Door Hardware is available in a variety of finishes to complement each other and other hardware that you may already have in your building, on wood doors or steel doors. Finish availability and color appearance may vary by manufacturer, hardware type, series, and/or model.
While the “look” is important, when choosing the best finish for your commercial design project, it should not be the deciding factor on door hardware, particularly for commercial use. In commercial facilities, the application of the building is often the primary driver in finish selection.
Satin chrome is the best-selling finish for commercial facilities. Satin Chrome offers a contemporary look and feel that doesn’t stand out too much and fits in with most styles. Plus it is very durable and withstands more wear-and-tear than its counterparts. With this finish, chrome is plated over another metal to provide extra hardness and resistance to corrosion. Those unfamiliar with commercial standards may easily confuse satin chrome for satin nickel. However, satin nickel is typically used for residential applications and rarely used in commercial buildings.
Oil-rubbed bronze, which boasts a more artistic look, is the next best-selling finish. As a living finish, it is chemically darkened or blackened for an “aged” look. It has some downsides, though. The dark bronze coating wears off with time, to expose the dull brass/bronze material beneath. The process used to create the look can also cause variation in the finish–from dark chocolate to a dark gray with copper undertones. In some facilities, this is the intended look, but in other buildings, it comes as a surprise to see the wear pattern where the hardware has been touched.
