DOOR FURNITURE FOR USE BY THE SEA?

We are often asked which finish to go for in seaside locations for front door furniture. Items would include letter plates, door knobs, door handles, door knockers and escutcheons.

Salty air can take its toll on all sorts of things especially door furniture. You may also need to consider the finish on window furniture if windows are to be left open for any length of time. Below we take a look at the finishes we offer and then comment on the suitability of each for a home by the sea!

BRASS DOOR FURNITURE

Unlacquered Brass -YES, Lacquered Brass – NO

Remember in Brass we sell an unlacquered product. Once an item is finished it is polished and not lacquered. The majority of brassware on the market is lacquered after polishing to protect the shine and thus no cleaning is required. All our brass is unlacquered and should not be confused with lacquered brass.

The cheap lacquered brass will breakdown in salty air. The lacquer peels off and exposes the brass (often poor quality) underneath which then tarnishes and looks horrid. It can’t be cleaned off either. Unlacquered brass will be  fine but if you like your brass shiny it will need cleaning regularly.

IRON DOOR FURNITURE

Wax – No, Powder Coated – YESWe have two finishes within our black iron

range:Wax finish. This would not perform

especially well in salty air as the wax would quickly breakdown exposing the metal which would then rust.

Powder Coated: This would be the finish that would perform best with a corrosion resistant coating. In sea air it may need to be re-painted more frequently than if in an inland location. This requires a wire wool and then a repaint using black hammerite.

PEWTER PATINA DOOR FURNITURE

Pewter Finish – YESThis is a painted finish over a steel base.

This has excellent anti-corrosion properties and requires an occasional wiping with a waxed cloth and application of oil on moving parts.

NICKEL PLATED DOOR FURNITURE

Nickel Plate – YESThis is a nickel plated finish which can be

polished or satin over a brass base. This is fine in sea air. The main thing to remember is never to rub the plate with any abrasive cleaner.

A wipe with soap and water should be enough to keep this in great condition. For any stubborn marks try a bit of Autosol.

CHROME PLATED DOOR FURNITURE

Chrome Plate – YESThis is as per nickel above but with a

Chrome plate over a brass base. This is also fine in the sea air.

WOOD, GLASS & PORCELAIN

Wood – No, Glass – No, Porcelain NoFor internal use only.Please come back to us with any questions you

may have on this topic.Pictured below are finishes suitable for a sea

view! At the top of the article is our Classic Letter Plate in unlacquered brass, below from left, powder coated iron door handles, polished nickel escutcheons, pewter door handles.

To know more information, visit us

http://www.priorsrec.co.uk/