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Sphere Sculpture
Stair Decoration Ball Brushed Frosted Hollow Ball
Stair Decoration Ball Brushed Frosted Hollow Ball is a mirror polished 316 stainless steel sphere built to order in our Shenzhen workshop.
Product Overview
What This Piece Is
Stair Decoration Ball Brushed Frosted Hollow Ball is a mirror polished 316 stainless steel sphere built to order in our Shenzhen workshop.
A sphere reads the same from every approach, which makes it the safe choice for a roundabout, a lawn or an atrium where there is no fixed viewpoint.
316 stainless steel carries molybdenum, which is what makes it hold up in salt air and around chlorinated water far better than standard grades.
The minimum order is one piece, the size is set by your drawing rather than by a catalogue, oem and odm work is accepted under your own branding.
Stair Decoration Ball Brushed Frosted Hollow Ball produced by Xinhengda Sculpture in Shenzhen
Key Benefits
Why Buyers Specify This Piece
- Specified in 316 stainless steel for coastal, poolside and fountain positions where salt and chlorine attack ordinary steel.
- The mirror polished surface picks up sky, planting and passing people, so the piece changes through the day instead of reading as one fixed object.
- A brushed matte face scatters light instead of throwing it back, which suits interiors where a mirror surface would be distracting.
- Height, width and base detail for this sphere are set from your drawing, so it is proportioned to the space instead of being the nearest standard size.
- One sphere is a full order. A single project in stairwells and atriums does not have to wait for a container quantity.
- Lighting can be designed into the sphere so it still reads after dark, with the cable route concealed inside the structure.
- A sphere reads the same from every approach, which makes it the safe choice for a roundabout, a lawn or an atrium where there is no fixed viewpoint.
Application Scenarios
Where It Is Installed
Hung in a stairwell or a double height atrium, suspended so the piece is read from several floors at once.
Who It Is For
The People Who Order This
- Private clients commissioning a single mirror polished sphere for stairwells and atriums
- Architects matching a sphere to a material palette that already uses 316 stainless
- Facility and estate managers replacing a tired feature in stairwells and atriums with something that needs no repainting
- Landscape architects specifying a mirror polished sphere as the focal piece for stairwells and atriums
Problems It Solves
What This Piece Removes From the Project
- Sculptures near the sea or over a water feature pick up pitting within a season if the wrong grade is used. 316 is the grade that answers that.
- A poorly polished mirror surface shows the weld lines and a wavy reflection. Grinding the seams flat before polishing is what removes both.
- Mirror surfaces can be too busy in a small room. A brushed face keeps the form readable and hides fingerprints.
- Off the shelf spheres are never the size stairwells and atriums actually needs, so schemes end up compromised. Making this one to the drawing removes that compromise.
- Commissioning a single sphere usually means a studio price and a studio lead time. Factory fabrication of one piece keeps both in range.
Technical Features
How It Is Constructed
- Seamless sphere construction with the panel joints dressed out so the curve reads continuous
- Mirror polished by hand through successive grits until the reflection is undistorted across the whole surface
- Directional brushed finish applied consistently across panels so the grain runs one way
- Fabricated throughout in 316 stainless steel with matching filler where the material is welded
- Weld seams placed on the lines of the sphere so they read as edges rather than repairs
- Drainage and vent holes positioned so water leaves the sphere instead of sitting inside it
Specifications
Recorded Specification
| Material | 316 stainless steel |
|---|---|
| Finish | Mirror polished and Brushed matte |
| Form | Sphere |
| Category | Sphere Sculpture |
| Size | Made to your drawing |
| Minimum Order | 1 piece |
| Placement | Quoted per project |
| Lighting | Integrated lighting available |
| OEM and ODM | Accepted |
| Packing | Foam lined plywood crate built to the finished geometry |
| Origin | Shenzhen China |
Dimensions, weight and lead time for this sphere are confirmed with the quotation, because it is built to your drawing rather than to a sphere sculpture catalogue size.
