Britex Commercial Grade 304 Stainless Steel for Benches
Stainless steel benches are a mark of professionalism as much as they are an emblem of style - they are robust, hygienic, and let’s face it… they look damn sleek. If you’re on the hunt for a top quality steel bench for your business, or even for your home, then you’d do well to consider one of the best stainless steel fabricators in the biz. Our artisianship is second to none, and our range of products is expansive; not only are we a leading manufacturer of stainless steel benches and shelves, but we also offer high-quality sinks, hand basins, tapware, showers, baths, troughs, washroom accessories, tanks and drainage, drinking fountains, toilets, and more.
What are the advantages of a Stainless Steel Bench?
Stainless Steel is Durable
If you consider yourself a knight in your professional field, then you should consider your stainless steel bench as your armour. Stainless Steel is best known for its strength. It is physically formidable against the sharpest and heaviest of kitchenware; it’s impact resistant, fire and heat resistant, and it’s inexhaustibly enduring when it comes to chemicals and water damage. Stainless steel was also considered one of the world’s first “rustless steels”, as it is corrosion resistant. It’s no-maintenance (beyond giving it a wipe after use, as you would any other surface), and it’s basically unbreakable. In short, stainless steel is made to last.
Stainless Steel is Stylish
Be honest, who amongst us isn’t just a little taken by the smooth, shiny, visage of gleaming metal? So if you’re thinking about installing a bench for commercial purposes, then there’s nothing more professional looking than a stainless steel bench. And while it’s good to remember that there’s always more to a thing than its surface beauty, perhaps that metric gets a bit of leeway when that thing is literally a surface. And even if it doesn’t, there is, of course, much more to stainless steel than its elegant aesthetics…
Stainless Steel is Hygienic
It’s not just stainless steel’s strength and beauty that have made it an institution across so many different industries; it’s also an extremely santarty material, owing to its smooth and non-porous surface that is incongruous to grime, dirt and bacteria, and incredibly easy to clean.
Stainless Steel is Sustainable
In an age where sustainability is more important than ever, and where greenwashing runs rampantly unregulated, it’s comforting to know that stainless steel is extremely sustainable. Not only is it a product that will not have to be replaced in a hurry (if ever), but it is typically crafted from 70% scrap metal. What’s arguably even better is that when it is time for a stainless steel bench to be replaced (again, if ever), then that material is in fact 100% recyclable, and can be entirely repurposed without leaching toxic chemicals during the recycling purpose.
What Are Stainless Steel Benches Used For?
Because of its aforesaid qualities, stainless steel is a material that is utilised across a myriad of different industries. Some of the many different fields that implement stainless steel benches include security, council & government work, the health & medical industry, the scientific industry, and of course, hospitality. In hospitality alone, stainless steel benches are used in commercial kitchens, canteens, cafes, and restaurants.
Grades of Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is iron-based alloy with a minimum of 10.5% chromium. But, like anything else in life, stainless steel comes in different varieties, so you may come across versions that were forged with different ratios of iron and other metals.
14, 16, & 18 Gauge Stainless Steel
You will often see stainless steel benches and sinks categorised into 14 Gauge Stainless Steel, 16 Gauge Stainless Steel, and 18 Gauge Stainless Steel. This is a common unit of measurement for wire and sheet metal products. The steel is thicker the lower the number; the lower the number, the thicker the steel is; therefore, 16 gauge steel is thicker than 18 gauge steel, and 14 gauge steel is thicker than 16 gauge steel.
18 Gauge Stainless Steel
For those trying to cut costs, a bench made of stainless steel in this style is an excellent choice. Although it is less durable than other choices (which accounts for the lower price) it perfectly suffices for casual, less demanding purposes.
16 Gauge Stainless Steel
A commercial kitchen sink that’s a wonderful comprise between durability and cost is the 16 gauge stainless steel kitchen bench, which is far more robust than its 18 gauge cousin.
14 Gauge Stainless Steel
The 14 gauge stainless steel kitchen bench is the most resilient choice around. This is the alternative for your commercial kitchen if longevity and quality are your top priorities. These benches are frequently used in commercial kitchens, the meat industries, and other heavy duty environments.
430 Stainless Steel
This 430 alloy contains more iron and very little nickel. Its composition is 80% iron, 16–18% chromium, and 3% other non-ferrous metals. These essential characteristics allow it to resist corrosion and nitric acid without reacting, which makes 430 steel better suitable for gas burners on heating units, dishwashers, range hoods, gutters, and trim and moulding for automobiles. 430 contains a tiny percentage of nickel, which lowers its corrosion resistance (but makes it more likely to rust than 304 but still high quality).
316 Stainless Steel
316 stainless steel is a molybdenum-bearing austenitic grade standard. It is very resistant to crevice corrosion in chloride environments.
Type 304
One of the most common types of stainless steel utilised across dustrial applications is the 304. It is composed of 8% nickel, 18% chromium, and 65% iron. Due to its non-magnetic properties, it is highly sought after.
Why Britex Stainless Steel Grade 304?
Installing stainless steel fixtures made completely of grade 304 stainless steel is suitable in the great majority of situations because this alloy's corrosion resistance makes it more than capable of withstanding the most extreme environmental and chemical exposures. Compared to carbon steel and ordinary steel, this alloy has a reduced heat and electricity conductivity. It is resistant to the corrosive effects of chlorides and other water-borne minerals. These characteristics make 304 stainless steel more resistant to corrosion and stress. The 304 is also more resistant to the many different chemicals and atmospheric exposures that an industrial sink might come across on a day to day basis.
- Grade 304 Stainless Steel also possesses impeccable formability.
- Britex Stainless Steel Grade 304 is extremely hygienic, as it is very easy to clean.
- Grade 304 Stainless Steel also possesses impeccable formability.
- Grade 304 Stainless Steel is non-magnetic.
- When it comes to durability, strength and resilience, Britex Stainless Steel Grade 304 is second to none.
Giving Strength to the Medical Industry
Ensuring that hospitals and the healthcare system are equipped with durable equipment is of utmost importance. That’s why Britex supplied Stainless Steel Benches and Troughs to the Epworth Eastern Hospital, including Britex Stainless Steel Custom Utility Commercial Sinks, Britex Plaster and Clay Arrestors, Britex Stainless Steel Floor Mounted Cleaners Sinks, Britex Stainless Steel Surgeons Scrub Troughs, and more. This has in turn helped Epworth Eastern Hospital maintain the exceptional healthcare they provide for countless patients.
Types of Stainless Steel Benches
- Dirty Utility Sink - This sink is a standard design for health related 'Dirty Utility' rooms. It includes a flushing rim sink (or more colloquially, a sluice), a standard bowl, and is fully customisable.
- BenchTech Flat Island Benches - The BenchTech Flat Island Bench standard comes with a benchtop, legs and a solid undershelf.
- BenchTech Single Sink Benches - Centre Bowl - BenchTech Single Sink Bench standard comes with benchtop, centre bowl, legs and pipe, and an undershelf.
- BenchTech Single Sink Bench - Made from 1.2mm grade 304 stainless steel, the BenchTech Single Sink Benches also come complete with a 2.0mm corrosion resistant zinc plated steel substrate.
- BenchTech Mobile Benches - The BenchTech Mobile Bench comes with benchtop, legs and castors, and a solid undershelf.
Conclusion
In summation, a stainless steel bench is a lean, mean sheen machine. It’s practically indestructible, it’s hygienic, it's aesthetically pleasing, and it’s 100% recyclable (assuming it doesn’t outlive us all). You can check out Britex’s stainless steel benches and shelves here and Britex’s vast range of products and services here.
