Sash window hardware comes in a handful of finishes, and the names sound more confusing than they are. Brass, chrome and pewter cover most of it, and each one comes polished, satin or antiqued. Once you can picture the six you are choosing between, matching the lifters, locks and restrictors on a single window becomes simple. Here is what each finish actually looks like, how to keep a window consistent, and which finish suits which era of house.
The six finishes compared
Almost every piece of sash hardware we stock comes in one of six core finishes. The difference between them is partly the base metal and partly how the surface is treated.
- Polished brass. Bright, warm and golden, with a mirror shine. It reads traditional and is the finish most people picture when they think of an old timber window. It will dull over time unless it is lacquered.
- Satin brass. The same warm gold tone with a soft brushed surface instead of a mirror. It hides fingerprints and small marks better than polished brass and looks a little more restrained.
- Antique brass. Brass that has been darkened to mimic decades of ageing, with the raised edges left brighter than the recesses. It suits older cottages and anything where a brand new shine would look out of place.
- Polished chrome. Cool, bright silver with a mirror finish. It feels crisp and modern and works well in bathrooms and renovated interiors where brass would clash.
- Satin chrome. The same silver tone with a brushed matte surface. It is the quiet all-rounder: it does not shout, and it fingerprints far less than polished chrome.
- Antique pewter. A soft grey with a gently aged look, darker and warmer than chrome. It suits heritage homes that lean rustic rather than formal.
You will also see a couple of protective treatments on the same base metals. Lacquered brass is polished brass with a clear coat baked on to slow tarnishing, so it keeps its shine longer with less polishing. PVD brass uses a hard vapour-deposited coating for the same reason, with a very durable surface. On restrictors you will also find a plain white option, which disappears against white-painted frames when you would rather the hardware not be noticed at all.
Matching lifters, locks and restrictors across one window
A double hung sash window usually carries three types of hardware: a pair of sash lifters on the bottom rail to raise the lower sash, a fitch fastener on the meeting rail to lock the two sashes together, and often a restrictor to stop the window opening past a set point. Every unit is sold separately, so it is on you to keep the finishes consistent when you order.
The simplest approach is to pick one finish for the whole window and order every piece in it. Lifters and fastener both come in all six core finishes, so a window in satin chrome, for example, can have both pieces matched exactly. Restrictors are offered in a slightly shorter list, so if you want everything identical, choose a finish that the restrictor also comes in before you commit the rest.
If you are doing a whole house, buy all the hardware for a given finish in one go. Batches of brass can vary very slightly in tone, and matching across a later top-up order is harder than ordering together. If you only need the two lifters and one lock for a single window, the hardware bundle pairs them in a matched set and saves selecting each piece one at a time.
Period accuracy by era
None of this is a rule, and plenty of beautiful windows mix old frames with modern fittings. But if you want hardware that looks right for the age of the house, a rough guide helps.
- Victorian and Edwardian (roughly to the 1910s). Polished or antique brass is the safe choice. These houses were built when brass was the standard, and a warm gold tone sits comfortably with the timber and the plaster.
- Federation and interwar (1900s to 1930s). Antique brass and antique pewter both suit the slightly heavier, less ornate look of the period.
- Mid-century and later. Chrome, in either polished or satin, reads correctly and keeps the window from looking like a period pastiche.
- Modern renovations in an old shell. Satin chrome or satin brass bridge the gap. They nod to the age of the window without competing with contemporary fittings elsewhere in the room.
Bathrooms and kitchens are the common exception. Even in a brass house, many people choose chrome in wet rooms to match taps and towel rails, and that is a sensible call rather than a compromise.
Care and tarnish
Chrome and pewter are close to maintenance free. An occasional wipe with a damp cloth keeps them looking right, and they do not tarnish in the way bare brass does.
Brass is the finish that asks for a little attention. Uncoated polished brass will slowly dull and darken as the surface reacts with the air, which some people like and some do not. If you want it kept bright, an occasional buff with a brass cleaner brings the shine back. If you would rather not polish at all, choose lacquered or PVD brass, where the coating does the protecting for you, or go for antique brass, where a darker aged look is the whole point and tarnish simply blends in.
Whatever the finish, keep abrasive pads and harsh cleaners away from it. They scratch plating and strip lacquer, and once that protective layer is gone the metal underneath tarnishes faster. A soft cloth and warm water handle almost everything.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main sash window hardware finishes?
The six core finishes are polished brass, satin brass, antique brass, polished chrome, satin chrome and antique pewter. Brass tones are warm and golden, chrome tones are cool and silver, and pewter is a soft aged grey. You will also see lacquered and PVD brass, which are coated to resist tarnish, and a white option on restrictors.
Do the lifters, locks and restrictors have to match?
They do not have to, but a window looks tidiest when every piece is the same finish. Each unit is sold separately, so check that your chosen finish is available across the lifter, the fastener and the restrictor before you order, since the restrictor comes in a shorter list of finishes than the other two.
Which finish suits an old brass-era house?
Polished or antique brass usually looks right for Victorian, Edwardian and Federation homes, because brass was the standard fitting when they were built. Chrome tends to suit mid-century and modern interiors, and satin finishes are a good middle ground in renovations.
How do I stop brass hardware tarnishing?
Uncoated polished brass dulls over time as it reacts with the air. Buff it occasionally with a brass cleaner to keep it bright, or choose lacquered or PVD brass where a coating slows tarnishing. Antique brass is already darkened, so tarnish blends in and it needs the least attention.
Is chrome or brass better for a bathroom window?
Chrome is the common choice in bathrooms and kitchens because it matches taps and towel rails and shrugs off moisture with a simple wipe. Brass works too, but if you want it to stay bright in a damp room, a lacquered or PVD finish helps.
If the hardware is new but the window itself is sticking or will not stay up, that is usually cords or pulleys rather than fittings. Our guide on why a sash window will not stay open walks through the fix.