Reading this article tells me you plan to make an unforgettable statement with your bathroom, kitchen, toilet, or your entire interior. Moreover, you are in the right place to get a comprehensive account of the top varieties of metallic finishes in your bathroom. Meanwhile, several metallic finishes out there can add something to your bathroom and bring out its uniqueness at all times.  Click here to read more about Kitchen and bath tapware finishing.

For instance, you may choose from a collection of shiny brass or brushed nickel. What is important is that you find a tapware that matches your expectation in terms of both form and function. Let us consider some of the top metallic tapware finishes available for purchase in Sydney, Australia.

Polished Brass

Polished brass comprises solid brass that underwent a process of refinement and polishing to produce a shiny finish. This metallic tapware material has a very high reflective quality and brightens the surfaces of the entire bathroom. In addition to the brass polish, the material may also contain an extra protective film layer that is clear to see through. 

The extra layer is often chemically sealed to the entire surface of the metal. One beautiful use of polished brass is when it is laid against a dark surface background. Check out the category of polished brass within the Tile and Bath Co collection of tapware to pick your choice.

Satin Brass

Similar to polished brass in that both materials make use of solid brass as the primary raw material. However, satin brass underwent its process of refinement and brushing to a shining state rather than polishing. At times, this satin brass may also have a transparent protective film with a chemical application on its surface. If you cannot afford to buy the polished brass, you can choose the satin brass instead, which gives a somewhat similar look. 

Oil-rubbed Bronze

It is clear what bronze looks like, but a copper-plated over steel. Alternatively, the material can also be a brass substrate with another brown finish plated over it. In both cases, many manufacturers go the extra mile of pre-rubbing the brown in spots to make the copper underlay visible. Meanwhile, others plate the whole item in brown without caring for the copper component except in weight. 

As a result, the second case is a solid brown color. Another diversity that this material brings is that it can come in various colors within the shades of black and brown, including chocolate brown and even very dark colors. The actual color depends on the discretion of the manufacturer, who may tone it up or down. 

The best is to buy the metallic tapware material in a complete set as it comes from the same manufacturer to avoid confusion and incompatibility. You can also imagine that this brassware set of tapware can form a good contrast with a brightly colored background, such as walls. The combination will add to the aesthetic value of your bathroom as a whole. 

Copper

Yes, it is that simple – Copper. One great reason people choose to go for copper materials as tapware is the ability of the material to heal itself. What does this healing mean? When you use Copper and something scratches it, that scored portion continues to get darker until it blends within the patina. In addition, we must mention that it is straightforward to find Copper amidst the other properties of the metal and its component alloy.

Meanwhile, Copper is also capable of shining very bright and requires some measure of maintenance to continue to bring the best out of it. This level of care is an advantage over brushed nickel, chrome, or even oil-rubbed bronze. Moreover, if you allow the Copper to naturally age, it will grow into a beautiful patina without any interference. 

On the other hand, Copper may not be the perfect choice for adding additional accessories and fixtures. In addition, Copper may not be as durable as different surface finishes that you can have for tapware. But it still looks very grand in dark color themes.

Polished Nickel

We mentioned earlier that we could further process brass by plating it with nickel to obtain polished nickel. This process also requires using a suitable substrate, and the final shiny nickel outcome has all the durability of chrome. However, any time scratches or unattended water spots get to the surface of the tapware material, it does not show too much on polished nickel. In addition, polished nickel in tapware always has a warmer but softer look than chrome. 

Brushed Nickel

Just as we have polished nickel, we also have brushed nickel, another processing type. The brushed nickel can also be referred to as satin nickel, which has a similar process of making only with a brushed or satin finish rather than polishing. Meanwhile, the soft metallic look of brushed nickel is another assurance that the material can stand the test of time. Another outstanding benefit of having brushed nickel on the fabric is its high durability.

The tapware material also tends to keep the finish for a longer time than having chrome and bronze. Moreover, the material does not wear out; retains neither fingerprints nor water spots. As a result, brushed nickel on tapware is easy to clean, easy to find, and easy to match any accessories, unlike Copper. At the same time, brushed nickel is relatively inexpensive to find, but it can still be pricier than chrome. Moreover, it does not cost as much as oil-rubbed bronze.

Conclusion

On a final note, the various metallic materials that you can have on a tapware as finishes have specific qualities. Therefore, the choice is yours to determine which of them fits your needs and can stand the test of time. On the other hand, they also have specific disadvantages that may cause you to rethink your choice. Nevertheless, just as expected, a weakness in one may likely advantage of another. Check out our catalog at the Tile and Bath Co.