Materials Used as Finished Surfaces

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Materials Used as Finished Surfaces
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Metals Metals are generally categorized by their
iron content. Ferrous (from the Latin ferrum)
metals consist mostly of iron. Nonferrous
metals contain little or no iron, generally have
good corrosion resistance, and are non-magnetic.
Nonferrous metals include copper, aluminum,
silver, and gold.
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There are different ways to produce metal
shapes. Casting metal products are made by
pouring molten metal into a mold. Extruding
shapes are produced by forcing semi-molten
material through a die. Forged shapes are
hammered, pressed, or rolled into the desired
shape. Wrought metal shapes are formed by
rolling the metal into sheets, and then
punching or cutting our the required flat
shape. When dissimilar metals are connected by
an electrolyte, a current, called a galvanic
current, flows from one to the other metal. An
electrolyte is any liquid that conducts
electricity, for example, water. This electric
current causes one of the metals to deteriorate,
and this reaction is called galvanic corrosion.
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some metals are more easily corroded by galvanic
corrosion, such as zinc, and aluminum some
metals are less easily corroded, such as
stainless steel or copper. Metals that are
higher on the galvanic scale will corrode when
electrolytically connected to metals that are
lower on the scale. Finishing processes used
with metals Mechanical finishes achieved by
buffing, grinding, polishing, hammering, or
otherwise texturing the metal surface for a
specific appearance. Chemical finishes
various solutions applied to the surface of
metals cause reactions that alter the
surface character. Coatings are either
materials applied to the metal or formed by
the metal itself through a chemical or
electro- chemical process.
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Galvanic corrosion is an often overlooked
problem. If two metals are in contact with
each other with an electrolyte present, then the
metal which is less noble, or more anodic, will
start to corrode.
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• GALVANIC SCALE
• ANODIC / LESS NOBLE / CORRODED END
• Zinc
• Aluminum
• Galvanized Steel
• Cadmium
• Mild Steel, Wrought Iron
• Cast Iron
• Stainless Steel, Types 304 and 316 (active)
• Lead-Tin Solder
• Lead
• Brass, Bronze
• Copper
• Stainless Steel, Types 304 and 316 (Passive)
• CATHODIC / MORE NOBLE / PROTECTED END
• Active Stainless Steel is stainless steel that
  hasnt been chemically cleaned.

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Say you took some galvanized nails and used them
to secure some copper flashingsand then it
rains. (Rain water is a great electrolyte.)
Over a period of time, the more noble copper
will corrode the less noble galvanized steel,
then you have nothing left to hold your copper
flashings.
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Aluminum The earth's most plentiful metal about
8 of the earth's crust is composed of
aluminum. Aluminum is never found as a free
metal in nature. It is always chemically
combined with other elements, and therefore must
be 'extracted'. Aluminum is a soft, flexible
metal, it is light in weight, and yet very
strong. Aluminum is highly resistant to
corrosion, it is an excellent thermal and
electrical conductor. Aluminum is used for
door frames, windows, horizontal louver blinds,
furniture, hardware, bicycle frames, and cases
for a great variety of products, such as
televisions, vcr's, and computers. Aluminum
finishes Because aluminum is highly resistant to
corrosion, it often does not require a
special finish.
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Nevertheless, finishes are often applied to
aluminum for visual/decorative reasons. Aluminum
is finished using one of three possible
processes Mechanical finish Mechanical
finishes are generally used to alter the texture
of the profile. Often, they are used to improve
the surface quality by taking the material from
a rough texture to a mirror-like surface finish.
Polishing, grinding, tumbling and burnishing are
examples of different types of mechanical
finishes. Anodic coating Anodizing is a
process where the aluminum profile is immersed in
a tank containing an acid solution. An electric
current is then passed through it. The
combination of oxygen and the surface aluminum
forms a hard film of aluminum oxide on the
profile. This film serves to increase the
resistance to corrosion and abrasions.
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Chemical finish Chemical coatings may be
several processes. Bright dipping requires the
application of a special solution to the aluminum
profile resulting in a mirror-like finish.
Typically, this process is followed by
anodizing to protect the surface or to introduce
a special color to the profile. The etching
process requires that the aluminum profile be
passed through a caustic solution which will
result in a frosted finish on the profile.
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Extrusion is defined as the process of shaping
material, such as aluminum, by forcing it to
flow through a shaped opening in a die.
