Chrome and Stainless Steel deck hardware maintenance
It is a misconception that stainless steel is stainless. Stainless steel is not 100% corrosion-resistant. It needs to be taken care of. Stainless steel will degrade like all other architectural metals. The term “stainless” implies a resistance to staining, rusting and pitting, however stainless steel is only stainless when clean. When stainless has a smooth, brightly polished finish, it will become more corrosion resistant. Stainless steel is still the best material in the marine industry – if it is correctly maintained it will last longer than the boat. Chrome does not oxidize as readily as stainless steel. It is inert, very hard, and usually only applied as a thin layer. We carefully remove the grime taking care not to scratch the surface and expose the shiny chrome underneath. Depending of the type of the corrosion we then use a metal polish to keep it looking as good as new.
