What is the difference between stainless steel, brushed, chrome and aluminum?

Each person has their own taste for everything. Time to build too. Be it engineers, architects or even future residents, everyone has different visions of the project and the raw materials that should be used. If there's one thing that everyone agrees on is that it's often difficult to know which is the best choice among so many options with different names for visually similar materials. To help you differentiate once and for all stainless steel, brushed, chrome and aluminum, we explain below what are the main differences between them, check this website.

Know the difference between stainless steel, brushed, chrome and aluminum

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is a metallic alloy produced with different types of metals, and although its composition can vary, it is always composed of at least 10.5% chromium, an element that helps to give resistance to corrosion and durability to the final product. The protection given by chromium is due to the reaction that occurs when it comes into contact with air, as it forms an oxide layer on its surface, which prevents direct contact of the steel with oxygen, the latter responsible for oxidation. This protective layer also protects against other aggressors, such as chemicals and sudden changes in temperature.

Despite the stainless steel variations available on the market, they all have characteristics in common, the main ones being:

* Very high corrosion resistance;
* Excellent durability;
* Easy cleaning;
* Low maintenance cost;
* Strong aesthetic appeal;
* Versatility;
* Impact resistance.

3 main types of stainless steel.

Austenitic: composed mainly of iron, nickel and chromium, it is a version of the metallic alloy widely used in civil construction and industrial equipment, because it resists deformation (ductility) very well and facilitates welding.

Martensitic: despite being the least corrosion resistant version, due to its very low percentage of carbon, this is precisely the characteristic that also makes it highly durable, capable of resisting strong impacts and high temperatures.

Ferritic: it is widely used in the manufacture of domestic utensils, as it does not contain nickel in its composition, which reduces costs, and is easily moldable and weldable.

Brushed or Polished Steel

What determines whether the steel will be brushed or polished is the finish it will receive at the end of the manufacturing process. Brushed steel gains a roughened surface, which has the benefit of disguising future scratches caused by use. Polished steel, on the other hand, has a smooth and shiny appearance, requiring greater care for its conservation over time. Both are easy to clean, but the cost of polished steel is slightly higher than brushed steel.

Chrome Steel

Chromed steel alloy receives a greater amount of chromium than stainless steel, which makes it look even more lively and shiny than polished stainless steel. Its production process has fewer steps, which also makes it cheaper. On the other hand, its maintenance is more complicated and requires that it be kept dry to avoid the appearance of rust, in addition to being a material that cannot be recycled.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a pure material, that is, it is not made of any metallic alloy. Its advantage is its lightness and softness, which makes it a cheaper material, since it needs less raw material to be manufactured. It also has good oxidation resistance and can be recycled. Its disadvantage compared to stainless steel is the difficulty in cleaning, which must be carried out with non-abrasive products to avoid damage to the material.