Extruded material emerges as an elongated piece
with the same profile as the die opening.
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Anodizing is available in an infinite number of
colors. The effect of volume on pricing of
anodized colors is difficult to overstate. This
is because an anodizer must procure enough dye to
charge a tank in which he can completely
submerge the parts. With large parts, say 24'
long, dyeing can be very expensive. For example
it can cost 10,000 to charge a 30' tank with a
lightfast dye. The anodizer must recoup this
cost in his pricing. Because of the potential
for huge setup charges, most architectural
anodizing is done with a 185 minimum charge in
clear (silver), bronzes and black.
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The most common finish that is applied to
aluminum is anodizing. The coating provided by
anodizing is thick enough (typically .03 mm) to
withstandweathering and typical corrosion
forces. Anodized coatings can be transparent,
translucent, or opaque.
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Copper Copper is a relatively soft, malleable,
corrosion resistant non ferrous metal. Copper
will develop a green patina if exposed to the
weather. Copper can be made harder and stronger
by adding small amounts of tin. copper tin
bronze Copper and zinc combine to form
brass copper zinc brass Brass is commonly
used for door hardware, plumbing fixtures, small
nails, and sculptures.
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Iron About 5 of the earth's crust is composed
of iron. Wrought iron is made from iron ore
that is heated until it is soft but not
melted . Cast iron contains large amounts of
carbon, making it so hard and brittle that it
cannot be worked into shapes, but must be cast
into molds. Plumbing drainage pipes and
ornamental rails for exterior use are often made
from cast iron. Stainless Steel Stainless steel
is an iron alloy that is inherently corrosion
resistant because it contains chromium. Stainless
steel alloys contain at least 50 iron and 10.5
chromium.
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This poster shows aluminum extruded shapes.
Aluminum extruded shapes
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Powder Coating Liquid paint is composed of
pigment, resin, and solvent. Powder paint is
simply pigment encapsulated in a powdered resin
and is thus simply thought of as paint without
the solvent.
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Anodized aluminum guilted or diamond pattern
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Fluted, mirror stainless steel (top three)
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Clear-coated aluminum with hand-brushed
directional finish
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Bronze (left), stainless steel (right)
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Stainless steel and woven brass architectural mesh
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Aluminum with satin finish, perforated and fluted
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Hand-brush nondirectional stainless steel
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Expanded metal
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Bronze
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Patinated cost bronze
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Cast iron machine parts
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Cast bronze
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Stainless steel canopy
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Steel siding
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Brass decorative entryway
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Satin-finish stainless steel doorway
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Stainless steel door, perforated design
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Wood Tree species are divided into two classes
softwood and hardwood These terms do not
describe a wood's hardness or density. Basswood,
for example, is classified as a hardwood, but is
actually relatively soft. Softwoods are defined
as coniferous trees, evergreens, which have
needles instead of leaves. Hardwoods are from
deciduous trees, which have broad leaves that are
shed each winter. These include fruit and nut
trees. a variety of hardwoods and softwoods
should be a part of your knowledge! Wood is
used in interior architectural applications such
as building construction construction
lumber, manufactured lumber products such as
particle board, plywood, oriented strand board,
and fiberboards such as medium density
fiberboard (MDF)
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interior finish components wall panels,
flooring, ceiling panels, doors, door frames,
windows, window frames, stairs, handrails, et
cetera furniture chairs, tables, desks, beds,
cabinets, et cetera When wood products are to
remain visible, such as in a dining table, or a
wall panel, the quality of the wood becomes very
important. When the wood products are not
visible, such as in sub flooring roof
sheathing concealed frames of cabinets et
cetera the quality of the wood product selected
is more about its strength, dimensional
stability, workability, and cost.
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The visual character of wood can vary greatly due
to species of wood finish applied to the
wood the way the wood was cut from the log Wood
is sawn, at a sawmill, by cutting the log in
specific ways. plain sawn wood the most
common way to saw lumber. Plain sawing produced
the least waste and requires the least labor
Plain sawn lumber is cut tangentially to the
annual growth rings of the tree. Quarter sawn
lumber is more costly to produce than plain sawn.
Quarter sawn lumber has a more uniform visual
surface character and it tends to wear more
evenly than plain sawn lumber. Rift sawn lumber
is cut with the growth rings at 30 to 60 degrees
to the face of the board, which often produces
flecks on the surface of the board.
