A Brief Guide to the Different Types of Brass Finishes

If you've ever shopped around your local hardware store for bathroom fixtures, doorknobs, and similar accessories, you know that there are almost too many options to choose from. Sometimes, you can't even tell the difference between all the different finishes. You may want to include brass fixtures in your rooms but may not know which finish to choose. So here's a brief guide to the different types of brass finishes to help you see the distinctions.

Polished Brass

Polished brass is the classic surface that most people associate with brass fixtures. It has a golden yellow hue and shines brilliantly due to its smoothness. Polished brass looks beautiful in traditional rooms and can bring a vintage style to a space. The only downside to polished brass is that its smooth surface can attract fingerprints and water spots. However, because most polished brass already undergoes treatment, you can clean and polish it easily.

Antique Brass

Antique brass undergoes a treatment and coloring process to give it more of an aged appearance. The golden undertones of natural brass are still present, though antique brass has a deeper surface shade of brown or beige. If you're a fan of vintage style, antique brass will fit into your current aesthetic perfectly.

Satin Brass

Satin brass has more of a textured finish. Due to the light, textured appearance, this brass has a more muted color. It leans towards a gold-brown hue instead of the warm, golden-yellow color of natural or polished brass.

Brushed Brass

Brushed brass finishes have the unique quality of brushstrokes, which creates a textured appearance on the surface. Because of this texture, brushed brash finishes have more of a matte look than polished brass.

Unlacquered Brass

Unlacquered brass is unique because it has no protective coating. Most brass surfaces need a protective layer over them to avoid tarnishing, but unlacquered brass invites this aging process. This type of brass will darken with patina and age, which is appealing to some people. You can always polish it to restore its original glow as well.

Which is your favorite brass finish? We hope this brief guide to the different types of brass finishes has given you inspiration for decorating a room in your own home. If you're interested in adding brass accessories to your rooms, check out Allied Brass for brass and other beautiful metal finishes.