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4 Ways Metal Plating Enhances Antique Shop Products

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 03:29:59 GMT

As an antique shop owner, you have multiple options when you sell products. Along with selling products as-is and original restorations, you may upgrade and enhance items to give antiques new life. One option includes metal plating.

Metal plating comes in a variety of forms and includes various metals, including precious metals like gold. Learn various ways metal plating helps enhance antique products you sell in your shop. With the various plating options, you will have the ability to provide your customers with a wide variety of product options.

1. Furniture Restorations

Furniture is often the bulkiest of all items sold in an antique shop. Provide a modern twist to a piece of furniture with metal plating. One benefit of metal plating includes the ability to cover rust stains and worn spots on older metal furniture pieces.

Choose to apply metal plating to wood furniture for multiple benefits. The metal plating adds a new look to the furniture and expands the diverse use of the furniture with protective metals for use either outdoors or indoors.

The usefulness of the metal plating helps as well. For example, you could have an antique metal farm sink undergo a metal plating process. With the new metal, customers may be more likely to use the sink for actual dishes and not worry about old metal or rust causing problems with dishes.

2. Bulk Items

As you plan out products for your business, you may come across bulk collections of items. Add diversity and options for bulk items with the use of metal plating. For example, you may have a large collection of kitchen stools.

Some of the stools could have a copper plate finish, gold plate finish, or silver plate finish. Each design appeals to the shoppers' variety of interests and kitchen styles. Use the color options in sets rather than individual in case a customer seeks out a whole set instead of just a single stool.

You could also use the bulk items to create your own sets. For example, you may have a kitchen table with four chairs which are not quite alike. When each chair has been plates with the same metal material, you have the ability to add a matching cushion and create a cohesive set a customer may be more likely to purchase.

3. Decorative Wall Items

Create a sleek and modern look to many antiques with metal plating applied to decorative wall items. For example, old wooden picture frames could have worn or weakened corners. A full metal plating restores the ability to hang and decorate with the photo frame.

You may choose to add plating to large collections of photo frames to create matching decor and provide customers with a variety of sizes. The metal plating forms right over the original design so you will still see the shape, outline, and patterns from the antique frames.

4. Animal Products & Designs

A variety of the antiques you sell may include animal products and designs. For example, you may sell old skulls of animals like deer, alligators, and other creatures. A metal plating helps preserve the shape and design of the skull while blocking out the bone areas and any possible germ issues people may have.

The plated skull becomes a decoration that can be placed on any flat surface within the home. Taxidermy animals like fish may also have metal plating to create a unique design.

Besides skulls, other animal products may include animal statues for gardens and yards. A variety of metal plating offers all-weather protection and nice finishes. For example, you could have a frog statue gold plated for use next to a garden or backyard pond.

For more information on the metal plating process, contact us at General Brite Plating . We have years of experience adding metal plate designs to a variety of products and will help your vision come to life.

Gold Plating Adds Benefits to Your Interior Design Offerings

Sat, 04 Jan 2020 17:16:56 GMT

If you run an interior design company that provides its own furnishings for customers, you are probably always looking for additional ways to set your firm apart from the competition. If you want a way to spruce up or improve your current offerings, one possible solution might be to add gold plating to some of your furnishings or decor.

Gold plating can add a premium feel to your presentation, and it can provide some long-term benefits for the customer. Here's why you might want to reach out to a local gold plating company today.

Gold Plating Can Keep Corrosion and Rust at Bay

If you offer your interior design clients any metal-based furnishings or decor, one long-term concern for your clients might be the development of corrosion or rust. This is especially true if this includes decor or furnishings that will be exposed to the elements outdoors.

Gold is an incredibly non-reactive metal. It can handle moisture from the rain or heat from the sun without oxidizing. This means your client's furnishings will continue to look great year after year with little to no maintenance required besides the occasional polishing. Your gold-plated decor will retain more of its value over time and your clients will likely see more value in the service and furnishings you provide.

