Colour Coating Electroplating and Candy Finishes
Colour on stainless steel is a coating decision. Paint sits on the surface and flattens the reflection; metallising, electroplating and candy coating keep the depth of the metal underneath. Which route we use depends on the shade you want and where the piece will stand.
Stage by Stage
- Substrate preparationAny flaw in the metal underneath is magnified by a bright coating. Seams are ground and the surface polished before any coating is applied, exactly as for a mirror finish.
- Vacuum metallisingPaint on a curved reflective form reads as plastic. A metallised layer keeps the metallic reading and provides the base for transparent colour.
- ElectroplatingSome shades, particularly gold and rose tones, are hard to achieve convincingly by spraying. Electroplating is used where the colour has to be deep and even across a large curve.
- Candy colour sprayA flat colour swatch does not predict how a shade behaves on a mirror curve. Transparent and matt candy colours over a metallised base let the shade be tuned, with a sample supplied before the batch runs.
- Two tone and gradientA single colour is sometimes too blunt for the scheme. Two tone and gradient finishes are produced on the same piece.
- Grade underneathA coating does not remove the need for the right steel underneath. The base grade stays your choice, so a coastal piece can still be 316 under the colour.
- Batch coatingColour drifts between runs, which shows immediately in a graded set. Whole colour runs are coated together so a set matches.
What This Changes for You
- Colour that keeps a metallic depth instead of reading as paint
- Gold rose and deep tones achievable by electroplating
- Tunable transparent and matt candy shades over a metallised base
- Two tone and gradient finishes on a single piece
- 316 still available underneath a coloured finish
- Whole runs coated in one batch
Products This Applies To
Stainless Steel SpheresColour Plated Stainless Steel Ball
View Details
Interior Sphere SculptureColourful Metal Garden Ball Stainless Steel Hollow Sphere Sculpture
View Details
Interior Sphere SculptureStainless Steel Seamless Double - Colour Hollow Ball Sculpture
View Details
Interior Decoration SculptureKapoors Abstract Decorative Stainless Steel the Gradient Colour Concave Mirror Sculpture
View DetailsColour and Coating Questions
Which colour route should I choose?
Tell us the shade and where the piece will stand. Electroplating suits deep even tones, candy coating suits tuned transparent shades.
Will a coloured piece survive outdoors?
Coated spheres are used in gardens and public spaces. Say what the exposure is so we can advise the route and the base grade.
Can you match a specific colour reference?
Yes, with a sample before the batch runs. Expect the shade to read differently on a curve than on a flat swatch.
Does colour hide a bad weld?
The opposite. Bright coatings magnify flaws, so the seam grinding matters as much as it does on a mirror finish.
Can one piece carry two colours?
Yes. Two tone and gradient finishes are made on the same piece.
Send a Colour Reference
Give us the shade, the diameter and the site exposure and we will recommend the coating route and quote it.