the way:
- Label or keep paired pieces together during removal so reinstallation is easy.
- Use painter’s tape during reinstall to protect the fresh finish from accidental nicks and scratches—then remove the tape once everything is secured.
- If exterior temperature is low, bring freshly painted pieces indoors to finish curing in a warmer, stable environment.
We also considered 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. For a few bright latch strike plates that still stood out, we replaced them with inexpensive darker plates rather than painting them, since strike plates take regular contact and might wear painted surfaces quickly.
All told, it was a small, satisfying upgrade that made a noticeable difference in the look and feel of our rooms. It’s a manageable DIY project that doesn’t require specialized skills—just a little planning, patience for drying, and attention to protecting the new finish. If you’ve been putting off a similar update, this is an easy one to tackle and will give your home a cleaner, more cohesive appearance.
Update – Want to know where we sourced items or which paint colors we used? Click the shop button below to see details for our house:
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