Gold Plating Can Add Durability to Other Metals

Gold is also incredibly malleable, and you can put a layer of gold on top of a wide variety of other metals. That layer can also be of varying thickness, allowing you to create the perfect final touch for your latest decor.

Gold will not suffer damage as easily as some other metal types, and in addition to the corrosion and rust benefits mentioned earlier, your clients will simply not have as much wear and tear to deal with over time.

Gold Plating Upgrades Your Decor Without Breaking the Bank

Perhaps one of the best reasons to add gold plating to your furnishings or decor as an interior designer is that it allows you to offer your customers a high-end look without the need to spend a ton of money. Decor that is made out of 24 karat pure gold can be quite expensive. And this is a cost that you'll likely have to pass on to your clients.

But with gold plating, you can simply add a sliver coating of gold on top of another, less expensive metal. The customer will still get the look they want, but the decor will be more affordable for you to make and for the client to buy.

Gold Plating Is Easier to Restore Than Pure Gold

If pure gold decor suffers damage, the owner is likely out of luck. The customer will have to pay for a replacement of the entire part or piece. But if a gold-plated piece suffers a few nicks, the owner has some more options. If only the gold layer was damaged, the client can simply get the decor re-plated at a fraction of the cost of repairing a pure gold piece.

As an interior designer, you want to provide your clients with high-end furnishings and decor that they can't find anywhere else. With gold plating, you'll have a secret weapon that can add an even more premium feel to your available inventory.

General Brite Plating has served the Los Angeles community for more than 50 years. We can take your interior design firm's existing offerings and elevate them in a way that will turn heads. You can offer your clients gold-colored decor without paying solid gold prices. Contact us today for more information.

Common Metal Plating Types

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 03:44:38 GMT

Metal plating can give your items a fresh look and make them stronger, which extends their lifespans. You have several options when choosing which type of metal plating to go with to create the look and performance you want. Here are some of the most common types.

Chrome

Chrome plating gives metal a bright silver-toned finish that stands out. It's also a good choice for industrial projects because it reduces the risk of rust and increases the item's resistance to friction. Chrome plating is usually applied through an electroplating process that uses a chromic acid called hexavelent chromium.

Brass

Brass plating is a good choice for steel light fixtures and other indoor decorative items. Items plated in brass don't have a strong resistance to corrosion, so it's best to choose another finish for outdoor furniture and other metals that will be exposed to the elements. Brass is a great alternative to gold. Great for lighting and furniture manufacture pieces.

Nickel

Nickel plating is popular for household items and gives them a sleek, modern look. Nickel is commonly used on aluminum, stainless steel, and copper items, though it can bond to other metals as well. The process for plating items with nickel is electroless, which makes it a simpler, more environmentally-friendly choice. Nickel is great for table and chair legs.

A high phosphorous nickel alloy can increase the strength and rust resistance of the items it's applied to. It is a great alternative to silver.

Gold

Gold plating gives items a classic, rich look and is often used on metal light fixtures, high end furniture, and other decorative and luxury items. Unlike gilding, gold plating involves applying the finish by submerging the item in a gold bath instead of applying gold-colored foil. This type of plating is very resistant to oxidation.

Gold plating also increases electrical conductivity, which makes it a good choice for electrical connectors and component cables.

Silver

Silver plating is another option if you're looking for a timeless, yet modern finish. Like gold, silver increases electrical conductivity and adds an appealing decorative touch, but it's less expensive than gold is. Silver does have a tendency to crack or peel when it's exposed to high humidity, so it's best used on items that will be in drier environments. Silver is great for light fixtures and hotel furniture.

Bronze

Bronze is a plating type best suited for indoor projects because it's not as resistant to rust as other plating types. Standard bronze finishes have a coppery color and are well-suited to steel items.

Oil-rubbed bronze is another type of bronze plating that has a darker, brushed appearance. If you're looking for a popular, darker finish for a brass or copper item, oil-rubbed bronze is a good choice. Great for table ends, sculptures and outdoor metal decorative pieces.

