Lighting Restoration

Metal Man Restoration restores antique and architectural lighting, from a single heirloom lamp to the rotunda chandelier of a landmark theatre. We keep glass makers, blacksmiths, electricians, metal fabricators, foundry workers, metal finishers, and painters on staff, so a fixture that needs all of those trades does not have to travel between shops to get them.

What Lighting Restoration Involves

A fixture usually arrives with several problems at once. The metal is tarnished or has been lacquered and left to yellow, the wiring is original and no longer safe, crystals or glass shades are missing, and a previous repair has left something that does not match. Restoration means addressing all of it rather than cleaning the parts that show.

We disassemble the fixture and record how it goes back together, strip old lacquer and paint, repair or fabricate broken and missing parts, polish or re-plate the metal to the finish you want, rewire it to current code, and reassemble and test it before it leaves. Where a piece should keep its age, we match the existing patina rather than making it look new.

Rewiring and Electrical Safety

Most antique fixtures still carry their original cloth-covered wiring, which becomes brittle and unsafe over time. We rewire to current standards, including the New York City Electrical Code for fixtures installed in the five boroughs, and replace sockets, candelabra sleeves, and canopies as needed. The fixture keeps its appearance and stops being a hazard.

Chandeliers and Architectural Lighting

Large chandeliers are their own discipline. Crystals have to be cleaned or replicated to match, arms straightened without cracking, and the whole assembly balanced so it hangs correctly. We restored the Beacon Theatre original 900-pound rotunda chandelier, cleaning and replicating crystals and rewiring the fixture completely, and we brought the exterior bronze lighting at Newark City Hall back to a statuary patina in work that earned a New Jersey historical restoration award.

Lighting Restoration Services

On-Site Chandelier Cleaning, cleaning and servicing large fixtures in place where taking them down is impractical
Custom Lighting Fabrication, one-off fixtures built to your drawing, or replacements matched to a surviving original
Chandelier Restoration Step By Step, what actually happens to a fixture once it reaches the shop
Chandelier and Architectural Lighting Restoration in Manhattan, the same work for Manhattan buildings and co-ops

Shop Work and On-Site Work

Smaller fixtures, anything needing plating, and any piece that has to come apart are restored at our Mount Vernon shop and returned finished. Large chandeliers in lobbies, theatres, and houses of worship are often cleaned and serviced in place, which avoids the risk and cost of removal. We work across Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Westchester County, and the wider tri-state area.

Common Questions About Lighting Restoration

These are the questions we hear most from owners, designers, and building managers with a fixture worth saving.

Can you rewire an antique fixture without changing how it looks?

Yes. Rewiring is internal, so the fixture keeps its original appearance while meeting current electrical standards. We replace wiring, sockets, and sleeves and leave the visible metal and glass as they were, or restore them separately if you want that too.

Can missing crystals or glass shades be matched?

Usually. We match against the surviving pieces on the fixture and replicate what is missing. Where an exact match no longer exists we fabricate to the original profile so the replacement reads as part of the set rather than an addition.

Do you have to take the chandelier down?

Not always. Cleaning and light servicing can often be done in place, which is why we offer on-site chandelier cleaning. Anything needing stripping, plating, or structural repair comes to the shop.

Can you restore a fixture that has been painted over?

Yes, and it is common. We strip the paint, assess the metal underneath, and then polish, plate, or patinate it depending on what the piece is and how you want it to look.

Can you make a fixture that no longer exists?

Yes. We fabricate custom lighting from a drawing, a photograph, or a surviving original, using the same shop that does the restoration work so the finish matches.

Related Services

Send Us a Photo of the Fixture

Send photos of the piece or call (914) 662-4218. We will tell you what it needs, what it will look like when it is done, and what it will take.

Projects Like This

Real projects from our own shop and job sites. Every one of these is work we did ourselves.

Newark City Hall In April 2006, Metal Man Restoration was hired to restore the exterior bronze lighting fixtures and window hardware... View the project

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St Paul Hempstead NY In March 2015, Metal Man Restoration was hired to restore the three front entranceways and light fixtures at the Greek... View the project

Franciscan Church of the Assumption Syracuse NY In August 2014, Metal Man Restoration was hired to restore the main and side entranceways at the Franciscan Church... View the project

★★★★★

I recently had a rare late 19th century American brass table restored at Metal Man. The table had not been polished or cleaned in 140 years. Anthony and his staff completely disassembled the table, and over the next 4 months completely restored and polished it to its original finish. The result...

Mary Hallock, Google review

See all case studies

Our Clients

We serve a diverse range of clients, including homeowners, contractors, antique dealers, hardware companies, insurance companies, restoration companies, and collectors.

Ask The Metal Man

Not sure what you have, or if it can be saved? Send us photos of the piece or the building.

We will tell you honestly what it needs, what it will look like finished, and what it will take. If it is not worth restoring, we will tell you that too.