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Man made wood products Plywood plywood is
usually a composite of odd numbered layers there
can be 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 layers of wood or wood
products in a sheet of plywood. plywood is
always made into sheets, typically 4' x 8', with
thicknesses that include 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 3/8",
1/2", 5/8", 3/4", 1" There are generally
speaking, two categories of plywood plywood
faced with hardwoods and used for
decorative/visual purposes plywood used for
underlayment and other concealed construction
Construction grade plywood is graded and marked
according to product standard PS-1, Construction
and Industrial Plywood. Construction grade
plywood is rated and marked according to its
application, exposure to weather, and
thickness. Hardwood veneer plywood is used
extensively in the manufacturing of furniture
and decorative wall paneling. Hardwood plywood
is rated according to its species, grade of
veneers, type of plywood, composition of the
plywood, and size and thickness.
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Particleboard manufactured from wood particles,
or fibers, which are bonded under heat and
pressure with an adhesive resin. The particles
can easily be seen by examining a piece of
particleboard. The surface of particleboard is
relatively smooth, and hard, and the material
can hold a shaped edge fairly well. The edges of
particleboard do not hold nails or screws very
well. Particleboard is most commonly used as
substrate for laminate surfaces, for kitchen
cabinet shelving, and as flooring
underlayment. Medium density fiberboard (MDF)
is manufactured by breaking down wood particles
into fibers through the use of steam pressure.
The resulting fibers are mixed with an adhesive
resin and pressed into panels. The fineness of
the fibers gives MDF a homogenous appearance and
a very smooth surface. This type of
fiberboard is actually available in a high
density product, two versions of medium density,
and a low density. Most of the fiberboard
manufactured in the United States is of the
medium density grade.
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Hardboard essentially a high density
fiberboard. Similar to MDF, but the fibers are
bonded under higher pressure, and often without
an adhesive. A common form of hardboard is the
product Masonite. Oriented Strand Board (OSB)
is made from thin, narrow strands of both
hardwood and softwoods, which are blended with
adhesive and formed into a multi layered panel.
Wood Veneer Veneers are slices of wood about
1/28" to 1/36" thick. The great virtue of
veneers is that much more surface area can be
obtained from one log of wood than if the log
was used to make thicker boards. Veneers are
typically adhered under pressure to a stable
substrate, therefore a veneered panel usually
does not warp or deform as solid wood boards or
panels do. Veneer can also be adhered to flexible
fabric backing to be used as a wall
covering. Veneers are used in interiors
according to wood species method of veneer
slicing veneer matching
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Veneer Slicing Plain, or flat slicing done
parallel to a line through the center of the log,
producing a slightly wavy grain pattern. (see
page 87 of the text) Quarter slicing similar
to quarter sawing process for solid lumber.
Produces a series of striped veneer panels. The
term 'quarter' refers to the log segment
that forms the basis of the flitch. A 'flitch'
is a bundle of veneer pieces that are held in the
sequence that they were cut from the log. (see
page 88 of the text) Rift cutting is usually
only done with oak. Rift cutting removes
segments from around the log. (see page 89 of
the text) Rotary cutting produces wide sheets
of veneer and is popular for use in
less expensive veneer applications. The log is
mounted on a lathe, and the veneer is sliced off
as the log spins around. (see page 90 of the
text)
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A good description of some of the varieties of
wood veneer and how the wood comes to be this way
can be read at http//www.certainlywood.com/fig
uretypes.htm
Quilted Bubinga wood veneer
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Circassian Walnut Burl
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There are numerous web sites that present images
and information about wood and wood veneers. One
good web site with images of wood veneers
is http//www.wood-veneers.com/veneer_tones_L-2.
htm
To see a good example of wood used for making
beautiful objects, look through the Brook guitar
web page, located at http//www.brookguitars.co
m/index2.html
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Veneer matching Veneer leaves may be arranged in
different sequences to form various patterns and
effects. Book match Like pages in an open
book, adjacent leaves in a flitch are laid side
by side, creating a mirror image. This is the
most commonly used veneer match pattern. Slip
match Adjacent leaves are laid side by side in
sequence taken from the log. This type of match
is common in quarter sliced and rift cut
veneers. End match Veneers are book or slip
matched, and then the ends of the sheets are
matched, creating a long and wide matching veneer
piece.