Copper

Copper plating is an expensive option that gives metal a bronze-colored hue, though it can also be blackened for an antique or vintage appearance.

While copper plating can stand on its own, it's also used as a pre-treatment for other metal plating types, such as nickel and chrome, because it makes it easier for subsequent coatings to stick to the metal. Copper is a great metal for hotel décor, huge metal frames, car parts and screws.

Tin

Tin plating gives metals a silver appearance that has more of a grayish undertone than most silver and nickel finishes. Items coated in tin can have a matte or bright finish. This plating type is an excellent choice for outdoor furniture, metal fencing, and food preparation and serving items due to its excellent rust resistance.

Tin is a very common metal, which lowers production costs.

Zinc

Like tin, zinc is available in abundance, which keeps costs lower than some other plating types. Zinc plating gives metal a bluish gray appearance and is common on small metal parts that might be exposed to moisture. Screws, bolts, and other small parts coated in zinc are less likely to rust than many other finishes.

General Brite Plating offers metal plating services in a variety of types and finishes for artists, architects, contractors, engineers, jewelers, interior designers, furniture manufactures and car part manufactures. Contact us today to discuss your next metal plating project.

Metal Furniture Plating: An Overview

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 21:31:09 GMT

Metal furniture is quickly becoming a staple of many modern, sleek design styles, which means designers and homeowners want beautiful, durable options for their design needs. One way to make metal furniture aesthetically pleasing and functionally durable is metal plating.

Read on to learn more about metal plating in general, how it applies to furniture, and its advantages.

Metal Plating and Furniture

Metal plating is the process of coating a base metal with a thin layer of a different kind of metal. This achieves a wide range of appearances for base metals like stainless steel that typically only have one kind of appearance.

Metal furniture will have steel or iron components that are aesthetically lacking. Plating covers those components with a different, more appealing, such as silver or nickel. Costs to make the furniture out of silver or nickel entirely would be too much, so a coating of it gives the appearance of the desired metal.

In addition to changing the appearance of furniture, plating offers some additional advantages that are important for furniture:

Plated metal furniture is better to paint . Customization is everything when it comes to furniture, and paint is an easy way to customize.

Base metals are often difficult to paint, but metal plating can last longer on metal, especially if it's sealed.

Plated metal furniture is safe from corrosion . Metal is subject to rust and corrosion, especially if it comes into contact with water and outdoor elements. A thin layer of metal can reduce the possibility of corrosion.

Plating can be used for interior furniture, like tables, bed frames, chairs, and light fixtures. It can also be used for exterior furniture, like outdoor tables and benches that are exposed to the elements and are prone to rust. For exterior furniture, plating is best used on all-metal furniture. Exterior furniture needs to be sturdy and resistant to elements, and metal plating can assist in the resistance of the furniture.

Plating and Metal Types

If you're producing large volumes of furniture, plating is often an important part of the process. Once metal pieces are designed, they'll be plated, for both aesthetic reasons and enhanced strength. There are many types of plating to choose from: brass, tin, silver, nickel, chromium, gold, bronze, zinc, and more.

Chromium is a popular type of metal plating, but there are multiple options available. Nickel can protect against corrosion because it oxidizes slowly at room temperature, so it's naturally resistant to corrosion.

Copper plating is most often used for its bright, unique appearance, which is growing in popularity for both interior and exterior pieces. Bronze also has antimicrobial properties, so it's perfect for interior furniture, especially in kitchen and bathroom areas.

Tin, zinc, brass, and bronze are also other options for furniture plating. Silver and gold are also options, though they are not the typically chosen metal because of their high cost. However, they do make for memorable furniture pieces.

Plating isn't always a necessity, however. For instance, stainless steel is already a durable, noncorrosive metal without plating, so plating it isn't always a good choice for steel furniture. Plating for stainless steel is often an aesthetic choice rather than necessary for durability, so metals like gold, silver, and copper make a good plating to enhance the appearance.

