OT: Need coating for brushed stainless steel cooler

Sundsvall · Sep 9, 2003

What type of clear coating would you use to seal and protect a brushed stainess steel cooler?

I have seen post-modernist brushed stainless steel furniture sealed with some sort of coating.

Anyone know what that stuff is?

mete · Sep 9, 2003

Seal stainless steel ? It's steel not wood so doesn't need sealer.I,ve made stainless steel furniture and I picked SS in part because it needs no protective finish. My oldest piece is 20 years old and hasn't changed.

PlaceKnives · Sep 9, 2003

I've seen stainless furniture and appliances that were clear coated. Must be some kind of urethane paint.

Sundsvall · Sep 9, 2003

Originally posted by PlaceKnives
I've seen stainless furniture and appliances that were clear coated. Must be some kind of urethane paint.

That's what I thought.

Mete,

Normally, I would agree with leaving the stainless steel alone. But this is a cooler, so it will be outdoors and subjected to moisture, oils from greasy hands, etc.

I have seen old steel desks from the 50s with paint striped off and buffed with a brushed finish then sealed with some sort of urethane coating to prevent rusting.

I was hoping someone here has actually done that or worked with steel in that way. I have a brushed metal halogen torch floor lamp that is sealed in a similar way.

Mike Hull · Sep 9, 2003

Most urethanes are slightly yellow, at least poly urethane, and spar varnish are.
The water based acrylics are pretty clear.
You might check with a paint store for some type of spray, or an automotive paint store. Maybe automotive clear coat would work.

Eager · Sep 10, 2003

I agree with mete. You don't need to seal stainless steel. nothing will happen to it.

Sundsvall · Sep 10, 2003

Well, stainless steel will rust and stain, also the nice brushed finished will get complete scuffed up.

Mike Hull · Sep 10, 2003

Originally posted by Sundsvall
Well, stainless steel will rust and stain, also the nice brushed finished will get complete scuffed up.

If the SS will get scuffed, so will the clear coat. And that will be harder to touch up.

You can simply use scotchbrite pads on the SS, to return the finish to like new.

george tichbourne · Sep 10, 2003

A lot of the stuff that you are seeing with the clear coat finish is mild steel brushed to look like stainless and powder coated with clear .