The development of the surface finish standard

During the late 1970’s, British Steel scientists found that dull polished finishes on stainless steel showed a wide range of surface roughness.
Further testing revealed that steel with high surface roughness was heavily damaged by the polishing operations, whereas steel with low
surface roughness was relatively unscathed.
During the mid-1980’s dull polished finishes became widely used on projects such as high-profile architectural projects. However, it was soon
discovered that some of these dull polished finishes had poor corrosion resistance, especially when exposed to seawater. Consequently a new
surface finish description was introduced which remains in use to this day.
Three more common stainless steel finishing options are:
1.No. 2B – Matte finish
2.No. 4 – Brushed finish
3.No.8 – Mirror finish

No. 2B – Matte finish

N o. 2B – Matte Finish

No. 2B is the mill finish, meaning it has not been processed further. Matte finishes are dull in appearance and are not ideal for atheistic end
uses. However, they’re a good choice where appearance is not important or when further finishing is intended. No. 2B Matte finishes are the
least expensive of the stainless steel finishing options.
The finish is produced by ‘cold rolling’ stainless steel through special rolls or dies. The cold rolling produces a smoother, less pitted surface.
Next it is softened and de-scaled in acid solution. The steel is given a final pass on polished rolls to further enhance its smoothness.
Common applications include:
•Chemical plant equipment
•Pharmaceutical equipment
•Paper mill equipment
•Laundry and dry cleaning
•Refrigeration
•Sewage equipment
No. 4 – Brushed finish

N o. 4 Brushed Finish

The No. 4 Brushed finish can vary with different suppliers and even from batch to batch from the same supplier. The variations arise
from differing manufacturing conditions, such as wearing of the abrasive belts used in these finishes. Some level of variation should
be expected when ordering No. 4 Brushed finish. It can be helpful to request a sample of a few square inches to ensure the finish
achieves the desired effect.
Brushing the stainless steel produces a distinctive look with a muted luster and a pattern of fine parallel lines. It has strong decorative
appeal without being too reflective, as too much reflectiveness can be undesirable. For example, overly reflective stainless steel
accents on a building could be blinding in bright sunlight. The drawbacks to this finish include reduced corrosion resistance, because
the grooves of the finish are susceptible to rust.
The finish is created by sanding the stainless steel in one direction with a 120-180 grit belt, followed by softening with a 80-120 grit
medium non-woven belt.
Gateway Arch
Common applications include:
•Jewelry and watches
•Home appliances
•Air conditioners
•Water heaters
•Architecture
•Automotive design
The Gateway Arch in St Louis, Missouri is the world’s tallest arch and is clad in brushed stainless steel.
The DeLorean DMC-12 sports car, most famous for being featured in the Back to the Future films, is paneled in brushed stainless
steel.
No.8 – Mirror finish
Mirror finishes are highly reflective and created by polishing the stainless steel. The
polishing process enhances appearance and consistency, making cleaning easier. It also
masks the after-effects of welding and hides surface damage.
No. 8 Mirror finish is created by mechanically treating the surface with a series of
progressively finer abrasives. Alternatively a special rolling procedure is used which can
simulate the appearance of mechanical abrasion. For this stage, it is essential to remove
deep scratches as any surface defects will be very noticeable on the finished product. The
final process involves buffing the surface for 5-10 minutes to create a mirror-like, highly
reflective finish.
A benefit of No. 8 Mirror finishing is that it improves corrosion resistance. The polishing
eradicates crevices where corrosive particles can lodge themselves.
Common applications include:
•Mirrors
•Ornamental trim
•Clean rooms
•Column covers
•Wall panels
•Reflectors