Additional Uses

Newly manufactured metal furniture is plated on the spot, but older pieces can be re-plated either for continued use or for resale value. Many contemporary pieces, such as pieces from the 60s or 70s, incorporated materials such as painted metal and plastics, making them good candidates for metal plating.

Contact General Brite Plating to learn more about metal plating.

Learn About Bronze Plating

Mon, 07 Oct 2019 21:01:05 GMT

Building restoration specialists bring historic buildings back to their former splendor. Part of this process includes restoring old bronze fixtures. In most restoration settings, you should use the original fixtures or fixtures from the same period. If those fixtures aren't available, you need to have a way to make current fixtures look antique. Bronze plating is one way you can accomplish this.

Bronze

Bronze is a metal alloy. The base metal is almost always copper mixed with tin. Other metals might be added in, like zinc or nickel. The additions of those other metals change the properties of the metal. The metal is more machinable, stiff, or hard depending on what additional metals are in the mix, and the total percentage of the additional metals of the entire mixture.

Bronze Plating

Bronze plating is an electroplating process. The process uses electricity to create a thin layer of the plating material over the item. While not all metals can be used as an electroplating material, bronze is one metal that can, as are metals like, gold, silver, and brass. Most metals have no problem with being electroplated, either for looks, protection of the piece, or restoration of the piece.

Electroplating Process

The process of electroplating metals is fairly simple. It is also relatively quick, depending on how thick you need the bronze layer to be. If you just need a hint of bronze on your piece, it only needs a few minutes. However, if your workpiece needs a good heavy layer of bronze, it may take an hour or more to get the correct layer thickness put into place.

Preparing the Electroplating Solution

The first step of the process is to prepare the electroplating solution. It is usually some kind of mild acid with some form of the metal dissolved into it. In the case of bronze plating, something like bronze salts is added to the solution.

Placing the Workpiece

The next step of the process is to suspend the piece in the electroplating solution. The piece needs to be completely covered in the solution, but you don't want it to touch the sides or bottom of the solution's container. That can cause a spot to get not covered as well. The piece to be plated is usually hung from a rod, using a wire of some sort.

Starting the Plating

Once the piece solution has been prepared and the piece suspended in the solution, it's time to do the actual plating. An electrode made out of the plating material is placed in the solution. In this case, it would be a bronze electrode. Then a charge is applied to the electrode and the solution. That causes bronze to migrate from the electrode to the workpiece so that the piece is plated.

Electroplating Plastic

That process only works if the piece to plated is metal. Plastic can be bronze plated, but it is a much longer and more time-consuming process. One part of that process includes creating small pits in the plastic. Once the material has pits in it, metal goes into those pits. Then the plastic piece can be placed in an electroplating solution and plated.

If you are a building restoration specialist or just restoring your own property, you need fixtures that fit into your house's historical period. Come see us at General Brite Plating to get your fixtures plated or re-plated. We will make sure that you get the finish you need on your fixture, whether it's a nice, shiny bronze finish, an antiqued finish, or an oil-rubbed finish. Contact us today to learn more about this process.

Understanding the Different Methods for Plating Your Metals

Mon, 09 Sep 2019 22:01:35 GMT

Whether you want to turn a metal fixture in your home into something decorative, keep rust from forming, or harden a soft metal piece, you need to work with a metal plating company. Just as there are a number of reasons to plate metal, there are also a number of ways to perform metal plating. Here are a few metal plating options to discuss with the professionals at a metal plating company.

Electroplating

Electroplating is probably the most well-known and common plating processes. Pieces of jewelry often receive this treatment to keep them from tarnishing and also to strengthen the jewelry piece. Electroplating can also be used on any metal item you need to make slightly larger or strengthen so it can be worked without bending or to allow better electrical conductivity.

The electroplating process involves placing the item to be plated and the metal used as the plating into an electrolyte solution. Electricity then passes through the solution causing the plating metal to shed a bit. The small pieces then flow through the solution and adhere to the item you want covered.

Electroless Plating

When you do not want to have electricity passing through the item to be plated, electroless plating may be the answer. Electroless plating provides protection from oxidation so the metals covered will not rust. Electroless plating also builds up a piece so that it fits properly in place.

