To the naked eye, your material may look smooth and consistent.

While some products may only require standard stainless steel finishes, others may need something extra in order to enhance surface appearances, improve environmental performance or even reduce safety concerns.

Here is a closer look at the various stages of stainless steel finish for your material.

All stainless steels are iron-based alloys containing at least 10.5 chromium.

This allows the film to immediately self-repair in the presence of oxygen in the event of any surface damage.

Whether we are talking hot rolled or cold rolled, all stainless steel flat products are treated with a standard mill finish.

Considered the most widely used surface finish, 2B is the basis for most polished and brushed finishes.

Such common stainless steel grades as 201, 304, 304L and 316L come in a standard 2B finish.

D This finish is also achieved by cold rolling, heat treating and pickling, but, unlike 2B, does not receive the light rolling.

Stainless Steel 6.4 Trial And Engineering

This achieves a low reflective matte surface appearance that is ideal for industrial and engineering applications yet has different aesthetics than 2B.

For example, one common applied finish is 4, which you will find on your average restaurant or kitchen equipment, food processing or dairy equipment, and elsewhere.

This finish uses between 120 and 320 abrasive grit, depending on the application.

The level of the grit impacts the surface roughness, which is typically measured in terms of micro-inches or micro meters, represented as Ra (roughness average).

The higher the grit numbers, the finer the polishing lines and more reflective the finish.

For example, some polishes can create a discoloration on the surfacethink of a checkerboard look to your metal.

For most users, this may not ultimately make a difference for applications of the metal, but, for others, specifically those with food, dairy, or pharmaceutical applications, the presence of microscopic scratches or pits that exist beneath the surface may have the potential to trap bacteria or other contaminants that could create health hazards for the products that are being produced.

These types of finishes use an intense polishing method to eliminate any unseen pits, scratches or imperfections.

Eliminating these imperfections early could also make the finished product is easier to clean, without the need to use harsh chemicals to eliminate that bacteria that develops.

Stainless Steel 6.4 Free Finish From

Check out more about what it means to create a pit-free finish from Guy Metals, part of the Ryerson Family of Companies.