An industrial treatment has become the unexpected in vogue finish for new product releases this Summer. 'Hot dipped' galvanisation is a process of physically immersing metal objects into molten zinc to create a corrosion resistant outer layer. In doing so Zinc reacts with CO2 in the air and fuses to the steel surface with an interesting and unique patina. The result is a silvery-blue surface with an angular pattern unlike any other. In this post we review some new products and their uses.
The inclement and unpredictable weather systems that grace the British Isles, sometimes makes moving furniture to and from the shed a constant task. Outdoor furniture that can permanently withstand the rigours of our climate is hard to come by, but galvanisation on steel produces a combination that can do just that. The process is most often used for creating housebuilding elements such as nails or structural beams, making their effectiveness well proven. In fact it's so effective that even if the surface is scratched and the underlying metal is exposed, it still may not rust! This is because zinc is a more active metal than steel and it will corrode a little itself to compensate.
In our Really Well Made home we've used String shelving in pretty much every room of the house! A Pocket in the bathroom, Metal Shelves in the kitchen and Cabinets in the bedroom. The one 'room' that hasn't had the String Shelving treatment to sort out the clutter is the garden, or the 'Green Space' if you like.
A select few side panels and metal shelves have been selected by String to be galvanised and made suitable for use outdoors. With its perforated holes the shelves create an ideal surface for pots, watering cans, buckets, tools and other gardening paraphernalia. Installing some of these shelves is definitely on the to-do list for our little outdoor area.
Since its release a few years ago, the HAY Palissade range has taken the world by storm, becoming the go-to outdoor furniture range. It's the perfect blend of practicality and comfort, with good sized spacings to let through water and comfortable curves for extended periods of sitting. They work well as outdoor pieces all year round, but for those of us lucky enough to enjoy a sea-view, the new Hot Galvanised range is a great addition. Salt in the air accelerates the corrosion process significantly, so you have to be careful to avoid scratching the paintwork. Galvanised Palissade solves that problem with the far tougher zinc coating. The galvanised furniture looks great in a coastal situation as it seems to fit in perfectly. Look around and you will notice that lots of metalwork near the sea is also galvanised, from unassuming lamp posts to glamorous yachts docked in harbour.
For those of us living in urban areas, there's also no reason why we can't enjoy this utilitarian aesthetic for ourselves. The industrial feel sits well with the hodgepodge of buildings and styles we enjoy in the centuries old cities of Britain.
Swedish brand Massproductions is marking 10 years since the introduction of their first furniture range; Tio. To celebrate Massproductions has created a special edition of their award winning Tio product in a hot dip galvanised metallic finish for 2019. Tio has been an enduring design which hasn't dated in style at all over the past decade, the simple solid metal wire construction has since been copied many times but never equalled in aesthetics or comfort.