Instead of using electricity, electroless plating uses chemicals in the electrolyte solution to cause the plating metal to release some of its atoms and join to the piece you need coated. While this process protects the item from any electrical damage, the coating does not last as long as an electroplated coat.

Immersion Plating

Immersion plating improves a metal's conductivity, reduces corrosion, and increases the item's hardness. The process is slower than other methods and the results do not last as long. In addition, the plating metal must be a noble (chemically inert) metal.

The noble metal is placed into an electrolyte solution where the metal sheds some of its ions. The piece is then put into the solution and the loose ions from the noble metal are pulled toward the piece you need to be plated, adhering to the piece.

Plasma Spray Coating

When you have parts or items that must endure very high temperatures, plasma spray coating is a good option. This process also prevents corrosion. However, it may change the conductivity of the item.

The plating metal to be used for plasma spray coating is heated to extremely high temperature in a plasma flame. Once the metal melts, it is very quickly sprayed onto the piece you need coated and quickly cooled.

In addition to choosing the method to plate your metal piece, you must also decide which metal you want to be used for the coating. Some metals work better with certain methods and some cannot be used with other methods. Of course, if you want the piece to be decorative, you should choose the plating metal that best fits with the look you want to achieve.

The next time you are about to replace a piece of metal because is it tarnished or starting to rust, consider metal plating. You might be surprised to find out that plating is less expensive than replacement. Of course, this is not always true so you need to get a few quotes and consider how long the new piece will last if you don't have it plated.

Contact General Brite Plating to help you decide between plating and replacement. We can even discuss which method and metals work best for your needs. We want to be sure that your metal pieces look great, fit where they are supposed to be and perform the tasks you need them to perform.

8 Reasons to Choose Chrome Plating

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 04:34:36 GMT

One of the main options when it comes to metal plating is chrome plating. Chrome plating offers some distinct advantages that make it the best metal plating option in numerous scenarios.

The following are eight reasons you should choose chrome plating if you're looking to enhance your items with metal plating.

1. Lack of Corrosion

Corrosion is a significant problem with metal items because it can ruin their structural integrity and destroy them over time. Fortunately, chrome plating will prevent corrosion from developing on a material.

Because chrome plating prevents rust, it is popular for applications like auto body parts that are prone to rust. The automotive industry consumes chrome more than any other industry.

2. Capability of Withstanding Weather Extremes

Chrome plating fortifies materials by making them resistant to damage from weather extremes. Chrome-plated items aren't prone to experiencing damage from extremely high or low temperatures. They also aren't subject to damage due to high or low humidity levels.

The ability of chrome plating to withstand weather extremes makes chrome plating a good option for strengthening items that need to be used outdoors in particularly brutal climates.

3. Restoration to Like-New Condition

Chrome plating puts a coating over an item that completely revitalizes the item's appearance. After chrome plating, items look brand new and lose any physical faults that they previously had.

Chrome plating is a cost-effective way to restore old items to like-new condition.

4. Attractive Appearance

Chrome plating is often chosen for its smooth, sleek appearance as a method to beautify products and parts. Chrome plating is a relatively simple process that gives items an entirely new look, feel and surface characteristic.

The finish offered by chrome plating is bright and eye-catching. The aesthetic appeal of chrome plating makes chrome plating a popular choice on items that are going to be conspicuous and decorative.

5. Lack of Substrate Metal Effects

Another advantage of chrome plating is that it won't damage the substrate material. The substrate material remains undamaged during the chrome plating application thanks to the fact that this type of plating can be applied even at lower temperatures.

When metal plating is applied at higher temperatures, some deterioration and weakening of the substrate material often result.

6. Handling of Complex Forms

Metal plating sometimes has restrictions in terms of coating objects of unusual and irregular forms. However, chrome plating can be used on irregularly shaped items and even on objects that include bores or holes in their designs. Chrome plating is, therefore, a highly versatile metal plating option.

