Letter 6876

Black oxidized steel for kitchen countertop?

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I am interested in finishing techniques that would make steel amenable to use as kitchen countertop surfacing. Of course, stainless is in wide use but relatively expensive. Also, not every homeowner wants the "sterile" appearance of stainless. Specifically, would black oxidized steel serve well as a countertop? I do not have any experience with this finish nor knowledge of it's wear or corrosion resistance. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer.

Dale King
- Corvallis, OR

There are no inexpensive finishes available for hot rolled or cold rolled steel that will hold up to the kind of use a kitchen typically requires. However, a hot rolled sheet, which is the most common, already has a layer of carbonized protection, sometimes called scale, which if regularly waxed (every week) will with stand the average wear and tear. But if you leave that frosty cup on it you will get a ring in a matter of hours. Further blackening the surface with Black Oxide does not protect it much from corrosion.

There are a variety of ways of making stainless darker, although it won't save you any money.

Finally, if you plan to eat out most of the time, you can lacquer steels or plate them.

Kurt L
- Brooklyn NY

Is black oxided same as black oxidized?

Cindy Chow
buyer - New York, NY

I'd say yes but there is no "official" answer.

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, NJ

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