Whether you are getting a crowd control rope and post system or a retractable belt stanchion, you will next have to decide on the finish that you want.

The tubing used in the construction of crowd control posts generally consists of one of four types of base metals. The tubing is either aluminum, mild steel, stainless steel or brass, each have different characteristics. These characteristics are therefore important to understand, so you can make a good buying decision. All four metals can be finished in similar ways, the most common are polished, satin, or coated.

So some of the questions you must ask yourself: Are your crowd control products going to be subject to moisture or abuse? How often do you wish to clean them? What kind of look are you trying to accomplish? How long do you expect them to last?

Let’s take a glance at each type of metal. Aluminum does not rust, is relatively inexpensive, and can be finished in many attractive ways. Since aluminum is a fairly soft metal, remember how little boys love to display their toughness by crushing pop cans. Obviously, crowd control equipment is made with a much larger wall thickness than a pop can, but the point is aluminum is still subject to damage. Aluminum will still oxidize and no one wants that lady in the white skirt to have her skirt get black marks on it if she is too close to the stanchion post.

The next is mild steel, which is inexpensive and abrasion resistant. I am sure you remember from science class that steel will rust (oxidize) very easily, therefore it should be painted or better yet powder coated or plated. Depending on your environment even powder coating and plating can eventually allow the steel to rust through a small defect or scratch.

Stainless steel is strong and does not rust and can be finished in polished or satin (brushed). Stainless steel is an alternative to chrome, as the chrome plating process has come under fire for its health risks and environmental impact. Every type of metal has some oxidation over time, but when you look at how long a stainless steel counter or sink last you can surmise that it makes a great metal for crowd control systems. The largest drawback is expense.

The last metal we will look at is brass. Brass is stately attractive and does not rust. By far the most expensive of the above options. Brass does oxidize very quickly so if your desire is for the shiny look it must be polished often or have a protective powder coat applied.

For a short discussion on finish choices of crowd control equipment. Paint and anodization, the wearability is not great. Powder coating and chrome or brass plating are much better but not suitable for all environments. Polished stainless or brass have a high luster. Satin finish can soften the look and will hide the dreaded fingerprints that are visible on a shiny surface.

If your crowd control devices are not going to be subject to abuse, moisture and price is a huge consideration then powder coat over mild steel would be your choice (note, a gloss finish will show fingerprints so will require being wiped down). Remember your crowd control equipment is one of the first impressions your clientèle have of your facility, so if appearance is important and price is not, then consider brass. For longevity, appearance and moisture, stainless steel may be your best choice.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 15th, 2008 at 3:00 pm and is filed under Crowd Control Equipment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.