How to Do Metal Surface Finishing
Metal surface finishing is performed to remove scratches and renew the finish on appliances and countertops that are made with stainless steel. Scratches and scuffs dull the finish of stainless steel and make the metal surface looked worn and aged.
With a little time and elbow grease, the finish can be brought back to their original shiny luster. The time you spend restoring the metal's surface is well worth it, as new stainless steel appliances are quite expensive.
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Things You'll Need
- Non-orbiting palm sander
- Buffing pad
- Scotch-Brite pads
- Polishing compound
- Cleaning solution
- Safety glasses
Instructions
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1
Clear obstructions such as stickers from appliances or counter top clutter if you are refinishing the surface of a stainless steel counter top. Clean the metal's surface with a cleaning solution to remove grease and food debris. Observe the grain on the metal's surface. The metal's grain looks like lines all running in the same direction.
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2
Rub a Scotch-Brite pad over all scuffs and scratches, making sure to rub in the direction of the grain. Running against the grain will result in more scuffs. Rub polishing compound on the metal's surface and continue to scour the scuffed area. When all scuffs and scratches are blended, you will notice that the area where the scuff use to be is different then the rest of the metal surface's finish.
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3
Rub polishing compound on the surface of the metal. Attach a full piece of Scotch-Brite to the palm sander, turn the sander on and run the sander along the entire metal surface. Be sure to run the palm sander with the grain of the metal.
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4
Inspect the metal's surface for an even finish. Repeat Step 3 until the metal's surface is uniform.
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5
Clean the metal surface thoroughly with a clean agent to remove the film left behind by the polishing compound. Wipe the metal's surface dry, always moving in the direction of the grain.
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Tips & Warnings
Always wear safety glasses. Particles that enter your eye can cause permanent damage to your vision.
