How to restore old plumbing?

threemonkeys

I'm thinking about restoring the visible parts of the old plumbing in my bathroom, it looks original, adds a bit of character to a place that would look sterile with a modern aesthetic and it appears to be in good condition. It looks like the seal has gone, I don't know how to replace it or if it's still available but I want to strip back the cast iron and paint it properly and restore the copper lines to their original state, ideally leaving them raw and just putting a clear coat over the top of them. How do I do this and what products? 

I won't be calling in a plumber the copper lines I'll be doing while still installed but I will probably take the P trap out because it's in an awkward position to work on and could do with a good clean out.

Also can anyone identify the manufacturer and tell me anything about this part?

EricL

Hello @threemonkeys 

Before you begin, just a friendly reminder that any plumbing work will need to be done by a licensed plumber.  

Thanks for sharing your question about restoring your old plumbing fittings. If the fittings are brass and not PVC it would be possible to use paint stripper and scrape the the old paint off the fittings. It's critical that you identify the parts carefully if they are made of PVC or brass. If they are made of PVC, the paint will need to be sanded off as the paint stripper will affect the finish of the plastic and possibly ruin it.

You could technically strip the old paint from the old copper pipe, but it would more expedient to replace them with a new set. Please keep in mind to keep the old seals and fittings so that you can match them up with the modern set. 

Please remember to wear personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a paint mask when working on your project.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric