How to Make Oxidized Exterior Lighting Look New

by Cecilia Harsch, Demand Media

Restore your exterior lights to new condition.

Exterior lighting not only illuminates your driveway, walkway and entryway, it provides a deterrent to would-be criminals by keeping these areas well-lit. Exterior lighting can add character to your home and curb-appeal, but when the finish on your lights begins to age and oxidize, the lights can become an eyesore. Rather than replace all your exterior lighting, especially if your lights still work, remove the oxidization and refinish the light to make them look new.

1

Turn off the breaker to the exterior lighting. Hold a noncontact voltage sensor against the exterior lighting wall switch or against the electrical box holding a dusk-to-dawn photocell if your exterior lights turn on and off automatically. The sensor warns you by beeping and flashing if you fail to turn off the correct breaker.

2

Remove the glass from the exterior light to access the light bulb if applicable. Remove the light bulb, and set it and the glass aside. Some light fixtures require you to untwist a finial to remove either the fixture’s top or bottom to access the light bulb.

3

Look for two decorative lock nuts on the exterior light’s base against the wall. These nuts appear as domed-shaped hex nuts or a small ball. Turn the nuts counterclockwise with your fingers or pliers to release the light from the electrical wall box.

4

Note the wire connections behind the exterior light base. Reach behind the base, and untwist the connectors from the sets of wires. Pull the wires apart, and move the exterior light to a stable work area. Twist the connectors back onto each wire in the box. Push the wires inside the box.

5

Stuff a small amount of newspaper into each light bulb socket. Cover the socket with painter’s tape to protect the exterior of the socket and secure the newspapers.

6

Clean the exterior light glass with glass cleaner and paper towels if you cannot remove the glass from the fixture. Use dishwashing detergent and water if the glass comes off the light. Cover the glass with painter’s tape if it does not come off the exterior light.

7

Protect the ends of the exterior light wires with painter’s tape. Cover any exposed threads on the light with additional pieces of painter’s tape.

8

Apply liquid metal cleaner and polisher to a soft rag. Rub the surface of a brass exterior light fixture to clean the oxidation from the brass. Allow the product to dry before wiping from the exterior light with a clean cloth. Apply a heavy-duty multipurpose remover directly to a painted exterior light. Scrub the surface with a nylon scrub brush to remove the oxidation from the paint. Rinse the remover product from the light, and allow it to dry.

9

Sand the exterior light with an extra-fine sanding sponge to prepare the surface of the fixture for painting. Wipe the exterior light with tack cloth.

10

Move the light to a well-ventilated area. Pick a metallic spray paint with primer added for a polished brass fixture, or choose a flat finish spray paint with primer added for painted exterior lights. Shake the can for at least a minute.

11

Hold the spray paint can about 10 inches away from the light. Apply the spray paint to the surface with a back-and-forth motion. This ensures even paint coverage. Make sure to slightly overlap each stroke of paint with the next stroke. Paint any finials and decorative lock nuts. Allow the spray paint to dry for one hour before applying a second coat. Let the exterior fixture dry overnight.

12

Remove the painters tape and newspapers from the exterior light. Use a razor scraper to remove any bits of paint from the glass.

13

Install your refinished exterior lighting by reversing the removal steps. Replace the light bulbs and glass. Turn on the exterior lighting breaker.

Things You Will Need

Noncontact voltage sensor
Pliers
Newspaper
Painter’s tape
Glass cleaner
Paper towels
Dishwashing detergent
Liquid metal cleaner and polisher
Soft rags and cloths
Heavy-duty multipurpose remover
Nylon scrub brush
Extra-fine sanding sponge
Tack cloth
Metallic spray paint with primer added
Flat finish spray paint with primer added
Razor scraper

References (7)

About the Author

Cecilia Harsch has been writing professionally since 2009. She writes mainly home improvement, health and travel articles for various online publications. She has several years of experience in the home-improvement industry, focusing on gardening, and a background in group exercise instruction. Harsch received her Certified Nurses Assistant license in 2004. She attended Tarrant County College and studied English composition.