7. Strength of Adherence

Some types of metal plating don't adhere as reliably to the substrate material as chrome plating does. Chrome plating's strength of adherence contributes durability to the items it is used on.

Chrome plating adheres so strongly that flaking and/or de-lamination are very unlikely it has been applied. The strong adherence of chrome plating maximizes the lifespan of chrome plating and minimizes the need for repairs or maintenance over time.

8. Lubricity

Chrome plating offers perhaps the best lubricity out of any other metal plating option. The lubricity of chrome plating is advantageous in numerous ways. These lubricity advantages contribute to the engineering value of chrome plating.

Lubricity minimizes friction between moving parts. Lubricity also leaves chrome plated items more resistance to abrasion and the resulting wear and tear over time.

Furthermore, chrome plating's lubricity will minimize the chances that galling will occur. Galling describes wear on metal surfaces that is caused by adhesion when sliding, transverse motions occur between materials.

General Brite Plating specialized in chrome plating. Contact us for all your metal finishing needs.

Prepare Your Jewelry Designs for Gold or Silver Plating

Tue, 16 Apr 2019 02:14:13 GMT

Metal plating in jewelry creation is a process of depositing a thin layer of one metal over the surface of another metal. This process is used for decoration, to improve brightness and shine,and to add value. As a jewelry designer, you may want to create your designs in a base metal such as copper, brass, stainless steel, or bronze and then have your designs plated in gold or silver.

There are many reasons to have your jewelry designs gold or silver plated. One reason is that the metal plating process allows you to offer your jewelry designs economically and thus appeal to a wider range of clients.

For best results, have your jewelry designs professionally plated. Here is the process to prepare your jewelry components and designs to be professionally plated in the precious metals of silver and gold.

Create Your Metal Components

Design and create the metal components of your designs in the base metal of your choice. Cut and shape your base metal designs with steel saws, steel files,and leather and steel hammers. Refine and finish the edges and surfaces with sandpapers in grits from coarse to fine.

If you will be soldering and joining pieces of metal, make sure that all component parts fit together perfectly. This means that all flat and curved surfaces fit against adjoining surfaces with no gaps or misalignments.

Texturize Your Metal Surfaces

Once your metal parts are formed, you can apply surface designs and textures to your components. You can do this by hammering them with a chasing hammer and by stamping them with steel stamps.

Another method is to use a flexible shaft rotary power tool with texturizing wheels to create different surface textures. Component parts can also be sandblasted to create a grainy surface texture. Different grades of sand can be used to create small or large marks on the metal to create a surface finish.

Solder Your Metal Components

To solder your metal parts, place them close to each other on a soldering block so that the areas that you wish to join are touching. Add a drop of liquid flux with a paintbrush to the area where the components touch.

Use a torch to heat your metal components to a glowing red color. While they glow, take a damp paintbrush and pick up a small chip of solder,and then drop the chip onto the area where the components touch.

The solder will instantly melt and flow into the pieces of metal. Allow the soldered parts to cool on the soldering block fora minute. Then pick them up with a pair of tweezers and quench them in a cup of water.

Clean Your Metal Components

After forming, texturizing, and soldering your metal components, thoroughly wash them with soap and water and rinse well. This process will remove oils, markings, adhesives, dust, and other debris.

Next, steam clean your metal parts with a hand-held steam cleaner to blast off any impurities that may remain on the textured surfaces of the metal. Once your metal components are completely clean, handle them while wearing cotton gloves. This treatment will keep your materials clean in preparation for plating.

Gold or Silver Plate Your Metal Components

Take your prepared metal components into a professional metal plating company. Tell the plating company what base metal you used to make your designs and the process you followed to prepare them for plating.

For complete metal plating services, contact us at General Brite Plating . Our expert technicians can plate and finish your jewelry designs in the metal of your choice. Call us or come into our offices for a free estimate on all of our services.

USE CHROME TO PLATE YOUR LOVED ONE'S CHERISHED BELONGINGS

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

When a loved one becomes ill and passes away, it often leaves the family mourning their loss. Many people do not want to forget the treasured memories they have of their loved ones, so they choose to keep a memento of the person they lost. This memento serves as a constant reminder of the good times that they had together.