Materials
What It Is Made From
- 316 stainless steel
- Integrated LED components where lighting is specified
- Stainless or galvanised fixings sized for this sphere and supplied with it
Manufacturing Process
How It Is Made
1
Laser cutting of 316 sheet to the developed pattern
2
Cold forming of each panel over shaped bucks
3
TIG welding with matched 316 filler wire
4
Weld dressing and levelling across every seam
5
Polishing or texturing to the specified finish
6
Pickling and passivation to restore the passive layer after welding
Quality Control
What Is Checked and When
- Mill grade verified on the incoming sheet
- Filler wire matched to the parent grade and recorded
- Welds dressed and checked for undercut before polishing
- Passivation completed after all hot work
- Drainage points on water-facing pieces checked to be clear
Customisation Options
What Can Be Changed
- Overall height, width and depth of the sphere set from your drawing or from the dimensions of stairwells and atriums
- Base detail changed between a flush plate, a plinth and a direct planting bed fixing
- The sphere split into transportable sections where access to stairwells and atriums is restricted
- Lighting designed into the sphere with the cable route concealed
Comparison
How It Compares With the Alternatives
Compared with 304 stainless steel
304 is the sensible choice inland. Within reach of salt spray or chlorinated water, 316 is worth the difference because it resists pitting that 304 will eventually show.
Compared with A rented or temporary installation
Rental suits an event. For a permanent position in stairwells and atriums the cost of two or three rentals already covers a sphere that stays.
Compared with A cast or moulded reproduction
A reproduction repeats a fixed size. This sphere is built to your dimensions, which is the whole reason to commission one.
Use Guide
Looking After It Once It Is Installed
- Rinse down with fresh water after storms or pool servicing
- Wash with a neutral detergent, then dry to avoid water spotting
- Inspect drainage holes on water features twice a year
- Avoid chloride based cleaners of any kind
- Fingerprints show on a mirror surface. A neutral detergent wash and a dry microfibre cloth is all it takes.
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Guides That Apply To This Piece
Material Guide
Material Guide
304 vs 316 Stainless Steel for Outdoor Sculpture
The grade decision costs little at the quotation stage and a great deal once a piece starts pitting. Here is how to make it properly.
Process Guide
How a Mirror Polish on Stainless Steel Sculpture Is Actually Achieved
A flawless mirror finish is decided during welding and grinding, long before anyone reaches for a polishing mop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this be made in a different size
Yes. Stair Decoration Ball Brushed Frosted Hollow Ball is made to order, so the height and width are set from your drawing or from the dimensions of the space. Send the position and the height you have in mind and the quotation follows those figures.
What is the minimum order quantity
One piece. There is no container minimum, which is why single projects in stairwells and atriums are a normal part of the workload here.
Why 316 stainless steel rather than something cheaper
316 stainless steel carries molybdenum, which is what makes it hold up in salt air and around chlorinated water far better than standard grades. Sculptures near the sea or over a water feature pick up pitting within a season if the wrong grade is used. 316 is the grade that answers that.
Will the mirror finish show the welds
Not if the seams are ground level before polishing starts. Every weld on a mirror piece is dressed flat first, which is why the reflection stays undistorted across the joint.
Does a brushed finish mark as easily as a mirror finish
No. A brushed face hides fingerprints and light scuffing much better, which is why it is the usual choice for pieces within reach of the public.
How is a sphere this size packed and shipped
A plywood crate is built around the finished geometry with foam on every mirror polished face. Large spheres are split into sections at joints chosen during design, trial assembled in the workshop, then marked so they go back together in the same order on site.
What do you need from me to quote
The position, the height or overall size you want, and any drawing, render or reference photograph you already have. For stairwells and atriums a photograph of the space is often enough to start.
Quote This Piece for Your Project
Send the position, the height you want and any drawing you have. The quotation comes back against your figures, not against a catalogue size.