Metalwork
PVD Stainless Steel
A working guide to PVD Stainless Steel: grades, finishes, the specification that matters on site, and the six ways we draw it across our house styles.
Photo: kyeniz · BY 2.0Overview
PVD Stainless Steel, in plain specification
Written for the decision, not for the mood board.
We specify PVD stainless steel against three questions: what the surface has to survive, how it will be cleaned, and who repairs it in five years. A material that answers all three is worth more than a material that only looks better in a showroom.
PVD Stainless Steel is chosen twice — once for how it looks in a sample, and once for how it behaves over a decade of Indian weather, cleaning and daily use. The second choice is the one that decides whether you are happy with it. Every specification on this page is written from that second view: the substrate under it, the way it is fixed, the joint it sits in, and the maintenance it will realistically get in a working household.
The specification below is the one we issue to the factory and the site, which is why it reads as dimensions and grades rather than as adjectives. It is also what a warranty is enforced against — a specification that cannot be measured cannot be claimed on.
Six house styles
PVD Stainless Steel in six personalities
The same brief resolved six ways. Each carries its own material, finish and detailing.
Photo: seier+seier · BY 2.0Minimal PVD Stainless Steel
Serene Minimal draws PVD stainless steel as chalk · pale oak · linen — nothing decorative survives unless it also does work. Section: 40x40x3mm SHS. Joint: Welded, ground flush. Finish: Matt black powder coat.
See this style
Photo: qmnonic · BY 2.0Bold PVD Stainless Steel
Bold Contemporary draws PVD stainless steel as charcoal · oxblood · smoked oak — high contrast, confident mass, a single saturated move per room. Section: 50x50x3mm SHS. Joint: Welded and polished. Finish: Brushed 320 grit.
See this stylePhoto: kyeniz · BY 2.0Heritage PVD Stainless Steel
Modern Heritage draws PVD stainless steel as teak · cane · antique brass — indian craft detailing on a contemporary frame — jaali, cane, inlay and hand-finished brass, used sparingly. Section: Solid 12mm bar. Joint: Brazed. Finish: Hand-antiqued.
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Photo: *rboed* · BY 2.0Classic PVD Stainless Steel
Classic Luxe draws PVD stainless steel as ivory · statuario · gold — proportioned panelling, cornice and moulding, book-matched stone and warm gilt detail on ivory. Section: 40x40mm with beading. Joint: Welded, filled and painted. Finish: Painted, satin.
See this style
Photo: seier+seier · BY 2.0Scandi PVD Stainless Steel
Indo-Scandinavian draws PVD stainless steel as birch · chalk · sage — pale timber, soft daylight and muted green — nordic restraint adapted for indian light, dust and humidity. Section: 40x20mm. Joint: Welded. Finish: Anodised matt.
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Photo: jiuguangw · BY-SA 2.0Deco PVD Stainless Steel
Art Deco Glam draws PVD stainless steel as emerald · brass · lacquer — fluting, fans and geometry. Section: 30x30mm with reveal. Joint: Welded, ground and PVD coated. Finish: PVD gold, mirror.
See this styleSpecification
PVD Stainless Steel specification, style by style
This is the table we issue to the factory and the site. It is also what a warranty is enforced against, which is why it reads in grades and dimensions.
| Specification | Minimal | Bold | Heritage | Classic | Scandi | Deco |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base metal | MS with powder coat | SS 304 | Solid brass | MS with PU paint | Aluminium | Brass with PVD |
| Section | 40x40x3mm SHS | 50x50x3mm SHS | Solid 12mm bar | 40x40mm with beading | 40x20mm | 30x30mm with reveal |
| Joint | Welded, ground flush | Welded and polished | Brazed | Welded, filled and painted | Welded | Welded, ground and PVD coated |
| Finish | Matt black powder coat | Brushed 320 grit | Hand-antiqued | Painted, satin | Anodised matt | PVD gold, mirror |
| Coating thickness | 60 micron | Passivated | Lacquered | 80 micron | 25 micron anodised | PVD 0.5 micron over polish |
| Corrosion protection | Zinc primer | Grade 304 minimum | Lacquer | Zinc primer, two-pack | Anodised | PVD over 316 |
| Fixing | Chemical anchor to slab | Chemical anchor | Concealed plate | Anchor with cover plate | Concealed clip | Concealed plate |
| Tolerance | ±2mm | ±1mm | Hand-fitted | ±2mm | ±1mm | ±1mm |
Before you commit
How to choose pvd stainless steel
Six checks that prevent the failures we are most often called to fix.
- Specify the base metal and the grade, not just the finish. A PVD gold finish over mild steel and over 316 stainless are two different products with the same photograph.
- In coastal cities use 316 rather than 304 for anything external or in a bathroom.
- Ask to see a welded and ground sample joint. That joint is the whole quality of the piece.
- Confirm how the piece is fixed back to structure, especially for railings and heavy screens.
- Get the finish sampled at the size it will be seen. Brushed and mirror finishes look entirely different at 30mm and at 3m.
- Plan for on-site touch-up. Metalwork gets marked during installation, and a finish that cannot be touched up on site will be marked forever.
Bangalore
PVD Stainless Steel in Bangalore
What the city's climate, water, housing stock and society rules mean for this specification.
The Bangalore housing stock splits cleanly, and PVD stainless steel is specified differently for each half. New towers along the outer ring have regular layouts, compact utility areas and generous ceiling height; the older independent homes in the south and west have height, thicker walls and almost no two dimensions the same.
