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Copper Plating Services

Professional Copper Plating Services for Your Furniture & Antiques

Luis Restorations of Long Island specializes in a variety of restoration services, including copper plating services for antiques and items. We have years of experience in the industry and work with customers across New York and Long Island with the restoration of copper-plated fixtures and chandeliers. Copper plating is a common aspect for many items, especially antiques. There is a wide range of items that use copper. Unfortunately, copper is a material that does not hold long and needs to be properly maintained. Our experienced team of technicians has the experience and wherewithal to properly work on an assortment of items. Request an estimate for our work today!

Get An Estimate

So please, do not hesitate to reach out and learn more about our restoration services. When you reach out to our office, we can provide you with a free consultation and estimate! Luis Restorations is a licensed and insured company that specializes in restoring antiques and can provide you with accurate estimates and amazing results.

What is Copper Plating?

Copper plating is the process of electrolytically depositing a layer of copper. Copper readily oxidizes, so copper-plated parts that are used in a decorative fashion are often lacquered after the plating to retain that bright and shiny appearance. The applications for copper plating are almost limitless. These applications induce an undercoat in situations where enhanced adhesion for additional coatings of materials, as it provides smooth and uniform coverage. Surface preparation for soldering is also another application. Many aerospace and electronics industries apply copper plating on plastic applications.

This process can be somewhat dangerous due to the toxicity of cyanide. Many commercial platers use a copper-cyanide solution to complete the plating. This plating retains a high concentration of copper, but could be an issue when not done by an expert due to the presence of the cyanide. A cyanide-based bath chemistry produces a metal finish that is preferred for its diffusion blocking characteristics. Diffusion blocking is used to improve the long-term adherence of different types of metals, such as steel. Due to some of these risks, it is important to concede these areas to the professionals.

Custom Copper Plating Services

Our custom copper plating services are unmatched and provide an array of benefits to the item. Let's take a look at a common step-by-step guide on how we achieve our copper plating results.

1) Surface Preparation

The first step in the copper plating process is preparing the metal surface to ensure there is proper adhesion. During this initial step, we will meticulously clean and polish the metal piece in order to remove any impurities, dirt, or debris. This step prepares a pristine canvas for the copper plating to adhere to well.

2) Pre-Treatment

Once the surface of the metal is clean, we will apply a pre-treatment solution that further enhances the adhesion of the copper plating. This step will ensure that the copper layer will bond securely with the metal substrate and provide a long-lasting and durable finish.

3) Copper Plating Bath

In this step, the metal piece is immersed in a specialized copper plating bath. An electric current is passed through the bath, which causes the copper ions to adhere to the metal surface evenly. The plating thickness is carefully controlled in order to achieve the desired effect, while still maintaining the structural integrity of the item.

4) Finishing Touches

Once the copper plating is complete, there are additional steps in order to refine and enhance the appearance of the piece. These additional steps can include polishing, buffing, or applying protective coatings to seal in the copper finish. It all depends on the object at hand and what is required for the specific item.

5) Inspection of Item

Last, but not least, there is a quality control inspection. We want to make sure the results are up to par to our standards, so the item goes through a rigorous inspection to determine its quality. If the piece meets our standards, then it is finally complete and ready to hand back to the client.