If you have lost a loved one recently, you may want to consider having a collection of theirs chrome plated. The chrome plating will protect the items from corrosion and damage so that you and your family can cherish the items forever.

Many people do not know what goes into having items chrome plated though. The following guide walks you through a few things to know about having items plated as keepsakes after a loved one passes away.

Determine If There Are Size Restrictions When Having Items Plated

When having items plated, the first thing you need to do is find out how large or small the items that will be plated can be. Some companies can only plate things that fit within certain size restrictions. Find out what dimensions the items can be to ensure that you only bring items the plating company can easily plate.

Choose the Items You Want to Have Chrome Plated Wisely

You then need to go through your loved one's house to determine which items your family wants to have plated. You may want to choose an entire collection of items that your loved one owned so that each member of the family can have a piece of the collection to cherish forever.
Some families choose to allow each family member to choose the item that they want to have plated. Make sure to clarify which item is designated for each family member so that no one fights over the pieces after they are plated.

Determine the Cost to Have the Items Plated

Before agreeing to have the items plated, find out how much the cost will be. The cost for the plating can vary based on the size of the item and the material it is made from. Some materials take more work to plate than others, and thus it costs more to have them done. For example, plastic and aluminum may be more difficult to plate than nickel or copper.
Determine if the cost of the plating will be split evenly throughout the family or if each person will pay for their item to get plated individually. Some plating companies will offer you a discounted rate for plating multiple items at once, so be sure to ask the company about any deals you may qualify for.

Be Flexible on the Timeline for the Plating

When having items plated, it is important to be flexible with the timeline. If you want to have it done immediately so that the items can be distributed at the wake or funeral, you may have to pay an additional charge to have the work rushed. You need to discuss with your family if that is a cost they are willing to pay before having the plating done.
The company will be able to give you a timeline for when the items will be done if you do not rush them. You could plan a separate ceremony after they are finished to distribute them so that you do not have to pay more for the plating.
If you plan to have items plated in the near future, contact General Plating Company right away. They can plate large and small items with ease so you and your family can keep your loved one's valued treasures for years to come.

PICKING THE PERFECT FINISH FOR YOUR FAUCETS

Sun, 12 Nov 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Whether you're building a new house or restoring an old one, you may feel like you have a million decisions to make. Where are you going to put the fridge? What type of flooring will you use in the living room? How many lights does your dining room really need?

Another important question you will be asking yourself is what type of finish you will be using on your bathroom and kitchen faucets. Bathrooms and kitchens are a huge selling point in a house and need to look their best. Every member of your family spends a lot of time in the bathroom and the kitchen, so you want your faucets to be durable and look good.

There are several different finishes you can put on your faucets. Here are the benefits of each so you can decide which one is best for you.

Chrome Finish

Chrome finishes are a widely popular choice because they are both durable and inexpensive. They are also easy to maintain because they are naturally shiny and easily matched with other types of metal in the room. The only disadvantage is that it shows water spots.

Nickel Finish

Nickel is a popular choice because it stands up to scratches well, is shiny and is easy to clean. Nickel is a little more expensive than chrome, but it resists water spots better. If you choose brushed nickel instead of polished nickel, you will be pleased to find it is one of the most durable finishes, and it doesn't show wear and tear.

Brass Finish

There are a couple different types of brass that can be used on faucets. One is a polished brass finish, which gives your room a nice vintage look. Polished brass is easy to clean, is durable and matches well with other finishes.
Satin brass provides a bolder accent color that doesn't show fingerprints or water spots. Satin brass doesn’t match as well with other fixtures, but it does give the room a more modern feel. Both types of brass are more expensive than some other finishes.

Copper Finish

Copper finish on a faucet makes a bold statement and is hard to miss. Copper finish is easy to find, and scratches made in the finish eventually disappear or blend in. One big disadvantage to copper is that it fades easily. You either have to do regular maintenance or allow it to fade, giving it the farmhouse effect, which can be beautiful if that's the style you're going for.

