Cabinet hardware: what finishes are available?
Many styles and finishes are available for cabinet hardware. Each variety is designed to accompany popular styles and maintain a beautiful appearance over time. Some of the most popular finishes today will be discussed here.
Some finishes are more commonly used on cabinet hardware today than others. Satin or brushed nickel is a finish known by two names. In modern kitchens, it’s a popular finish because it mimics steel. Since modern is one of the most common styles at the moment, this finish is used quite often. While not much different from stainless steel, it offers more variety in styles because the finish can be achieved in a variety of metals. In fact, the most common metals given this finish are brass and zinc. Oil Rubbed Bronze is another finish that is applied primarily over brass or zinc. This finish is used to apply an old world look or something more modern and contemporary. Some of the variations of oil rubbed bronze appear to have an amber or copper undertone. Others appear dark brown or almost black.
Polished finishes are used to create a different feel. Polished brass was once, a decade or so ago, one of the most popular finishes. Zinc-polished brass is the cabinet hardware and door hinges. Polished chrome is used to create an Art Deco look. This finish has a silver polished mirror finish that lasts a long time because it almost never tarnishes. With this finish, like all polished mirror finishes, fingerprints will show up easily. Cleaning them is simple, however, and easily returns the metal to a new look.
Antique finishes give cabinet hardware a traditional look. Antique brass is quite a process. The hardware is clad in black and then brushed, creating the appearance of aged antique brass. Without a lacquer, the product would tarnish, so after brushing, a lacquer is applied and the product is then baked. Antique copper is another popular finish. Finishes such as aged copper are making it possible to complete contemporary designs with a traditional finish. It is another finish that is commonly applied to brass or zinc. To create this look, the cabinet hardware is dipped in a flash of copper, black plated, and brushed to create the antique look. While many other styles are popular and available in cabinet hardware today, these options provide a good starting point to look at.