Most hardware complaints are not faults. They are a finish doing exactly what it was always going to do, in a situation nobody warned the client about.

This page covers what each finish is, where it holds up, where it does not, and how to look after it.

The one rule

A soft cloth and warm water. Dry it afterwards.

No abrasives, no scouring pads, no bleach, no ammonia, no solvents, and nothing marketed as a metal polish unless the finish is raw brass. Most hardware damage we see was done by a cleaning product, not by use.

Watch for cleaners sprayed onto nearby surfaces too. Overspray from a bathroom or benchtop cleaner will mark a lever just as effectively as cleaning it directly.

Living finishes, and why they change

Some finishes are sealed and stay as they are. Others are left open deliberately so they age. The difference matters enormously to a client, and it is worth settling before the order, not after.

Unlacquered and aged brass, bronze and copper will change. They darken, they develop patina, and they will wear brighter where hands touch them most. That is the material behaving correctly and it is not covered by any warranty as a defect, because it is not one.

Hand finished ranges vary piece to piece. Windsor's hand finishes and Armac Martin's aged brass are applied by hand, so two handles from the same order will not be identical. Most specifiers want exactly that. Some clients do not.

If a client wants every handle in the house to look machine identical in five years, specify a plated or powder coated finish and tell them why.

Finish by finish

Matt and smooth black

Usually powder coated or PVD. Stable, consistent, and the most specified finish in Australia. Shows dust and fingerprints more than its reputation suggests, particularly in a gloss variant.

Care: damp cloth, dry off. Never an abrasive, which will polish the matt texture into a shine in patches.

Graphite and gun metal

A warm grey with a low sheen, generally PVD. Hard wearing and the most forgiving finish for fingerprints we sell.

Care: damp cloth. Very low maintenance.

Brushed and satin nickel

A soft silver with a directional grain. Hides marks far better than chrome, which is why it suits family homes.

Care: wipe along the grain, not across it. Dry to avoid water spotting.

Polished and satin chrome

Hard, bright and very durable. The most water spot prone finish we sell, which matters in bathrooms and in hard water areas.

Care: dry after cleaning, every time. Water left to evaporate leaves mineral marks that are difficult to remove without damaging the plating.

Satin, brushed and polished brass

Check whether it is lacquered. Lacquered brass holds its colour, and the thing to protect is the lacquer, so no abrasives and no polish. Unlacquered brass will patina, darkening unevenly and brightening where it is handled.

Care: lacquered, damp cloth only. Unlacquered, damp cloth, and a brass polish only if the client wants it returned to bright. Polishing lacquered brass will strip the lacquer and ruin it.

Bronze, aged brass and antique finishes

Deliberately uneven, and intended to continue aging. High points will lighten with handling.

Care: damp cloth only. Never polish. Polishing removes the aged surface and it cannot be put back.

Stainless steel

The right call near the coast. 316 marine grade for anything within direct salt exposure, 304 inland.

Care: stainless is corrosion resistant, not corrosion proof. In coastal Perth, rinse external hardware with fresh water periodically. Tea staining, a light brown surface discolouration, is a salt deposit rather than rust, and comes off with a mild stainless cleaner.

Timber

Ookami Studio timber is finished in hard wax rather than lacquer, so the grain stays open.

Care: dry or barely damp cloth. No solvents, no abrasives, and never leave water standing on it. Timber darkens with handling, which is intended.

Coastal and high moisture

Perth is a coastal city and a lot of hardware fails earlier here than the supplier's warranty assumes.

• Within a kilometre of the coast, specify 316 stainless for anything external. Plated finishes will pit.
• Pool surrounds are harsher than the beach. Chlorine and salt together will attack most plated finishes.
• Bathrooms and laundries are fine for most finishes in normal use, but not for timber on a surface that regularly sits wet.
• External doors under cover behave very differently to doors in full weather. Tell us which it is.

Several ranges are explicitly not warranted for coastal use. If the project is near water, tell us before you specify and we will confirm what is suitable.

Matching finishes across brands

Two brands can both call a finish brushed brass and look nothing alike side by side. Finish names are not standardised across the industry.

If a project mixes brands in one visual field, a kitchen where the cabinet hardware and the door levers are different makes, bring samples together before committing. Our Palmyra showroom has every finish we carry on display, which is the fastest way to settle it.

Supplier care guides

Each brand publishes its own instructions, and where a warranty is involved, theirs is the one that counts.

• Zanda finishes and care
• Olivari cleaning instructions
• Armac Martin care guide
• Bellevue hardware maintenance
• Windsor finishes
• Bankston materials and finishes

Questions

If something has marked, discoloured or worn and you are not sure whether it is a fault, send us a photograph. We will tell you honestly whether it is a warranty matter or the finish behaving as designed.

Call 1300 522 163 or email sales@entry-point.com.au.

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