This section shows photos of our brass-coated plaques and signs. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and has the yellow color of gold, but without its high reflectivity. Brass was made in China from as early as the 5th Millennium BC., and was used commonly at third millennium BC sites in the Aegean region to India. In antiquity, it was polished and used for mirrors and antique scientific instruments. Today it enhances acoustic properties of horns and organ pipe reeds (i.e., brass musical instruments such as trumpets) and is also used today for medals, military insignia, locks, gears, bearings, doorknobs, ammunition shells, valves, plumbing, electrical components and clockworks.
Durable and classically beautiful, our brass coatings possess all the physical properties of solid cast brass yet its composite matrix gives it the added benefit of being anti-corrosive – in other words, even after years of use and exposure to the elements there will be no corrosion, just a beautiful patina.
We coat our HDU and metal plaques and signs with a cold-casting brass metal coating liquid spray (using a spray gun or airbrush). We use a proprietary blend of real brass particles and a binder (similar to epoxy resin for fiberglass) that we cold-spray onto virtually any substrate, including High-Density-Urethane,(HDU) (most common), acrylic, aluminum, and steel, to create the look and feel of solid cast brass. Our brass-coated carved plaques use as a substrate 30 lb/ft3 density (about the density of wood) High Density Urethane (i.e.,Precision Board from Coastal Enterprises) for improved polishing and extra durability; this has twice the density and strength of HDU that most other sign companies use for their HDU signs, which has a density of only 15 lb/ft3 and less than half the strength.
The brass veneer has a living finish and will age naturally over time. The brass coating is applied as part of a proprietary seven-step process by our craftsmen. At an average 10-mil thickness (metal electroplating is less than 1-mil thick), our metal-coating process adds less than four ounces of weight per square foot, provides the durability of solid cast metal, and is non-corrosive. Our metal-coating veneer and HDU substrate has a Class 1-Class A fire rating. Metal-coating is expensive because of the cost of the material ($800 to $1000 for a gallon), and the extensive labor required to hand polish and burnish the brass to a high shine (as much as 8 hours for a large plaque). Our metal-coated plaques cost $162/ft2 (retail) , compared to our bronze metallic painted HDU plaques with a price of $87/ft2 .
Our proprietary brassl-coated HDU substrate may be used for on both interior and exterior locations. The brass veneer will not chip, flake, bubble, or peel and will last a lifetime. The veneer is impervious to ultraviolet light, non-corrosive, non-conductive of electricity and can withstand a force of 2,200 psi without detaching from the HDU substrate. These brass coatings can be applied with a patina, spot-polished, or high-polished. Samples of these colors and textures are shown in the photos in M7101 . The variations for each material are achieved by the mixture ratios of the coating material and the amount of polishing on different areas .
To see over 100 metal -coated and gilded plaques & signs, you can go to the Gallery 7 (metal signs & plaques ) page by clicking "Return to List" below right.
