Shelf Bracket Finishes Compared White Grey Black Zinc and Galvanized
Powder coat, zinc plating, brass and nickel plating and hot dip galvanizing all appear across our range. Each one fails in a different way, which is what should decide the choice.
Powder Coat White Grey and Black
Powder coating is applied after forming, so the fold is covered and the colour is even. It is the right finish where the bracket is visible and where colour matters. Its weakness is the edge: a coated edge chipped in transit shows bare steel, and that is what makes new retail stock look second hand. White, grey and black are stock colours across the utility and decorative bracket lines.
Zinc Plating
Zinc plating gives a thin sacrificial layer and a neutral metallic finish. It will not chip off an edge the way paint does, which is why it is the sensible choice for parts that are handled a lot or fixed inside a structure. It suits indoor and sheltered outdoor use rather than permanent exposure.
Nickel and Brass Plating
Nickel and brass plating are decorative finishes for hardware that is seen on a finished interior. On the 307 surface bolt and the 306 lock bolt, they are what let a functional part sit on a finished door without looking like site hardware.
Hot Dip Galvanizing
Hot dip galvanizing puts a thick metallurgically bonded zinc layer on the steel and is the only finish in this list intended for permanent outdoor exposure. We run it on request on the corner brace, corner plate and strap brace lines, and as standard on the steel pallets, where the pallet is seam welded from hot dip galvanized steel.
Plastic Covers Are a Finish Too
On the 118 and 124 brackets, a moulded polypropylene cover sits over a galvanized steel base. The colour is through the material rather than on the surface, so there is no edge to chip, and the cover colour can be matched to a furniture range.
Specifications Referenced Above
Questions on This Topic
Which finish is best for outdoor use?
Hot dipped galvanized for permanent exposure. Black powder coat is the standard on the structural braces and suits most exposed timber work.
Will a powder coated bracket chip?
A coated edge can chip if it is knocked in transit. Where that matters, zinc plating or a plastic cover avoids the problem entirely.
Can you match a specific colour?
White, grey and black are stock. Other colours are run to order, since the colour is applied after forming and does not change the tooling.
Still Deciding What to Specify
Tell us the application and the load, and we will point you at the model and size rather than the category.