Stainless Steel Finishes

Ever since 2001, when we started supplying stainles steel products to our partners worldwide, one of the first questions we ask is: What finishing of stainless steel are you looking for?

After choosing the type of stainless steel, finishing is the second most important decision, as it comes with many consequences long-term:

– From a marketing point of view, consistency is key. Before placing an order with a particular finishing for a new product, it is important to make sure that it will be consistent with the rest of the products in the client’s portfolio that may be coming from a different supplier.

– Polished finishing: there are many variations to meet any need, some stainless steel sheets have a rough finishing, others have a mirror-like appearance. Thus the need to clarify if the product will be displayed (bigger emphasis on aesthetics) or hidden (for example used as a component). Is the product going to be used on a domestic scale, or it is for an intensive use in an industry?

Once the needs have been understood, we can go deeper into the diferent types of finishings. These are some of the most popular:

Nº 1: Hot rolled, annealed, pickled and heat treated. It presents a rough surface and is non reflective. Use it if cost is a priority and the product will not be displayed, as this stainless steel is not uniform and therefore it is not recommended for products that need a good finishing..

Nº 2B: Bright, cold rolled finishing, annealed, pickled. It is brighter than 2D and semi-reflective, due to a final light pass. This is the most used type of stainless steel finishing and can be used as a base for other finishings (for example a satin finishing). We buy this finishing to manufacture kitchen feet, bowls for welding (we add electropolished finishing afterwards) and hand wash units, among others.

Nº 3: Intermediate polishing, simulates mechanical abrasion. Final outlook shows a lot of lines, all in the same direction. Used in heavy use areas, or when further polishing is required.

Nº BA: Cold rolled, bright annealed, pickled, smooth reflective finish. The final Bright Annealed is made in a controlled atmosphere furnace. It is more reflective than 2B, therefore used often in some categories like catering equipment. Commonly called bright finishing, we buy this finishing to manufacture baffle filters and other accessories.

SB: Scotch Brite finishing presents a uniform and soft finishing, very suitable for decorative and architectural uses. The smoothness of this finishing is obtained through the use of finer abrasives. It presents a low level of reflectivity.

In our portfolio we offer our partners not only these but many other finishes tailored to every project and budget.