Most people must use the elevator to reach their destination within a commercial building.
This makes your elevators one of the most visible assets on the inside of your facility. Keeping them well-maintained is absolutely essential for making the right impression on tenants and visitors.
Unfortunately, elevators also receive their fair share of abuse. Metal and wood surfaces become scratched and smudged from people touching and bumping into them. Airborne contaminants create a dingy, tarnished appearance. Over time, normal wear and tear takes a toll on elevator doors and interior cabs, negatively impacting the visitor experience.
In some cases, it may be necessary to install completely new materials. More often, however, you can achieve a like-new appearance at a much lower cost thanks to architectural refinishing.
Professional metal refinishing restores the aesthetic appearance of elevator doors. It may also be used to update the look and feel of the surface as part of an interior remodel. Wood refinishing also brings back the beauty of interior cab surfaces.
Damage to Elevator Surfaces
Elevator doors are often made from stainless steel, bronze or brass, all of which lose their luster as they age. Wooden cab finishes also become faded or discolored over time.
Here are some of the problems you may notice as time passes:
- Visible staining and smudging that becomes harder to remove
- Topcoats or lacquer developing a flaky or bubbly appearance
- Scrapes or scratches from accidental contact with zippers, keys and similar objects
- Damage caused by vandalism or graffiti
- Discoloration, often caused by excessive touching
- Signs of tarnish on metal surfaces
- Stains, discoloration, cracking or chipping on wood surfaces
Benefits of Elevator Refinishing
Whether you simply need to maintain a pleasing aesthetic or update the whole look of your elevators, architectural refinishing offers many benefits.
First, professional refinishing removes accumulated damage that degrades the appearance of older assets. It lets you get rid of stains or smudges and reduce the appearance of scatches. It may also make day-to-day maintenance easier and may extend the lifespan of the asset.
Second, refinishing offers a cost-effective way to give outdated elevators a fresh, contemporary look. At Mid America Specialty Services, our Metal Conversion System transforms elevator doors so that they mimic the appearance of different materials. For example, our custom refinishing process can change the look of bronze or brass doors so that they resemble brushed stainless steel. The new finish takes on the grain of the original metal for a realistic appearance. Finish options include a mirror or satin finish for bronze or stainless steel, or an oxidized appearance for bronze. Refinishers can also paint elevator doors in a variety of custom colors to match the interior of your building.
Professional Refinishing for Elevator Surfaces
For metal assets such as elevator doors, technicians will resurface the finish to remove scratches. This involves mechanical sanding and/or hand finishing or polishing. To achieve the desired cosmetic effect, such as a mirror or satin finish, a variety of custom techniques may be applied.
Wood restoration may include polishing, scratch repair or vandalism repair. For minor damage, a simple touch-up and polish may be all you need. Stripping, staining and refinishing may be required for more significant damage or if an updated appearance is desired.
Before having your elevator refinished, you’ll want to consider the specific type of material. Also keep in mind that different finishes will have different ongoing maintenance requirements. For example, some surfaces may need to be cleaned more often than others. In other instances, overcleaning may cause the finish to wear away more quickly Your technician will educate you on the proper cleaning techniques to use after your refinishing service is complete.
At Mid America Specialty Services, we have decades of experience restoring architectural surfaces. Whether your elevators need a simple refinishing or a complete makeover, our experts are here to help.
You can reach us at 800-544-4576 or contact us online.
