Because of our longtime experience with different materials we have come to produce all our color-coated objects only from high-quality stainless steel as a basic material. This is no low priced variant but it guarantees a long product life and many advantages that – in our opinion – multiply justify a higher price.
- In the case of scratches and signs of wear there is no risk of corrosion. Repair with the included color is easy and a rebuild of all layers is not necessary.
- In combination with stainless steel elements like water inlets, bolts, fittings etc. contact corrosion cannot be avoided if a different basic material is used. That is a risk which we can eliminate.
- The occurring crevice corrosion with steel sheets that overlap or that are slotted is always a challenge. The cracks have to be closed by seal welding which inevitably leads to warping due to heat. This problem is avoided by using color-coated stainless steel sheets.
- Stainless steel as basic material is much stabler as the soft and less expensive aluminum. If used for large areas aluminum is very vulnerable to bulges.
- In case of large-scale elements hot-dip galvanized steel is only partly suitable, because it often warps and forms bulges when zinc-coated. Furthermore the color-coating does not stick properly to the adhesive primer. In the worst case it flakes off the hot-dip galvanized surface after a few years (see example).
- Garden metal objects made from cheap steel sheets as basic material have – without maintenance and care – a product life of less than 10 years.
For the mentioned reasons Gartenmetall® has started using high-grade stainless steel as a basic material for color-coated metal garden objects, even if the tender offer dictates cheaper steel or aluminum.