Stainless Steel

Designed and manufactured in the U.S.

RAILING MATERIAL

Stainless Steel Handrail Designs Are Virtually Endless

Stainless steel is a clean, bright material suited for everything from industrial applications to high-end boardrooms. Its appearance varies widely depending on the finish, making it one of the most design-flexible materials available.

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Stainless steel railings by Livers Bronze

Common stainless steel finishes in architectural applications include:

Satin / Brushed Finish

The most widely used stainless finish. Applied as a straight grain to flat bars, tubes, angles, and sheet metal, ranging from brighter (#4) to finer (#6) or as a circular grain on round tubes. Results vary between fabricators. Hand-finished work will look different from sheet metal stock.

Polished Finish

Achieved by working through progressively finer grits and buffing to a high sheen. Architectural specs typically call for a #7 polish, which is reflective, but may carry subtle visible lines. Expect some variation between fabricators and suppliers.

Blasted Finish

Bead blasting produces a non-directional, uniform matte surface with low reflectivity. Work with a fabricator experienced in the process and get both a sample and a control sample before final production. Applicable to most stainless materials, sheet metal excepted.

Railing Systems Materials

Some of the most common steel finishes in architectural applications are:

Blasted Finish

Produced by the impact of a hard, inert medium onto the stainless steel surface resulting in a non-directional, uniform matte surface with low reflectivity.
Should be done only with a fabricator familiar with the process, samples obtained and a control sample put in place for the final work.
Should receive a clear coating once the blasting is completed to seal the material against corrosion.

Powder-Coated Finish

Available in a wide variety of colors, textures and finishes.
Perfect solution for long term durable finishes for steel.
Retain the raw steel appearance with clear matte and glossy powder-coat finishes.

Patina Finish

Chemical finishes that change the color of the raw metal.
Ideally applied to bead blasted or sand blasted materials and are clear coated once the desired color has been achieved.
Includes blackened steel finishes.
The final color can be slightly different from piece to piece and visible streaking will be part of the final finish.

Field Painted Finish

Generally preferable to provide a completely shop finished product for final installation.
Generally reserved for products that have been welded and constructed on site.