People have been using bronze for various purposes for several centuries, including for door fittings and even bronze sculptures. Bronze is timeless, evolving along with its surroundings and its users.
The bronze bull in Wall Street is living proof of this: you can see why people love it so much when you look at all the places where the bull is touched for good luck.
So are you interested in getting bronze door fittings but don’t have an idea of how much maintenance it requires? We will gladly assist you. (spoiler: it’s oh so simple!)
A living finish
The rule of thumb for the most efficient ways of maintaining the lustre of your bronze door fittings is to let nature take its course! You can easily let your bronze door fittings oxidise naturally. As a result, the parts you use or touch most often will naturally develop a lovely patina because of your hands, while the rest can oxidise naturally at its own pace. The product thus has a life of its own, and will develop what we call a living finish.
You can also immediately see whether your door handle, knob or handle are made from a massive alloy. And you can be sure that you own a valuable massive product, and not a cheap base with a coating. Because the coating will wear off after a few years.
Beautiful bronze door fittings will only become more beautiful as time goes on, just like leather takes on a luxurious patina. We advise you to let nature take its course, so the material develops a warm, authentic finish.
Maintenance of bronze door fittings
While you can let your bronze door fittings age naturally to obtain a nice patina, you can also use a moist cloth on them.
Shine the patina with a soft cloth and copper polish to reveal its original lustre.
We also recommend cleaning your bronze kitchen and bathroom accessories with a moist cloth, and nothing else. The more natural your approach, the more beautiful the patina and the better your door handle, window handle, knob or handle will look.
Don’t ever use chemicals on your Dauby fittings! This will only cause lasting damage to your furniture and will only stain your fittings more.
Not really a fan of a natural patina? Then choose a coated material, like aged iron or bronze, or colourfast materials, like rough metal, white bronze and so on.
Have you decided to go for bronze again? Then protect your products by regularly treating them with beeswax. Beeswax stops the natural oxidation process, so the bronze door fittings retain their original lustre. Please note, you will have to repeat the treatment with beeswax regularly!
Different types of bronze door fittings
Not every bronze is the same and every variant will oxidise in a different way, requiring a different approach. We explain the different types of bronze below:
- Natural bronze (NB) or Light Bronze (LB);
- Rough Bronze;
- ark Bronze (DB) (AZ) and the Verde Imperiale (VI)/Old Green Bronze (OG)
Natural bronze (NB) or Light Bronze (LB) are not colourfast materials. As a result of the oxidation, a matt, somewhat dark, patina is formed. In effect, bronze forms a protective layer, the patina, depending on various environmental factors, like air quality, humidity, and so on. The bronze will only take on its dark brown hue after several decades. The material’s shine is revealed again by using it! The more you touch it, the faster the layer of corrosion will disappear.
Rough Bronze is the purest bronze with warm, coppery hues. Rough bronze is both colourfast and does not rust, meaning it does not require a protective layer. After long-term use, the bronze will be naturally polished, revealing a light sheen.
Dark Bronze (DB) (AZ) and the Verde Imperiale (VI)/Old Green Bronze (OG) is a natural bronze that has already oxidised. A dark brown or green patina has already been applied to the bronze from the start. In places where the product is frequently gripped or handled, the material will be polished, revealing the bronze’s original colour. The magnificent hue you obtain as a result will only make your product more unique.
New additions to the range of bronze door fittings
Dauby has added the following new bronze hues to its range of bronze door fittings:
- white bronze
- matt white bronze
This gives you even more opportunities for combinations in your interior.
White bronze is a bronze alloy in which some of the copper is replaced by tin and zinc. The silvery colour will oxidise, adding a matt corrosion layer, but the colour difference is minimal. The material is colourfast and does not rust, meaning it does not require any care like wax, lacquer or varnish.
Matt White Bronze is made from the same alloy as white bronze, but has a nice matt patina. The material is gently polished when used, revealing a light sheen.
Are you ready to add bronze door fittings to your interior? Then pop into our showroom to discover our range or check out our collection at www.dauby.be to see which bronze door fitting would look just perfect in your interior!