Facilitas stainless steel cabinets are functional and resistant furnishing elements. But utility and performance over time are not the only goals we set ourselves, during the production of our lockers.
Another important element on which we focus, is the aesthetic aspect and specifically the surface finish.
What is the meaning of surface finish
The finishes consist of surface treatments, processed with specific techniques and machinery, in order to obtain a precise aesthetic result.
The processing of the surface has also an important functional value: it contributes to the formation of the surface film of chromium oxide, which is essential for guaranteeing excellent resistance to corrosion.
The machines used to achieve a finish are equipped with brushes or special rollers, which rotate on the surfaces to be treated. In this way it is possible to reproduce different textures on the surface, depending on the type of treatment, which give a different visual effect.
Different types of surface finish
There are two large families that classify the surface finishes of stainless steel:
- • Finishes by abrasion
- • Finishes by lamination
The finishes by abrasion are carried out on stainless steel using abrasives of different granulometry. The duller (satin) the finish, the lower its reflectivity; on the contrary, the smoother (mirror-like) it will be, the greater the reflectivity will be.
The EN 10088 part 2 standard, on the other hand, regulates all types of mechanical surface finishes, by lamination. Here, designations for surface finishes are represented by numbers, for example: 1 for hot rolled, 2 for cold rolled and classified with a combination of numbers and letters such as, for example, 2J.
As anticipated, there is an important link between the surface condition and the hygienic characteristics of stainless steel; let’s see the types of finishes we use in the creation of Facilitas wardrobes.
The BA finish
The BA (Bright Annealed) finish has high reflectivity This is obtained through a heat treatment in controlled atmosphere conditions, followed by a cold rolling with bright rolls.
The surface treated in this way becomes very shiny and smooth, with a low roughness index and possibility of contamination compared to other steel mill finishes. Plus, it’s an easier-to-clean finish.
The 2J finish
By working the 2B type finish by sanding with 80-100 mesh grit abrasive belts, this finish is obtained which has a coarse satin appearance.
The fine satin finish
The fine satin or improperly known as scotch-brite is another type of finish, characterized by short and parallel lines, which extend uniformly and unidirectionally. It is obtained mechanically with gradually finer and finer abrasives.
This finish can have a typical roughness between 120 and 320 grit. The more this grit increases, the finer and more glossy the lines that characterize the finish will be. As a result, a surface with even greater reflectivity will be obtained.
Discover all our stainless steel cabinets, made with precise surface finishes to guarantee high hygienic performance and the best aesthetic result, without sacrificing the durability of the product. Click here to discover all the models and contact us by filling out the form below
