We are always asked, what is the difference between the Lifetime Polished Brass Door Kick Plate, and the Polished Brass Door Kick Plate?
Our Polished Brass Door Kick Plates are solid brass, and since brass is not a stable material when exposed to the elements it tends to oxidize (tarnish). What the manufacturer does is coat it with an epoxy or lacquer to keep the air out from coming in contact with the brass. If the epoxy or lacquer gets scratched, then air comes in contact with the plate and it tarnishes. You can tell if your current kick plate is solid brass, because the clear coat might be peeling off where it is oxidizing.
The Lifetime Polished Brass Door Kick Plates are made of stainless steel, and then plated with an artificial polished brass coating. The coating they put on is extremely durable, but even if it does get scratched the surface material is stable even in moist environments and will not oxidize. The beauty of it is many faucet manufactures have been using this method for years on there faucets, and you probably did not notice. There is no difference in appearance of these two finishes and the cost to the consumer is the same per square inch.
Both of these plates, the Lifetime Polished Brass Door Kick Plate, and the Polished Brass Door Kick Plate are 16 gauge, which means they are .050″ thick. We offer stock sizes on our website, but we can make them to your exact size, lead time is usually about 7-10 working days. If you do order one, please remember to take the clear plastic film off the plate. Leaving the clear plastic film on the plate will make the plate look rather dull after a few weeks in the sun.
You can order the Lifetime Polished Brass Door Kick Plates on our website . We can also make custom sized plates up to a 1/16″ tolerance
What is the best kick plates to use on my front door, lifetime polished brass door kick plates or polished brass kick plates? I bought three polished brass kick plates in the last three years and they keep oxidizing.
If you have had previous polished brass kick plates, I would highly recommend the Lifetime polished brass kick plates. Because the finish on the lifetime brass kick plates is not really brass, and a very stable material, that would be the way to go.