During many architectural projects, door hardware can reveal itself as the final piece of the design puzzle.
Tens - if not hundreds - of doors and their supplementary furniture can be found throughout building plans, and whilst final design decisions may depend on project, preference and budget, specification professionals are encouraged to carefully consider material schemes to ensure user requirements are met.
Whether restoring a heritage site or designing a modern space, choosing the most appropriate type of architectural hardware finish is essential.
So, why have PVD finishes emerged as a leading choice for many architects, design teams and homeowners alike?
“Physical Vapour Deposition - or PVD as it’s typically referred to - is a specialised ‘coating’ method that can be applied to door handles, hinges and other door and window hardware elements to enhance a product’s durability and appearance.
“The coated layers of a PVD finish are microscopic, yet, extremely hardwearing by design and as such, help to retain the quality of hardware over its lifecycle, regardless of the environment in which they’re installed.
“PVD coatings are naturally corrosion resistant and offer end users an exceptionally scratch resistant surface, making them suitable for high traffic environments such as hospitals, schools and even demanding coastal environments.
“The protective coatings are often around <1.5 microns and are designed to resist chips, fading and corrosion.
“In comparison, traditional decorative electroplate coatings are 0.5 microns thick, which can jeopardise the quality of finishes and make them less durable in the process.
“From a style standpoint, decorative PVD coatings are typically deposited on top of stainless steel but can also be applied directly to other materials such as titanium or nickel alloys.
“Where low-quality finishes may begin to fade unintentionally, durable PVD designs are more likely to retain their operational benefits over time, enduring decorative trends and leaving interiors intact for years to come.”
As trusted manufacturers continue to expand their service offerings, collaboration is key to unlocking the many benefits of PVD, Daniel continues:
“Aesthetically speaking, a correctly specified material scheme can completely invigorate a space whilst offering long term performance, but modern design teams must be mindful of the disparity in quality between different suppliers, material grades and price points.
“Design professionals must seek the most applicable PVD material scheme throughout their project and choose higher grades of materials where necessary, as low cost substitutes are unlikely to match the reliability that premium finishes can offer.
“In addition, it’s important to remember that the use of multiple suppliers can have an adverse effect also, where a single manufacturer is able to offer a continuous range of PVD finishes of the same quality.
“By adopting a more collaborative and bespoke approach, designers and specifiers can benefit from greater freedom too, working with suppliers to create unique, high quality finishes that align with the design intent of the projects.
“The use of custom colours and colour matching services for example, can help to deliver a level of flexibility and cohesive aesthetics to a project.
“When paired with the natural durability of PVD designs, end users can remain confident that the chosen hardware’s appearance and durability will stand the test of time.
“Cohesive aesthetics aside, some PVD finishes will also include options with controlled Light Reflectance Values (LRV), which is a vital consideration when meeting some architectural specifications.
“LRV is a universal scale used in architecture and interior design and is used as a way of measuring the amount of visible and usable light that is reflected from a surface when illuminated by a light source.
“It is crucial in assessing the contrast between the door facings and ironmongery throughout specification, with standards recommending an LRV contrast of at least 30 points in order to comply with BS 8300-2:2018.
“Simply put, with more project considerations than ever before, design professionals are urged to work closely with trusted manufacturers when it comes to PVD finishes - because although the process itself may be microscopic, the benefits of PVD can make a monumental difference to any modern design project.”
For over 30 years, Consort has continued to deliver in its mission to provide highly engineered, quality ironmongery that adheres to the most stringent of industry certifications and standards.
As an international, family-owned business, Consort is proud to operate as a single source solution, delivering the best in hardware to markets in the UK, US, Middle East, Asia and South Africa.
For more information, visit: www.consort-hw.com
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