Stainless steel drains are renowned for their reliable drainage, hygiene, durability and style. While not essential for all applications, special finishes are a way to add colours to suit aesthetic requirements, additional corrosion resistance for harsh installation environments, or extra functionality such as slip resistance. It's important to note that your choice of finish can significantly impact the appearance, performance, and longevity of your stainless steel grates and drains. Here's a breakdown of the most common finishes and their ideal applications:
Electropolishing
Definition: A process that removes microscopic surface irregularities, resulting in a smoother, more reflective surface. Appearance is highly polished, mirror-like and offers enhanced corrosion resistance.
Pros: Improves hygiene by minimizing bacterial growth, resists fingerprints, smudges and tea-staining caused by pool gases or atmospheric conditions around surf beaches.
Cons: Can be more susceptible to surface scratches, scratches appear more visibly due to the high-sheen finish.
Applications: High-end bathrooms, commercial kitchens, where aesthetics and hygiene are paramount. Also recommended for grates in pool area applications and outdoor applications in coastal environments.
Electroplating
Definition: A process where a thin layer of another metal (like brass or nickel) is deposited onto the stainless steel, both protecting the base metal and providing a decorative finish. The plating is a live finish, meaning that these finishes are designed to age naturally as real brass or copper will– tarnishing, dullening over time and gradually becoming darker where not handled, lightening where handled more and verdi gris where salts (from air, hands or products) are left to settle.
Pros: Offers a wide range of colours and finishes (e.g., brass, bronze, copper)
Cons: Plating wears off over time with heavy use or abrasion, so not recommended for outdoor applications or use in high-traffic areas. Colour matching can be more difficult than other coloured finish types, as electroplated metals produced in different batches will age differently and have some natural variation in appearance.
Applications: Decorative applications, where appearance is a priority, but durability is less of a concern.
Powder Coating
Definition: A dry paint powder is applied to the surface and then cured under heat, creating a tough, coloured finish. Available in a wide range of colours and textures (e.g., matte, gloss textures)
Pros: Durable, resistant to chipping and fading, offers excellent corrosion protection.
Cons: Can be more susceptible to scratching than PVD. Scratching of the surface can cause coating failure over time. Not recommended for high traffic areas.
Applications: Indoor and outdoor areas, where heavy loads and high traffic are not a concern.
PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition)
Definition: A vacuum-based process that applies thin, durable surface coatings such as raw metals, carbides, nitrides, oxides and compounds. The desired target material is bombarded with a high source of energy, vaporizing the material and depositing that vapor onto a substrate (ie. stainless steel) at the atomic level to create a thin film. This method creates unique colors with excellent hardness and scratch resistance that do not fade over time.
Pros: Highly durable, resistant to corrosion and abrasion, maintains its appearance over time.
Cons: More expensive and requires a longer lead time than other finishes
Applications: Indoor areas such as bathrooms and showers, outdoor areas such as balconies, patios and driveways where long-lasting aesthetics are a priority.
Grate-Grip
Definition: A textured surface applied to the grate to enhance slip resistance. Provides improved traction and safety, especially in wet areas.
Pros: Increases safety, prevents slips and falls.
Cons: May not be suitable for all aesthetic preferences.
Applications: High traffic public spaces such as public parks, access ramps and stairways, pool surrounds, commercial buildings, any area that requires a high slip resistance rating.
Choosing the Right Finish for Your Needs:
• Consider your budget and timeframe: Finishes are an additional process, which add additional cost and lead-time to the manufacturing of your stainless-steel drains. The added time and cost can vary depending on your requirements.
• Prioritize aesthetics or durability: If appearance is paramount, powder coating or electroplating may be suitable. For harsh environments or high-traffic areas, PVD, electropolishing or grate-grip may offer superior durability and functionality.
• Think about the application: For bathrooms, a combination of aesthetics and hygiene is important. For outdoor use, durability and corrosion resistance are key. By carefully considering these factors and the specific requirements of your project, you can select the ideal stainless steel drain finish from Stormtech to ensure both functionality and style.
This information is for general guidance only. Always consult with a Stormtech representative for specific product recommendations and installation instructions.