SwissMaterials
Brass-coloured aluminium
The warmth of brass without its upkeep. Our brass-coloured plaques are anodised aluminium: the yellow-metal look traditional on Swiss letterboxes and lawyers’ doors, on a light substrate whose colour stays put. They are not solid brass.
How it ages in Switzerland
Unlike solid brass, the colour does not patina: it sits inside the anodised layer, which is then sealed. No factory shine dulling after a few months, no polishing twice a year, no lacquer to strip and redo. Anodised aluminium has no rust chemistry and frost is harmless. Its limit lies elsewhere: anodising dyes lighten slowly under strong sun, faster at altitude than on the plateau or on a shaded north wall. Road salt is the real enemy, so a plaque within splashing distance of a gritted street will pit faster than one on a garden gate.
Technical data
| Thickness | 1.5 mm and 2 mm |
| Finish | Brass-coloured anodising |
| Outdoor life | 10–20 years outdoors, less at altitude |
| Engraving | Engraving through the anodised layer, filled or left bare |
Best for
- ✓Letterbox and doorbell plates on older buildings
- ✓Law firms, notaries, medical practices
- ✓Chalet and family name signs
Think twice if you specifically want solid brass that takes on a patina, or the plaque sits at the kerb of a road that gets gritted all winter.
Questions
Is this solid brass?
No. It is aluminium anodised in a brass colour: the look of brass on a substrate that never patinas and needs no upkeep. We do not produce solid brass plaques.
Does it need any care?
No. A damp cloth and mild soap are enough — no polishing, no lacquer to redo. Avoid scouring creams and brass polishes: they scratch the anodised layer.
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