Sign styles
Stainless steel letter finishes: brushed to printed
Brushed, mirror, gold, painted and printed stainless steel letters compared: the look of each, where fingerprints and scratches show, how to clean.
Updated
Brushed stainless is the most forgiving finish: its fine grain hides fingerprints and light scratches, so it suits letters people can reach. Mirror and mirror gold look the most striking but show every touch, so they work best above head height. Painted finishes match any brand color, and printed faces carry full-color artwork on halo-lit letters.
All of these sit on the same metal. Our letters are 304 stainless steel, so the finish is a choice of look, not of what is underneath. 304 stainless vs aluminum explains why that matters.
The finishes at a glance
| Finish | Look | Fingerprints | Scratches | Works best |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brushed | Soft satin with fine parallel lines | Hidden well | Light ones blend in | Reception walls, entries, anything in reach |
| Mirror | Reflects like glass | Show clearly | Show clearly | Letters above head height, upscale fronts |
| Gold (titanium-coated) | Warm gold; mirror gold reflects like glass | Show clearly | Show; the coating is thin | Hotels, salons, jewelers, upscale brands |
| Painted | Any color | Show more on dark, glossy colors | A chip shows the steel | Brand colors, black letters |
| Printed (halo face) | Full-color artwork on the face | Depends on the artwork | A deep scratch can mark the print | Multi-color logos |
Brushed
A brushed finish is made by running abrasive belts over the steel, which leaves fine parallel lines all running one way. That grain scatters light, so fingerprints, smudges and light scratches do not stand out. In the steel trade, this kind of satin finish is often called a No. 4 finish.
Brushed is the safe choice for letters people will touch or brush past: a logo behind a reception desk, letters by an entry door, house numbers. It is the finish of our brushed stainless steel letters.
Two things to know:
- Clean along the grain. Wipe in the direction of the lines, not across them.
- Near the ocean, rinse it. The grain can hold salt, which can lead to light brown tea staining. A fresh-water rinse a few times a year keeps it bright.
Mirror
Mirror stainless is polished and buffed until it reflects like glass. It is the most dramatic bare finish, and it changes with its surroundings: it picks up the color of the sky, the street and the lights around it. In the trade it is often called a No. 8 finish.
The trade-off is that every fingerprint and scratch shows. Keep mirror letters out of reach, or plan on wiping them often. On the plus side, the smooth surface holds less dirt and salt than a brushed grain, so mirror resists coastal staining better than any other bare finish.
Gold
Our gold finish is a titanium coating over stainless steel. It gives a warm gold color. See our mirror gold stainless letters and gold halo-lit letters.
The coating is thin and hard. It handles normal cleaning, but abrasive pads, metal polish and scouring powder can wear through it, especially on edges. Like mirror stainless, it shows fingerprints, so it suits letters above head height.
Painted
Painted letters can be any color, matched to your brand. Use paint when the color matters more than the metal: a brand red, a navy, a black that reads strongly against a light wall. Painted stainless is the finish of our painted metal letters, and black halo-lit letters stand out by day and against the glow at night.
Dark, glossy colors show fingerprints and dust more than lighter colors. If a deep chip happens, the stainless underneath does not rust, but it will show silver.
Printed
On halo-lit letters, your artwork can be printed directly on the stainless face. It is the way to do multi-color logos, gradients or a pattern in metal letters. See printed-face halo letters. For photo-like artwork or a full design on a flat surface, a halo-lit printed acrylic panel is another route.
Where fingerprints matter
Ask one question: can people touch the letters?
- In reach: reception walls, hallway signs, letters next to doors, house numbers, desktop letters. Choose brushed, or a painted color that is not glossy black.
- Out of reach: storefront letters above the door, building letters, high lobby walls. Any finish works, including mirror and gold.
Planning a lobby logo? See our reception logo wall project.
Cleaning each finish
- Turn lit letters off before you clean them.
- Dust first with a soft, dry cloth or brush so grit does not scratch.
- Wash with warm water and a little mild soap on a soft cloth or microfiber. On brushed letters, wipe along the grain.
- Rinse with clean water and wipe dry to avoid water spots, which show most on mirror and gold.
- Never use steel wool, scouring pads or powder, bleach or cleaners with chlorides, on any finish.
- Near the coast, rinse bare stainless with fresh water a few times a year.
Channel letter maintenance and cleaning covers acrylic faces and inspections as well.
Choosing a finish with your brand
Finish and color go together. A gold or brushed face reads differently on a white wall than on dark wood, and a painted color has to stand out from the building. Matching sign colors to your brand covers paint, acrylic and printed color. Browse all bare and painted metal letters in the metal letters collection. If you are still deciding between lit and non-lit letters, see channel letters vs dimensional letters.
When you request a drawing through the quote form, tell us the finish you want and where the sign will hang. We email a free drawing with a lit preview and an exact price before anything is built.
Halo-Lit Channel Letters
