About Natural Finishes

Banker Wire utilizes a wide range of alloys for our wire mesh, among these are a group of metal alloys that are referred to as “Copper based alloys”. Brass, Bronze, and Copper all contain some percentage of copper content. The reactive nature of copper towards oxygen and moisture puts this group of alloys in an ever changing state of oxidation that we know as “Tarnish”. The timing and degree of this tarnish will vary and is dependent upon the situation of both handling of the material and the environment in which this material is located. Similar to a potted plant, the health of that plant depends on the care and location. For this reason, we can categorize the copper based alloys as “Natural Finishes”.

The unique beauty of how brass, bronze or copper displays in a wire mesh pattern is unmatched by other alloys or secondary finishes. The choice in using these materials in application is either to embrace the change that will occur or, introduce processes that will mitigate change. If either preservation of the bright alloy is desired or an accelerated darkening of the alloy is more appealing, there are secondary processes that can be introduced to achieve this outcome. However, there are limitations and variations that can occur in these processes due to the “Living” nature of the alloy.

To preserve the bright characteristic of these alloys, the surface of the metal must be starved from oxygen and moisture. A protective coating of any kind that creates a barrier to oxygen will do and the effectiveness of protecting the metal from oxidation is equal to that coatings performance. Anything from a wax to lacquer to even grease will do. With exterior environments being the most troublesome in terms of the effectiveness of the available coatings, success in maintaining the appearance of these alloys lies predominantly in interior applications.