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Book match
Random match
'Pleasing' match
Slip match
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1 Diamond This is generally done with a straight
grained veneer. If a rectangle is divided into
four quadrants, the veneer is matched at an angle
to the quadrant lines, and the grain forms a Vee
at these lines. The result is a diamond shape
formed by the grain directions.
2 Reverse Diamond Again, this is commonly done
with a straight grained veneer. A rectangle is
again divided into four quadrants. The grain
direction is from the center point to the outside
edge in each quadrant. The resulting appearance
is that of a series of Vees formed by the grain
match at the joint lines, and pointed in towards
the center point
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Wood finishes Stains transparent or opaque
coatings that penetrate and color a wood
surface without masking its inherent grain.
Lacquers are solvent based and they dry by
the evaporation of these solvents. Lacquers
typically dry so quickly that they are spray
applied, rather than brushed on. Lacquers are
easily touched up, and are a popular furniture
finish. Varnishes cure by evaporation of
solvents, oxidation of oils, or both.
Polyurethanes are similar to varnishes except
that polyurethanes are plastic based compounds.
These provide a very durable finish.
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Plastics There are about 15,000 different
plastic formulas available worldwide. Like
metals, plastics can be mixed with other such
materials to improve performance
characteristics. Many plastic have long, complex
chemical names, but manufacturers invent trade
names for better marketability. 'Teflon', for
example, is polytetrafluoroethylene. All
plastics share three common traits (with a few
exceptions) Most plastics are based on the
carbon atom Most plastics are derived from
petrochemicals All plastics are polymers, which
are giant molecules composed of simple
molecules.
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The components of plastics Plastics generally
contain Resin the basic ingredient of
plastics. Resins are combined with fillers,
stabilizers, plasticizers, pigments, and other
components to form plastics. Fillers are added
to give specific characteristics to a plastic,
like heat resistance. Stabilizers protect the
plastic from degrading when exposed to
environmental stress. Plasticizers are mixed
with the resin to increase flexibility,
resiliency, and impact resistance. Vinyl sheets
can be rolled up without cracking because of the
presence of the plasticizers. Plastics are
typically categorized as being either
Thermoplastics become soft when re-heated and
can be re-molded repeatedly without affecting
the properties of the plastic. Thermoset
plastics plastics that are permanently hardened
after undergoing an irreversible chemical
change during processing. Once these are set,
they cannot be softened and remolded.
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There are many, many different kinds of plastics.
Some of the more common thermo plastics
are ABS Acrylics have the clarity of glass.
Lucite and Plexiglas are two trade
names Cellulosics cellulose nitrate was the
first synthetic plastic material. One of the
first uses, in response to an ivory shortage, was
in hair combs and billiard balls. Celluloid
(photographic film) and cellophane (wrapping) are
in the cellulose family of materials. Fluoroplast
ics Teflon is one of these low friction, low
moisture absorption Nylon developed by DuPont
in the 1930's. Is often used as an
extruded fiber in textiles and carpet. Has a low
friction character. Polyolefins includes a
variety of plastics such as polyethylenes,
polypropylenes, and polybutylenes. Polystyrene
sparkling clarity, inexpensive to produce, used
for fast food packaging and plastic cups.
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Vinyls include polyvinylchloride (PVC) Some
of the more common thermoset plastics
are Alkyds, epoxies, furans, melamines,
polysters, polyurethanes, and silicones Glass Gl
ass is considered a liquid, even though it is
rigid and behaves like a solid. As a
characteristic of a liquid, the atoms in a sheet
of glass are randomly arranged. They are frozen
in place by rapid cooling during manufacturing.
In most other mineral solids, the atoms are
arranged in a recognizable geometric pattern and
have a crystzlline structure. More than 95 of
the glass manufactured in the United States is
'float' glass. Float glass is the primary type of
glass used to produce other types of glass. The
float process was developed in 1955 by the
Pilkington Glass Company in England.
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After the glass is formed, it is cooled by a
controlled process called annealing. Annealing
relieves internal strains that may have developed
during the manufacturing process. Annealing
ensures that the glass does not cool and
contract at different rates across the surface
of the sheet. If glass is not annealed, it can
easily fracture when it reaches
room temperature. Heat treated glass fully
tempered glass heat strengthened glass this is
a partially tempered glass Other types of glass
include safety glass wired glass laminated
glass