Application
Shower enclosure, sliding door, railing, furniture, deck, sheet metal, machinery or another defined use.
Glass Hardware · Screws · Accessories
Materials & Finishes for Your Application
Compare common material and surface-finish directions for glass hardware and screws. Final selection is confirmed by product design, installation environment, required appearance, quantity, packaging and destination-market requirements.
Material grade and finish are separate specifications. A colour name does not define the base material, coating process, coating thickness or corrosion performance.
✓ Product-specific confirmation
✓ Indoor & outdoor review
✓ Appearance sample matching
✓ Documentation by agreement
Selection Framework
Choose from the application—not the material name alone
A useful specification connects the base material, finish, environment, mating components and maintenance conditions.
Environment
Indoor, humid, outdoor, coastal, poolside, industrial, chemically cleaned or frequently wet conditions.
Function
Load, movement, drilling, thread engagement, contact materials, drainage and wear requirements.
Appearance
Colour, gloss, texture, acceptable variation, sample reference and required cleaning method.
Common Base Materials
Material directions across our product range
Availability depends on the individual product. The same material is not automatically suitable for every design, environment or load condition.
304 Stainless Steel
A widely used austenitic stainless grade for many indoor, general-purpose and moderately exposed applications. Product design, finish, contamination, cleaning and exposure still affect actual corrosion behaviour.
Common: glass hardware & screws316 / 316L Stainless Steel
Contains molybdenum and is commonly considered where resistance to chloride-related localised corrosion is a greater concern. It is not a universal guarantee against tea staining, pitting or corrosion.
Selected demanding environmentsCarbon Steel
Common for screws requiring broad geometry and economical production. Corrosion protection depends on the selected plating, coating, thickness, application and handling.
Common: coated screwsSolid Brass
Used for selected hinges, clamps, handles and decorative fittings where machining, construction and finish requirements support the design. Confirm whether “brass” refers to solid brass or only a brass-colour finish.
Selected glass fittingsZinc Alloy
Used for selected decorative or formed hardware components. Base-alloy quality, plating system, geometry and environment should be confirmed rather than judged from the external colour.
Selected componentsAluminium, Plastic & Item-Specific Grades
Aluminium, engineering plastics and other steel or stainless grades may be used for particular tracks, guides, wheels, inserts or drilling applications. They are confirmed only for the relevant item.
Product-specific only304 vs 316
A practical stainless steel comparison
This comparison is an RFQ starting point, not an engineering approval or service-life guarantee.
Selection Point
304 Stainless Steel
316 / 316L Stainless Steel
Coated Carbon Steel
Typical direction
Many indoor and general-purpose applications
Applications where chloride exposure is a greater concern
Applications suited to a defined protective coating system
Protection route
Stainless alloy plus suitable surface condition
Higher-alloy stainless route with molybdenum
Base steel plus plating, coating or conversion layer
Appearance options
Plain, brushed, satin, polished and selected decorative treatments
Plain, brushed, satin, polished and selected decorative treatments
Zinc colours, black systems, phosphate and other confirmed coatings
Important limits
Not immune to chloride attack, contamination or poor maintenance
Not corrosion-proof and may still stain or pit in aggressive conditions
Performance depends on coating system, thickness, damage and environment
Quote information
Grade, dimensions, finish, environment and quantity
Grade, environment, finish, cleaning and documentation
Base steel, coating standard, colour, thickness or performance requirement
Important: “Stainless steel” is not one material, and “zinc plated” is not one performance level. State the required grade, coating system or reference standard whenever it matters to the order.
Glass Hardware Finishes
Confirm both colour and surface process
Finish names are useful for browsing, but they do not fully define colour, gloss, texture, base material or process. A physical sample or approved master reference is recommended when appearance matching is important.
- Brushed or satin stainless appearance
- Mirror-polished or polished metal appearance
- Polished chrome and brushed nickel directions
- Matte black and other black decorative finishes
- Polished gold, brushed gold and other gold tones
- Bronze, red bronze and related decorative colours
- Customer-approved reference finish where feasible
Fastener Surface Treatments
Common finish directions for screws and accessories
Not every finish is available for every screw. Head geometry, thread fit, drilling function, strength level, coating process and destination requirements must be reviewed together.
Plain Stainless & Stainless Finishes
Unplated stainless appearance, passivated condition where specified, and selected polished or coloured decorative treatments.
PlainPassivated*Polished*
Electroplated Zinc Systems
Selected carbon steel fasteners may use clear/blue, yellow, black or other zinc-plated systems. Colour alone does not define coating thickness or corrosion requirement.