Bronze Finish

There are two types of bronze finishes, brushed or oil-rubbed. While more expensive than the cheaper materials, bronze is durable and doesn't show water marks. If you have small children or a big family, brushed bronze is more durable than oil-rubbed bronze.

Mixed Finishes

Style is always changing, and this goes for your faucet finishes as well. If you can't decide on one finish or are trying to match an already existing one, then you'll be pleased to find that mixed finishes are in style.
Multiple finishes add contrast, which can bring harmony to the room if used in moderation. Just be sure to stick with either all brushed or all polished. If you want to mix brushed and polished, use all the same metal. Having one of these aspects the same will help pull everything together.
Whether you're trying to sell your house, build a new one or are just looking to update, the bathroom and the kitchen are the places to pay the most attention to. Update your faucets and you update the feel of the whole room. Whatever your budget, style or taste, call us at General Plating Company. We are sure to meet your every need.

BENEFITS OF RESTORING YOUR SILVER-PLATED HEIRLOOMS

Tue, 26 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

While silver-plated antiques are not as valuable as solid-silver pieces, they are often treasured family heirlooms worth preserving. But what can you do when that silver coating fades or chips? There are many stop-gap measures you can take, but the only way to truly restore your silver-plated items to their former glory is through re-plating. Here are four reasons why your heirlooms deserve a fresh start.

Silver-plated items provide all the elegance and allure of silver without the associated cost. During the silver-plating process, a veneer of silver is bonded with electricity to a less expensive metal like copper or brass. This results in a beautiful silver finish that is chemically bonded to the inner metal, forming a single, solid object. The silver that covers your heirloom is as much a part of it as is the metal at its core.

Over time, however, that plating can wear away, exposing the metal below. This blemishes the appearance of your object and also leaves it vulnerable to corrosion and other damages. Silver acts as a non-corrosive shield for weaker metals. Without its intended coating, your heirloom will not be protected from the normal deterioration of corrosive metals, and its value as a decorative piece will be diminished.

Even if your heirloom's silver coating does not reveal the metal beneath, it will still fade and tarnish over time. For solid silver, the only answer to this problem is to carefully treat and polish the metal. Silver-plated items offer a somewhat simpler solution through regular re-plating.
During a re-plating procedure, the old coating of silver is first removed. The metal must be completely clean for the plating to work. Once it is primed and ready, electrolysis chemically bonds a layer of silver, just like its initial manufacture. Your heirloom can then be polished and returned to display, with no extra effort on your part.
With a fresh coat of silver, your heirloom can shine as its creator intended. Instead of looking like a worn-out antique, sitting unnoticed in the corner, it will stand out as a centerpiece wherever you place it. Bright, clean silver is a beautiful addition to any room, reflecting the amount of care and attention it has received.

If you own silver-plated tableware like plates, cups or cutlery, you may want to bring it out for special occasions. But while silver is safe for human use, the metals below may not be. Pewter, for example, is a common base metal in antique pieces, but it often contains lead. Over time, exposure to these toxins can lead to significant health and developmental problems.
Be aware of the metals beneath your silver plating and be sure that any surface you eat or drink from is properly covered before use. By having your tableware professionally inspected and re-plated, you can rest assured that any meals or drinks you serve are safe for human consumption. At the bare minimum, you should always have antique tableware checked for lead before use.

A silver-plated antique that is allowed to tarnish and erode for too long will eventually begin to rust. Once this process begins, it can be difficult, if not impossible, to reverse the damage. The only way to preserve metal is to treat it with the respect it deserves throughout its lifespan. With the right care, silver-plated pieces can last just as long as solid silver.
Through basic maintenance, you can protect your family's heritage for many future generations to share and enjoy. Re-plating is a straightforward process, and the expert technicians at General Plating Company aim to make your restoration experience as quick and easy as possible. Contact them today to learn more about their silver-plating services and how their professionals can help you with your project.