Stainless Steel Doors Making a statement Reprinted form Doors and Hardware magazine - March 2000 issue. Authored by John Schechter, President, Next Door Company. Stainless steel has many benefits as a door material: It is versatile, durable, resists rust and corrosion, requires low maintenance and is pleasing to the eye. In the past, stainless steel doors have been used in commercial construction primarily for their performance properties. Now they are being used more as a design element where both performance and beauty are desired. Stainless steel has been a design trend for several years. This material has an established presence in the residential market (e.g., kitchen appliances, furniture, doors) and the light commercial market, especially restaurants, hotels and high-end office suites. Architects are now specifying stainless more to make a design statement while still meeting demanding performance requirements. As stainless steel has been pulled into the decorative market, the call for variety and individualism has been heard. Stainless steel doesn't arrive just in "gun metal gray" anymore. This high performance metal can be delivered in many patterns, colored finishes (e.g., including gold, bronze, black and rose/copper) and in combination with other decorative elements, such as designer glass. The flexibility and vast potential for specialty decorative needs makes stainless steel a viable option for fulfilling clients' expectations. They can virtually design their own patterns and carry a stainless steel motif throughout an area. For example, the lobby of one oil company's corporate headquarters has been specified to use non-directional (angel hair) finish on the doors that will match wall panels and column covers. When a commercial job called for an historic renovation of a post office in New Jersey, original surfaces were matched in stainless steel. Built in the 1930's, the original building had steel doors and elevator panels that were etched with intricate filigree. When the building was restored with stainless in 1998, the original filigree designs were copied in both the panels and doors. The opportunity to create custom designs and patterns in stainless steel is vast. When custom stainless steel is called for, the first step is to go to a specialty stainless steel door manufacturer. This manufacturer will have relationships with the major stainless steel design houses and can select the best one for a particular job and work out the specs with them. Once the design is selected, the manufacturer can create the door, which is often the most demanding application. The manufacturer can assist you in translating the design into other applications (e.g., column covers, elevator panels) in the room, office, or suite. As with any application that an architect or builder hasn't used before, going to the experts will help avoid potential difficulties and provide insight for future projects. For example, one job at Northwestern University used heavily textured patterned steel. Because of the uneven design, it was difficult to join at the edges. The company in charge was able to develop a special weld that fit into the ridges in the pattern in order for the weld to be disguised. Only a specialty stainless manufacturer would know how to work with these different types of patterns to achieve a flawless look. Decorative stainless steel doors are turning up in places you might not expect. The National Institutes of Health, St. Jude's Research Hospital and a power company's conference room and exterior doors all sport custom-made stainless steel doors. The United Arab Emirates Embassy in Washington, D.C. has ordered stainless steel doors with two finishes, #4 satin and #8 mirror, to create a truly unique design. The Space Aliens Bar and Grill in North Dakota went for an Art Deco stainless steel door whereas the Richmond Times Dispatch designed their own embossed patterns for its exterior door. Often an architect will seek the decorative aspect of stainless steel and mistakenly believe their only option is cladding. This is not true because a cladded door can't be fire rated - it will eventually delaminate and separate at the seams. By choosing a 100% stainless steel door, the architect can get the look they want in addition to a door that will pass stringent commercial standards. Colored stainless steel has been popular in Japan and is just beginning to be used in the U.S. market. Available colors include gold, bronze, copper and black. The metal has all of the performance properties of stainless steel with the look of other metal types. Incorporating glass into hotels, restaurants and corporate office interiors is another hot trend. Stainless steel is a good compliment when a glass motif is being used in office suites on partitions, conference room walls and entry doors. Etched steel designs can be custom-made to a client's desire, which make for a very personalized, unique door. We are even seeing corporate logos being etched on stainless steel doors in a variety of fashions, either very subtly or big and bold. The combination of high performance and decorative options are just two vital reasons for the stainless steel explosion in the office, at home, in restaurants, in hotels and on exterior building surfaces. The next time a client is looking for a "one-of-a-kind" item, consider a decorative stainless steel door. He or she will be pleasantly surprised by what stainless steel can be made to look like. 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