People’s common impression of stainless steel is they used for commercial purposes. But if they are used to produce furniture, is it good?
Stainless steel is good for furniture: It has high workability and flexibility suit for all kinds of furniture; its fire & heat resistance, corrosion-resistant, and durability make it perfect for indoor & outdoor furniture. And it is easy to clean & maintain, good for furniture long time use.
Keep reading on to get more details.
Corrosion resistance
People’s first impression of stainless steel furniture is corrosion resistance. Yes, it is true. Compared to other metals, such as iron, aluminum, carbon steel, and brass, stainless steel has the strongest corrosion-resistance ability.
The corrosion resistance of stainless steel comes from chromium. Chromium with oxygen creates a layer of chromium oxide(protection layer) on the stainless steel’s surface, which barrier separates the air and water to interact with the iron of the stainless steel, avoiding oxidation corrosion occurs.
Furthermore, chromium oxide can repair itself, even if stainless steel gets scratched, destroying the surface’s protective layer. As long as there is enough chromium, it will repair the damaged chromium oxide and continue to protect the stainless steel from damage, making long-lasting corrosion effective. The higher the chromium content of stainless steel, the stronger the corrosion resistance.
Fire and heat resistant
Fires are brutal, and most furniture will be destroyed in flames; some even burn together and increase the intensity of the fire.
Stainless steel furniture has significant advantages in fire risk control. First, stainless steel does not catch fire or burn in the fire to increase the spread of fire. Even under intense heat, stainless steel only discolors or deforms slightly and reduces corrosion resistance. However, stainless steel can withstand heat up to 870℃ and melt at approximately 1400°C, while normal fire can’t get that high temperature.
Stainless steel also has excellent heat resistance, which can help it maintain good mechanical properties at high temperatures:
- At temperatures above 100ºC (212ºF), the strength of aluminum alloys begins to decrease.
- At temperatures above 240ºC (400ºF), the strength of aluminum alloys (type 6061-T6) decreases by about 60% and copper by about 25%.
- At temperatures below 370ºC (700ºF), carbon steel is unaffected and retains all its strength; at temperatures up to 500ºC (930ºF), carbon steel loses about 30% of its strength; at temperatures up to 538ºC (1000ºF), it loses about 50%;
- When the temperature is at 800ºC (1472ºF), carbon steel retains only 10% of its strength, while stainless steel retains 60%.
Conclusion:
Stainless steel performs better at high temperatures than carbon steel, which can maintain a higher strength percentage.
Environmental friendly
People have become increasingly concerned about the environment and hope to get environmentally friendly products.
Stainless steel furniture is environmentally friendly and 100% recyclable. Discarded stainless steel can be melted down and recombined into recycled steel. Or separated and refined into useful elements such as nickel, copper, molybdenum, chromium, etc., from the discarded stainless steel to form other alloys.
Recyclable
Besides cost-effectiveness, the recycling of stainless steel is sustainable and unlimited, it can be recycled again and again. Recycled stainless steel won’t affect its mechanical properties and quality.
Actually, the recycling rate for stainless steel is very high, and the U.S. needs nearly 70 million tons of discarded steel each year to produce new steel. Data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) in July 2021 shows that the U.S. steel recycling rate in 2019 was 69%, and the 10-year (rolling average) value of the recycling rate from 2012 to the present is 71% to 75%.
According to the EPA, compared to producing new stainless steel, producing one ton of recycled steel can save 3,6 barrels of oil and 1,49 tons of iron ore. According to United States Steel Recycling Institute data, its saving energy is comparable to one-fifth of all American families for one year, which is incredible!
Workability
Stainless steel has excellent weldability and flexibility to meet the needs of furniture well:
- It can suit well for various types of furniture, such as coffee tables, end tables, console tables, dining tables, sofas, beds, etc.;
- It can use as different parts, such as furniture legs, furniture tabletops, furniture from, the handle of a drawer, etc.;
- It can have different finishes, such as sandblasted, brushed, glossy, matt, etc.,
- It can finish with different colors, such as gold, rose gold, champagne gold, bronze, black, chrome, etc.
Easy cleaning and maintenance
Stainless steel furniture does not require careful care, which can save a lot of trouble; simple cleaning and regular care are enough.
Cleaning
The smooth finish of stainless steel is easy to clean: wipe the dust with a soft cloth; the fingerprints and oil stains on stainless steel can be removed with soapy water or pH-neutral cleaners, then use a soft cloth to dry them.
Maintenance
Maintenance is essential for any furniture’s longevity; fortunately, stainless steel only requires simple and regular maintenance.
- Clean stainless steel regularly with a soft cloth to remove stains and dust; soapy water or a pH-neutral cleaner is available if needed.
- Keep stainless steel dry.
- If the stainless steel has a brushed finish, wipe it according to the texture destination of the stainless steel.
- Avoid steel wool and metal tools to scrub the stainless steel surface.
- Avoid touching harsh chemicals such as high-strength acids or alkalis and chlorides.
- Can use surface protective sprays to reduce the likelihood of rusting. Note: only for non-painting, non-colored stainless steel.
Durable
Stainless steel is corrosion-resistant and has good mechanical properties, maintaining stable performance at Low/high temperatures. According to the use places and requirements to choose the right stainless steel, it can last for decades after simple & regular maintenance.
Source:
https://archive.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/smm/wastewise/web/html/factoid.html
https://newsroom.posco.com/en/steel-standing-building-greater-fire-resistance/
