subject: Stainless Steel in Building Design [print this page] Stainless Steel in Building Design Stainless Steel in Building Design
Architects, builders and facilities designers have a lot to be thankful for today. They have a whole range of materials to try and fit into the vision of their creation. And for the truly creative, all it takes is a repurposing of materials to fit their idea of the beauty of a building.
Stainless steel is really a godsend in today's civilization. Its properties have allowed it to make its way into almost all aspects of human life. With its strength and its ability to resist rust, it has found its way into medical applications such as surgical tools, into the kitchen as cutlery and table utensils and even into our daily hygiene habits as razors. Stainless steel is so ubiquitous that it seems nobody can go a day without encountering it.
And behind the scenes, there is always stainless steel. It has been a mainstay material in the manufacturing and food industry since it can be sterilized in a number of cost effective ways without compromising its appearance or function.
Even the building industry has taken notice of stainless steel. While the upfront cost of using stainless steel is high, it is more than made up for by the savings that can be realized from reduced maintenance and the durability of the material which will negate replacement costs. For an inventive designer, there is no limit to what stainless steel can do to the beauty of a project.
For a designer looking for a light, airy industrial feel in his or her project, a perforated metal sheet made of stainless steel can be utilized as a divider or a wall accent. This effectively affords some form of privacy and space and some form of zoning a space for function.
Perforated stainless steel sheets are easy to order from manufacturers since they have been used as filters or separators for some time. All a designer needs to do is specify the design of the perforation and the supplier will do the rest.
Some suppliers are even up to the task of doing stainless steel extrusions that a designer might use to decorate or line a plain object like a wall or floor. The only limit to stainless steel in building design is the designer's imagination.
