If you're looking for a genuinely unique design element that has one foot in the past and one in the future, there are a few better options than decorative sheet metal. Sheet metal has been used as a decorative element for centuries, but production methods and patterns have continued to evolve. The result is one of the most striking pieces of interior or exterior art you can install in a home, office, or historical building.
Types Of Decorative Sheet Metal
Almost any commonplace metal can be used as a decorative element, with each type of metal bringing its unique colors, sheen, and finish to the project. Some of the most popular metal options include:
Occasionally, even precious metals may be used, such as silver or gold.
There are also numerous options for how the sheets may be designed or deployed. For example:
Decorative Aluminum
Aluminum is an excellent metal for decorative work because it's lightweight and easy to work with. Yet, aluminum is deceptively strong, as well as resistant to corrosion and other environmental damage. This makes it a great material for cutting and decorating and can be put to excellent use both indoors and out.
Corrugated Metal Sheets
Corrugated metal is typically associated with cheaper roofs and fences, but it can take on new life as a decorative element. The corrugation gives it a three-dimensional quality which other types of decorative sheet metal lack. Corrugated metal can also be layered to create even more complicated structures or standing art pieces.
Perforation and Stamping
Of the various methods of decorating sheet metal, perforation, and stamping are the most typical because it's a proven, well-understood process. Decorative metal sheets often have to repeat geometric patterns cut into them, which is easily done as tooling and die work. Squares, triangles, and diamonds can all create appealing patterns. Punched circles are another option for a slightly more whimsical look.
Laser Cutting
More recently, laser cutting has entered the field of decorative sheet metal. Laser cutting has the advantage of being computer controlled, allowing for highly complicated patterns and designs which would be difficult to achieve with classic tool-and-die methods. Virtually anything can be laser-cut into a piece of sheet metal as long as its structural stability won't be compromised.
Once created, a piece of decorative sheet metal can be put to numerous uses, including:
Heather & Little are American masters of metalworking, as one key part of our services in restoration and renovation. We have the tools and skills necessary to create any reasonable decorative sheet metal piece on demand, to precisely match your artistic vision or the needs of your restoration project.Contact us to learn more about our work.
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