Architectural

Bridges & Buildings

Buildings often use stainless steel as a cladding material and in the case of large structures such as bridges, it can specified as the principle construction material.

The stainless steel in these applications are often tarnished during the fabrication and installation phases – long before lack of ongoing maintenance becomes an issue. 

Construction debris, cross-contamination from a host of external factors (carbon steel lifting gear, grinding, fettling and other processes) not to mention the ‘clean-down’ at the end of installation with a chloride-based (or worse, hydrochloric acid) based cleaner can seriously tarnish the finish, leaving irreparable damage. 

Of course, stainless steel is not supposed to ‘rust’ – certainly not this early into its life-cycle. At the first sign of corrosion, contact us and we will help to determine the root cause and assist with any remedial work necessary to restore the finish and qualities that make stainless steel corrosion resistant.

Swimming Pools

The combination of chlorides and humidity can lead to wide scale corrosion on your stainless steel fixtures. To combat this, you should schedule regular, routine maintenance. If this is implemented from day one, this could be as simple as a thorough wipe-down and rinse using clean (drinking) water – just to remove any contaminants from taking up residence.

However, once corrosion has initiated, chemical cleaning will be necessary. The corrosion will initially appear as a few brown ‘spots’, which will seemingly multiply over time. If left, these spots will cause extensive damage, causing in the best case, pitting, and in the worst case, catastrophic failure due to chloride induced stress corrosion cracking

If caught early enough, the fix is relatively simple. Our mild chemical cleaning products will fully remove any contamination and passivate the surface, leaving it in an optimum condition for ongoing service.

Street Furniture

Stainless steel is a popular material choice when fabricating benches, bollards, and other fixtures in an urban environment. It is versatile, long-lasting and can be finished in a variety of attractive ways. What is often misunderstood is that stainless steel does need some occasional maintenance – and some scheduled cleaning.

The frequency of cleaning will be dictated by the grade of stainless steel, the surface finish and local environmental conditions. Stainless steel in coastal areas will inevitably need more maintenance than parts inland due to the higher concentration of airborne chlorides. Likewise, components in busy areas (with heavy traffic and other urban pollutants) will undoubtedly need more attention than ones in a country park.

If your stainless steel street furniture is rusting – or simply needs a good cleaning – don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sculptures

For various reasons, stainless steel is a popular choice for sculptors and artists. It is relatively easy to fabricate with, can be manipulated into a variety of shapes, has a wide range  of aesthetically attractive finishes and of course, needs relatively little maintenance – meaning that it will look good for many years to come.

Like stainless steel in other applications, it does need a degree of maintenance. Sculptures that are used in water-features are particularly prone to surface contamination. The water used in these applications are often chlorinated and if not correctly controlled, can result in a tarnished finish or worse, extensive pitting.

INOX Passivation can keep your sculptures and water-features in top condition. If necessary, we can also advise you on your ongoing maintenance and/or water-treatment regime.

Training & competencies:

INOX Passivation staff are well trained both in-house and externally. This is to not only meet legislative and HSE requirements, but mainly because we believe we can do a better job if we’re adequately prepared. Here are some of the training courses our staff have attended and completed:

 

NEBOSH, IOSH, NACE, CCNSG, CCNSG LATS, IPAF, PASMA, WJA Water-Jetting, Confined Space Entry, Emergency Spill Response, Hydrofluoric Acid Awareness, First Aid and many others…