Metal Man Restoration provides expert metal plating and re-plating for Manhattan’s landmark buildings, historic hotels, prewar co-ops, and private residences. We restore worn nickel, chrome, brass, copper, and silver finishes on hardware, fixtures, and decorative metal, and we inspect every piece before and after plating to hold a consistent finish. When a plated surface has worn through or corroded, re-plating brings it back rather than forcing a replacement.
Manhattan Plating Work We Take On
Plated metal is everywhere in Manhattan’s older buildings, and it wears with use. The work we are trusted with tends to fall into a few categories:
- Door and cabinet hardware such as knobs, handles, hinges, and escutcheons in prewar co-ops and brownstones
- Elevator and lobby fixtures in landmark and historic buildings
- Bath and plumbing fixtures in historic hotels and residences
- Light fixture and chandelier components that need a matching plated finish
- Decorative and ornamental metal, railings, and trim
- Furniture hardware and antiques
If a fixture is a full lighting piece rather than a plated component, our chandelier and lighting restoration in Manhattan covers the complete job.
The Plating Finishes We Offer
We plate in the finishes Manhattan’s buildings and antiques were built with, and we can match the original or update it. Each links to the details:
- Nickel plating in polished, satin, and brushed finishes
- Chrome plating for a bright, durable surface
- Brass plating for a warm, traditional look
- Copper plating
- Silver and pewter plating for decorative and antique pieces
Re-Plating vs. Refinishing
Not every worn finish needs plating. Solid brass or bronze can often be polished and re-lacquered, while a plated piece whose surface has worn through to the base metal needs to be stripped and re-plated to look right and hold up. We assess each piece and recommend the approach that fits the metal and the finish you want to keep. For solid architectural bronze and iron, see our architectural metal restoration in Manhattan.
Metal Man’s Manhattan Experience
Plating is often the finishing step in a larger restoration. Metal Man has restored metal on many of Manhattan’s landmark interiors and entrances, including the Beacon Theatre and the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House. On work like that, re-plating and refinishing the hardware, fixtures, and components is part of bringing a building’s metal back to life. That same shop handles your Manhattan plating, from a single door set to a full suite of fixtures.
Neighborhoods We Serve Across Manhattan
In the Financial District and Lower Manhattan, we re-plate lobby and elevator fixtures in landmark buildings. Across Midtown, the work runs to hotel bath fixtures and decorative hardware. On the Upper East and Upper West Sides, it is prewar co-op door hardware, light fixture parts, and antique pieces. Wherever the metal sits, we match the finish and hold the quality from the first piece to the last.
Common Questions About Metal Plating in Manhattan
These are the questions Manhattan owners, boards, and designers ask us most about plating.
What can you re-plate?
Door and cabinet hardware, elevator and lobby fixtures, bath and plumbing fixtures, light fixture components, decorative metal, and furniture hardware. If it is metal and its plated finish has worn or corroded, we can usually re-plate it.
Do you match the original finish?
Yes. We can match the original nickel, chrome, brass, copper, or silver finish, including polished, satin, or brushed textures. If you want to update the look instead, we can plate to a different finish that suits the space.
Nickel, chrome, or brass, which is right for hardware?
It depends on the look and the era of the building. Nickel and chrome suit a cooler, more modern or early-20th-century look, while brass reads warm and traditional. For a landmark or prewar building, matching the original finish usually keeps the look correct.
Is plating done on-site or in your shop?
Plating is shop work. Hardware and fixtures are removed, brought to our shop for stripping and plating, and returned for reinstallation. For a Manhattan building, we coordinate the removal and return so the disruption stays small.
Can you re-plate antique or heirloom pieces?
Yes. We handle antique hardware, silver and pewter pieces, and heirloom items with the care they need, inspecting each one before and after plating so the finished piece looks right and lasts.
Get Your Manhattan Metal Re-Plated
If you have hardware, fixtures, or decorative metal in Manhattan that needs plating or re-plating, trust the shop behind the Beacon Theatre and the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House. Fill out the form below, or call (914) 662-4218, and we will match the finish and bring your metal back.