Dust along the metro and ORR construction corridors is a real specification input. Sealed joinery, washable finishes and casement or sliding windows with good seals pay for themselves in these pockets in the first year.
Balcony enclosure rules vary sharply between societies, and a few refuse them entirely. Anything involving a balcony gets checked against the society's own rules before design, not after — including in Indiranagar and Koramangala, where older buildings often have their own restrictions.
The mild climate is a genuine advantage: solid timber and veneer move far less here than in Delhi or Chennai, which makes craft detailing more durable and more affordable than it would be elsewhere. It is one of the few Indian cities where that is true year-round.
Our Bangalore projects run with a named project manager and a written weekly site report, which is what keeps a fit-out on programme in a city with restricted working hours.
Sizing
PVD Stainless Steel by home size
Quantities below are the areas we typically specify PVD stainless steel for, by home size. They assume a straight lay with a 10 to 12 per cent reserve from the same lot.
| Home size | Typical scope | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 BHK | 180–260 sq ft | Compact planning, one clear gesture |
| 2 BHK | 320–420 sq ft | Standard scope, most common brief |
| 3 BHK | 480–650 sq ft | Full scope with storage planned in litres |
| 4 BHK | 700–900 sq ft | Extended scope, bespoke elements |
| 4+ BHK / Villa | 1,100 sq ft and above | Villa scale, bespoke throughout |
Cost
What moves the price of pvd stainless steel
We quote line by line rather than per square foot, because these are the items that actually differ between two estimates.
- Base metal and grade.
- Finish process — powder coat, anodising and PVD sit at three levels.
- Fabrication complexity and the amount of hand-finishing at joints.
- Site installation access, particularly for staircases and large screens.
- Structural fixings and any engineering sign-off required.
Process
How the work runs
Five stages, with the decisions each one locks.
We measure the space ourselves rather than working from the builder's drawing, note the services, water quality, daylight and society rules, and write down how the room is actually used. PVD Stainless Steel is specified against that survey, not against a catalogue.
Plans, elevations and details, with the specification written as grades and dimensions. You approve an elevation, not a render — this is the stage where changes cost nothing.
Material, finish, hardware and services are locked, and the estimate becomes a line-by-line document. We tell you exactly what this date locks and what can still change afterwards.
Factory production runs to the approved drawing while site work is prepared. Material is checked against the approved sample on arrival, in daylight, and stored correctly until the programme calls for it.
Installation, testing, snagging and a documentation file with drawings, warranties, decor codes and hardware models. A first-year service visit is scheduled at handover.
Living with it
Maintaining pvd stainless steel
The honest routine, and the mistakes that cost the most to undo.
Care and maintenance
- Dry-wipe only. Household cleaners strip lacquer from brass and dull PVD coatings.
- Touch up chips in powder coating promptly; corrosion starts at the chip, not the surface.
- Check anchor fixings on railings annually.
- Allow living finishes such as unlacquered brass to patinate rather than polishing them back, or commit to polishing on a schedule.
What goes wrong
- Grade 304 stainless in a coastal balcony, which will show tea-staining within a year.
- Welds ground on site instead of in the workshop.
- Powder coating applied over inadequate surface preparation.
- Ordering before the civil dimensions are final, since metalwork has no tolerance to absorb.
Detailing
PVD Stainless Steel detailing notes
The small decisions that separate built work from assembled work.
Keep the grain direction of a brushed finish consistent across a run — vertical on posts, horizontal on rails, decided once.
A 10mm reveal between metal and adjacent stone or timber hides tolerance and reads as intent.
Handrails should be warm to touch and comfortable in the hand: 40 to 50mm diameter with a smooth radius, never a sharp-edged flat bar.
Balustrade infill spacing must be under 100mm where children use the stair, which is a code question before it is a design one.
Questions
PVD Stainless Steel — answered
Is PVD Stainless Steel suitable for coastal cities?
With the right grade, yes. Use 316 stainless or properly coated brass externally; 304 will tea-stain and mild steel will fail regardless of the paint.
How is the finish protected?
Powder coating, anodising, lacquer or PVD, chosen for the exposure. Each has a different repairability, which matters more over ten years than the initial look.
Can it be fabricated to a custom design?
Yes — bespoke fabrication is the normal case for railings, screens and furniture bases. It starts with a shop drawing approved against site dimensions.
How long does it take?
Three to six weeks from approved shop drawing, plus site fixing. Metalwork is measured after the civil work is complete because it has no tolerance to absorb.
Will brass tarnish?
Unlacquered brass patinates and is meant to. Lacquered and PVD finishes stay bright but cannot be polished back if the coating is damaged, so the choice is about which ageing you want.
What maintenance is needed?
A dry wipe, prompt touch-up of chips, and an annual check of fixings on anything structural.
Do you work on pvd stainless steel projects across Bangalore?
Yes — Bangalore is where most of our projects are, from apartments along Sarjapur Road, Whitefield and Hebbal to independent homes in Jayanagar, Indiranagar and Malleshwaram. We survey the space ourselves, work within the society's access and working-hour rules, and hand over with a documentation file. There is a dedicated page for our work in the city if you want the full picture.
Does Bangalore's climate or water affect this choice?
The climate helps and the water does not. Mild year-round temperatures are kinder to timber and joinery than almost any other Indian city, so craft detailing lasts. Hard borewell water in the eastern and northern corridors is the real constraint — it scales glass, chrome and stone, and it changes what we specify and what maintenance we ask the family to commit to.
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Next step
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