Our drains are available in three finishes: brushed, polished and matte PVD. Brushed is a satin, grained surface that hides marks and suits daily use; polished is a bright reflective finish that matches chrome tapware; matte PVD is a vacuum-applied black coating that is far more durable than painted alternatives.
Comparison
| Brushed | Polished | Matte PVD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Satin, directional grain | Bright, mirror-like | Matte black |
| How it is made | Mechanical graining | Polishing / plating | Vacuum deposition (PVD) |
| Fingerprints | Well hidden | Highly visible | Fairly well hidden |
| Scratches | Blend into the grain | More visible | Resistant — coating is molecular, not a surface layer |
| Water spots | Less noticeable | Very noticeable | Noticeable on a dark surface |
| Cleaning effort | Low | Higher — needs regular polishing | Low — non-abrasive only |
| Best suited to | High-use bathrooms, hotels, care facilities | Chrome-matched schemes, display bathrooms | Contemporary black-tapware schemes |
Brushed
A brushed surface is produced by mechanical abrasion, leaving a fine directional grain. In daily use it is the most forgiving of the three: water marks and light scratches are far less visible, and it needs nothing beyond normal non-abrasive cleaning.
For hotels, care facilities and any bathroom in constant use, brushed is usually the best specification.
Polished
Polished finishes are bright and mirror-like, and are normally chosen to match chrome or polished tapware so the metal scheme in the bathroom is consistent.
The trade-off is maintenance: a bright surface shows water spots, soap film and fingerprints immediately, and it must be cleaned with non-abrasive products to avoid dulling the surface.
Matte PVD
PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) applies a coating in a vacuum chamber that bonds to the base metal at a molecular level. It is used to produce matte black finishes that are substantially more durable than painted or electroplated alternatives:
- Scratch resistant — the coating is not a layer sitting on top of the metal
- Colour stable — does not fade or flake the way paint does
- Corrosion resistant — maintains the performance of the underlying stainless steel
- Suits black tapware — the standard choice for matte black bathroom schemes
Grates take abrasion every day — feet, cleaning tools, dropped objects. A painted finish on a grate degrades quickly and cannot be repaired, which is why matte black drainage is specified in PVD rather than paint.
Cleaning — one rule for all three
- Use: warm water, mild soap, soft cloth or sponge, dedicated stainless steel cleaner.
- Avoid: abrasive powders, steel wool, and aggressive acidic or high-chlorine products — these damage brushed grain and can dull or damage polished and PVD surfaces.
- During installation: leave the protective film on until handover; mortar residue sets hard and is often removed too aggressively.
Matching the rest of the bathroom
| Tapware finish | Recommended drain finish |
|---|---|
| Chrome / polished | Polished — or brushed if low maintenance matters more than exact matching |
| Brushed nickel / stainless | Brushed |
| Matte black | Matte PVD |
| No strong preference | Brushed — the most practical in daily use |
Practical guidance
- Hotels, care homes, high-traffic bathrooms — brushed
- Chrome-matched bathrooms — polished
- Black tapware schemes — matte PVD
- Commercial kitchens and plant rooms — brushed, for durability
All three finishes are available across our range. See the product range or request a quote.