Nickel vs Chrome: What's the difference?
Blog

Nickel vs Chrome: What's the difference?

9th January 2023

Nickel vs Chrome: What's the difference?

Here at IronmongeryDirect, many of our products are available in a range of stylish finishes, and while each adds their own unique twist to any domestic or commercial project, there are some finishes that offer similar qualities, two of these being Nickel and Chrome.

Company Logo

IronmongeryDirect

How are they similar?

Even though it is important to know the difference between these two finishes from an aesthetic standpoint, when it comes to their practical characteristics, there isn’t much difference.

Both Nickel and Chrome products have a base material of solid brass, so the durability of the hardware itself will be the same. As well as this, both finishes can be used for external projects, and their cleaning and maintenance processes are identical.

You can find out more about how to clean and maintain various types of ironmongery finishes here.

Nickel and Chrome

The differences

These two finishes have a lot to offer aesthetically, and the finish you choose will very much depend on your preferences.

Tone

Looking at Chrome and Nickel more closely, you can see that the tone of each of them is slightly different.

Chrome offers a more cool-toned metallic finish, whereas Nickel provides just as much of a metallic finish but with a warmer, more yellow based tone. This difference can be of great benefit for those that are looking for a metallic finish in varying styles of décor, with Nickel being better suited to more period/rustic properties, and Chrome being perfect for creating a sleek and modern space.

Shine

Another difference between these two finishes is that even though both offer a visually appealing shine, a higher degree of shine can be achieved when using chrome, with this type of finish offering an almost mirror-like end result.

If you’re looking for fixtures with a more subtle sheen, Nickel will be your ideal choice.

Consistency

If ensuring that all of your fixtures are exactly the same in terms of finish, Chrome is always the best option.

Nickel finishes can be prone to slight inconsistencies, not so much that it would be immediately noticeable, so if you’re looking for hardware that will be more unique, Nickel is the better option, but if perfect consistency is what you’re after, we would recommend Chrome.

Aesthetic damage repair

Any type of hardware or fixture that is subjected to consistent use is prone to incidents of aesthetic damage such as scratches and scuffs, and while Chrome hardware is extremely difficult to repair in cases of this type of damage, Nickel can be sanded to remove these kinds of issues.

We asked Kelly Wing, our Direct Sourcing Manager about the aesthetic and practical benefits of Nickel finishes in particular, saying that:

“Nickel plating is used to protect items from both corrosion and wear resistance, it is available in Satin and polished finishes and gives the sense of high-end look. This range has been carefully selected to ensure trend and elegance on any finished surface.”

If you’re looking to upgrade any hardware in a domestic or commercial project, both Nickel and Chrome are excellent choices for a finish that anyone would be proud of, and now you know the similarities and differences between them, you can choose the one that is the perfect fit for you.

You can find both Nickel and Chrome finishes across various sections of our range, including Door, Window and Cabinet Hardware.