Blue / Clear ZincYellow ZincBlack Zinc
Phosphate & Black Oxide
Black phosphate, grey phosphate and black oxide may be selected for appearance, processing or application requirements, but should not be treated as universal outdoor corrosion solutions.
Black PhosphateGrey PhosphateBlack Oxide
Mechanical or Heavy Zinc Directions
Mechanically applied or heavier zinc systems may be reviewed for selected products. Coating build, thread allowance, mating parts and the specified standard must be confirmed.
Mechanical Zinc*Heavy Zinc*
Zinc-Flake Coating Systems
Non-electrolytically applied zinc-flake systems can be specified for suitable fasteners. The required standard, topcoat, lubricant and performance must be stated rather than replaced by a generic colour name.
Zinc Flake*Topcoat*
Custom Appearance Requirements
Colour-matched heads and other decorative treatments can be reviewed where technically and commercially feasible. Provide an approved colour or physical reference.
Colour Match*Sample Required
*Product-specific: These directions are not a promise that every listed treatment is available on every product. Final feasibility and MOQ are confirmed during quotation.
Environment Review
Five conditions that change material selection
Describe the actual exposure instead of using only “indoor” or “outdoor.”
Dry Indoor
Review function, appearance, cleaning, wear and contact materials.
Bathroom & Humid
Consider repeated wetting, trapped moisture, cleaners, crevices and ventilation.
Outdoor
Confirm rain exposure, drainage, pollution, temperature and maintenance access.
Coastal or Poolside
Identify chloride exposure, distance, splash, deposits, cleaning and visual expectations.
Chemical or Abrasive Cleaning
Provide cleaner type, concentration, frequency and any abrasive contact.
Prepare the RFQ
Specify what must be controlled
Separate technical requirements from preferences. This makes alternatives easier to review without changing a critical requirement.
Technical requirements
- Product and installed application
- Base material and exact grade where required
- Finish or coating process and reference standard
- Dimensions, tolerances, thread fit and mating parts
- Exposure, cleaning and expected maintenance
- Required tests, reports or inspection documents
Commercial & appearance requirements
- Approved colour, gloss and texture reference
- Acceptable colour or batch variation
- Order quantity and expected repeat demand
- Bulk, neutral, retail or private-label packaging
- Destination country and customer compliance needs
- Whether an equivalent option may be proposed
Documentation scope: Material certificates, coating reports, salt-spray requirements or other documents are not automatically included with every product. Required documentation must be identified before quotation and confirmed for the specific product, production route and order.
Approval Process
From finish request to repeat-order reference
Define Application
Send the product, environment, quantity and destination.
Confirm Specification
Review base material, grade, finish, standard and documentation.
Approve Reference
Use a sample, colour reference, drawing or written specification where needed.
Record for Reorders
Keep the approved material, finish and packing reference with the item.
Frequently Asked Questions
Materials and finishes before quotation
Is 316 stainless steel completely rust-proof?
No. 316 generally offers better resistance than 304 to certain chloride-related localised corrosion, but grade alone does not guarantee corrosion-free service. Design, crevices, surface condition, contamination, temperature, chloride level, cleaning and maintenance also matter.
Is every silver-colour glass fitting made from stainless steel?
No. A polished, chrome, nickel or stainless-looking finish may be applied to different base materials. Confirm the base material separately from the finish name.
Does “zinc plated” define the corrosion resistance?
No. It does not fully define the coating system, thickness, post-treatment, topcoat, damage condition or test requirement. Provide the required standard or performance where it is important.
Can you match an existing black, gold or bronze finish?
We can compare a physical sample or approved reference. Exact visual matching may be affected by base material, process, gloss, texture, lighting and batch variation, so an agreed tolerance or master sample is recommended.
Can I use a website photo as the colour standard?
A website photo is useful for initial direction but is not a reliable final colour standard because screens, lighting and image processing vary. Use a physical sample, approved finish chip or controlled colour reference where appearance is critical.
Are material certificates supplied with every order?
No. Document availability depends on the product and production route. State the exact certificate, test report or inspection requirement before quotation so feasibility, traceability and cost can be confirmed.
Can different finishes be combined in one distributor order?
They can be reviewed, but each material and finish may have a separate MOQ, production route, colour approval and schedule. Mixed-order feasibility is confirmed item by item.
Need help selecting a material or finish?
Send the product reference, application, environment, required appearance, quantity and destination. We will identify the details needed for an order-specific recommendation and quotation.