As the subject says, any suggestions as to how I can prevent/minimise
chrome-plated steel from rusting? We've got one of those 'shower
shelf' type affairs (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/
40092955) - in fact we've had several because they keep eventually
rusting. It is located within the shower cubicle hence does get a real
soaking every day.

I am assuming that chrome-plating itself offers limited protection for
the underlying steel so was wondering if painting it (a new one
probably) would help? If so, anything in particular or just a standard
metal primer, undercoat and top coat?

Changing to a stainless steel version would perhaps be our best bet,
but I wanted to explore prolonging the life of these el-cheapo ones if
only because it is a perfect size/fit and the wall fixings are already
in place.

Mathew

Mathew Newton wrote:
As the subject says, any suggestions as to how I can prevent/minimise
chrome-plated steel from rusting? We've got one of those 'shower
shelf' type affairs (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/
40092955) - in fact we've had several because they keep eventually
rusting. It is located within the shower cubicle hence does get a real
soaking every day.

I am assuming that chrome-plating itself offers limited protection for
the underlying steel so was wondering if painting it (a new one
probably) would help? If so, anything in particular or just a standard
metal primer, undercoat and top coat?

Changing to a stainless steel version would perhaps be our best bet,
but I wanted to explore prolonging the life of these el-cheapo ones if
only because it is a perfect size/fit and the wall fixings are already
in place.

Mathew

Chromium plating is porous. Anything that effectively blocks the pores
helps. There have been many recipes, usually consisting of some sort of
wax or grease and a solvent. Such as white spirit and vaseline. Allow to
dry. Repeat. Finish with a coat of good wax polish (maybe risking a car
polish). Repeat wax occasionally. Others may well come along with their
own, and possibly much better, ideas.

--
Rod

Hypothyroidism is a seriously debilitating condition with an insidious
onset.
Although common it frequently goes undiagnosed.
www.thyromind.info www.thyroiduk.org www.altsupportthyroid.org

Mathew Newton wrote:
As the subject says, any suggestions as to how I can prevent/minimise
chrome-plated steel from rusting? We've got one of those 'shower
shelf' type affairs (http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/
40092955) - in fact we've had several because they keep eventually
rusting. It is located within the shower cubicle hence does get a real
soaking every day.

I am assuming that chrome-plating itself offers limited protection for
the underlying steel so was wondering if painting it (a new one
probably) would help? If so, anything in particular or just a standard
metal primer, undercoat and top coat?

Changing to a stainless steel version would perhaps be our best bet,
but I wanted to explore prolonging the life of these el-cheapo ones if
only because it is a perfect size/fit and the wall fixings are already
in place.

Spray it with a clear lacquer of some sort. Holts do (or did) a car body
protector spray aerosol that might do what you want.


--
Cheers,

John.

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| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 5 May, 21:50, John Rumm wrote:

Spray it with a clear lacquer of some sort. Holts do (or did) a car body
protector spray aerosol that might do what you want.

If you're lacquering metal (esp. brass, to which nothing wants to
stick) then you're best going straight to a methacrylate lacquer
specifically for metals. Few quid for a small bottle. Rustins do one,
Axminster sold it last time I looked.

Really though, stainless is the way to go here. Otherwise nickel
plate, rather than chrome. Looks nicer (IMHO) and is effectively
impermeable, in the way that chrome isn't.

In article
,
Andy Dingley wrote:
Really though, stainless is the way to go here. Otherwise nickel
plate, rather than chrome. Looks nicer (IMHO) and is effectively
impermeable, in the way that chrome isn't.

Think on a good job, nickel is used underneath chrome for this very reason.

--
*Too many clicks spoil the browse *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Wed, 06 May 2009 09:26:32 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Think on a good job, nickel is used underneath chrome for this very
reason.

On old chrome plated steel I've seen the underlayer appears brass/copper
colour, nickle is a "white" metal is it not?

For a possible solution to the OPs problem how about "Chrome Cleaner" as
one would use on a car bumper when they where nice tough bits of chrome
plated steel rather than large expensive and weak plastic mouldings.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 6 May, 09:26, "Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

Think on a good job, nickel is used underneath chrome for this very reason.

"Triple chrome", which is very rarely done these days.

Copper goes on first, because it's cheap, dead easy to plate and you
can polish it smooth more easily than the substrate (usually steel).

Then nickel, because it adheres well, is impermeable, and is also
fairly easy to plate.

Finally chrome because it's shiny but is otherwise utterly useless as
a plating material. It's only platable from cyanide solutions (vapour
hazard, whereas most plating baths are only acutely toxic if you drink
them), doesn't stick worth a damn (nickel is a little better as a
substrate, but directly to copper is poor) and plates so slowly and
badly that it has to be done as a really thin layer, so it remains
permeable.

"Hard chrome" (hydraulic rams and machine gun barrels) is a different
process to shiny, polishable, decorative soft chrome. That has its own
problems, but at least it's thick and hard enough to provide a robust
layer.

For plating onto flexible non-conductors (baby bootees etc.) it's good
practice to alternate layers of nickel & copper. This can look like
either, according to which you stop with, but the layering makes it
much stiffer and stronger.

In article et,
Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Wed, 06 May 2009 09:26:32 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Think on a good job, nickel is used underneath chrome for this very
reason.

On old chrome plated steel I've seen the underlayer appears brass/copper
colour, nickle is a "white" metal is it not?

For a possible solution to the OPs problem how about "Chrome Cleaner" as
one would use on a car bumper when they where nice tough bits of chrome
plated steel rather than large expensive and weak plastic mouldings.

IIRC, the most durable chrome plate on steel goes brass first, then nickel
then chrome.

--
*The severity of the itch is proportional to the reach *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 2009-05-06, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article et,
Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Wed, 06 May 2009 09:26:32 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Think on a good job, nickel is used underneath chrome for this very
reason.

On old chrome plated steel I've seen the underlayer appears brass/copper
colour, nickle is a "white" metal is it not?

For a possible solution to the OPs problem how about "Chrome Cleaner" as
one would use on a car bumper when they where nice tough bits of chrome
plated steel rather than large expensive and weak plastic mouldings.

IIRC, the most durable chrome plate on steel goes brass first, then nickel
then chrome.


That certainly keeps the steel well away from the chrome.
Isn't the problem with chromium on steel that the chrome stays shiny
because the steel acts as a sacrificial anode that protects the
chromium?

--
Jan

On May 6, 1:25 am, Andy Dingley wrote:
On 5 May, 21:50, John Rumm wrote:

Spray it with a clear lacquer of some sort. Holts do (or did) a car body
protector spray aerosol that might do what you want.

If you're lacquering metal (esp. brass, to which nothing wants to
stick) then you're best going straight to a methacrylate lacquer
specifically for metals. Few quid for a small bottle. Rustins do one,
Axminster sold it last time I looked.

Thank you everyone for the ideas - I'll give the spray lacquer a shot
and see how we get on.

Really though, stainless is the way to go here. Otherwise nickel
plate, rather than chrome.

That may well end up being the best long term solution. I'll keep an
eye on out for what's available in a similar design/size.

Thanks again,

Mathew