How to: Choose special finish brassware

BrasswareHow to

12 May

Love the look of special finish brassware but not sure which one to choose? Ripples Bath Senior Designer Neil Curtis gives his advice on choosing the right finish for your bathroom.

“It’s important to invest in quality brassware for your bathroom because it’s subjected to a lot of wear and tear.”

- Neil, Senior Designer at Ripples Bath

Galvanic / plated finishes

Plated finishes are created through electro- deposition, an industrial process which uses electric currents to coat metal, including nickel and chrome, on a brass base. Plated finish brassware is highly durable, very easy to maintain and available in brushed nickel, polished chrome and polished nickel options.

Living finishes

Living finishes are unprotected and intended to change in appearance over time, allowing each piece to evolve and develop a unique warmth and character. Living finish brassware works beautifully in industrial or more rustic settings, lending itself to older properties where the bathroom scheme is in-keeping with the period of the property. The living finish options of gunmetal, unfinished brass and brushed brass will oxidise and vary in colour over time based on use and the elements in the surrounding environment.

Image on the left shows a white tiled shower with gold finished brassware. Image on the right shows a closeup of gold finished brassware over a basin.

Powder coat finish

Powder coat finishes are developed with a dry finishing process where a fine powder is applied with a gun on a metallic base and then dried at a high temperature. Powder coat products are resistant to humidity and ultraviolet light and have a long lifespan. In addition to the beautiful texture, the powder coat treatment also reduces the risk of scratching, chipping, abrasions, corrosion and other wear. Powder coat options include: matt black, matt white, olive bronze, vintage brushed brass and satin nickel.

Image shows a grey tiled bathroom with double basins and a large walk in shower.

Gold finish

Gold finishes are created by plating 24k gold over a nickel- plated brass surface. The result is extremely luxurious, with a rich depth of colour, perfect if you’re looking for a brightly coloured and highly opulent finish. Both polished and brushed options are available.

Image on the left shows a corner white marble basin with gold brassware. Image on the right shows a white tiled shower with shower niche and gold finish brassware.

PVD finish

PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) is an innovative surface coating process which allows for a very high level of outer hardness, as well as unparalleled resistance to atmospheric agents and detergents. PVD finishes are extremely solid and durable, making them perfect for busy family bathrooms or cloakrooms which have high traffic.