Currently, the mainstream shower room hardware materials on the market are divided into three categories: brass copper, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel. Different materials vary significantly in performance, price, and usage scenarios.
1. Aluminum alloy
The aluminum alloy in the shower room mostly refers to "aluminum-titanium alloy" or "titanium-magnesium-aluminum alloy", which is a reinforced version of aluminum-based alloy. Its corrosion resistance and mechanical properties are better than ordinary aluminum alloys. It has high processing requirements but is relatively cheap. It is generally used in low-end products.
2. Stainless steel
Stainless steel in shower rooms mostly refers to 304 stainless steel, which is a grade of stainless steel produced according to the American ASTM standard. It has very good corrosion resistance. Many manufacturers have launched so-called stainless steel shower rooms, but their actual chromium and nickel content do not meet the standards (the national standard (GB/T 3280) for 304 stainless steel requires chromium content ≥18% and nickel ≥8%). Therefore, you need to carefully distinguish when choosing.
3. Brass
The majority of brass in shower rooms is in the form of partitions or hinges, and is divided into cast copper and forged copper:
Cast copper: The metal is melted and then flows into a cavity with a specific shape. After solidification, it forms a specific shape
Forged copper: The metal is heated and then placed on a platform or in a mold of a specific shape, and forged into a specific shape with a tool such as an air hammer.
The production process of cast copper is simple, the price is relatively low, and it is easy to have micropores and poor density. Forging can refine the metal grains, and the strength is higher than that of castings. The price is usually several times that of cast copper, and it is commonly used in high-end shower rooms.
Comprehensive comparison
Limited budget: choose aluminum alloy (not cost-effective)
Strive for quality: forged copper hardware
Blind selection is not wrong: 304 stainless steel, forged fine copper
